Remarkable antics of state GOP would make great reality show

Good news, Nevada. I think we might have a hit on our hands.

As you know, the state has struggled to promote itself during rough economic times. It's hard to put a happy face on a place with high unemployment, a ramshackle housing market, under-performing public schools and an overhyped casino culture.

Gov. Brian Sandoval recently created the Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development with its mission "to promote a robust, diversified and prosperous economy." Its goals are admirable, but let's be frank: Nevada needs another economic development board like Joan Rivers needs another face-lift. No matter how you package the product, the reflection in the mirror remains frightening.

What this state really needs is a big-time reality television show, something that reminds the public that we are unique. Alaska has "The Deadliest Catch" and Sarah Palin. New Jersey has "Jersey Shore."

Nevada has produced its share of casino industry slices of life and legalized brothel melodramas. (Insert your own state Legislature joke here.) But until now we've missed the opportunity to promote the Silver State as a place apart. And I mean far apart.

It's time for a reality show based on the remarkable antics of the Nevada Republican Party. I reached this conclusion after reading the Review-Journal's dispatches from this past weekend's state GOP convention in Sparks, which is also home to a large mental health facility. I think that's just a coincidence.

Talk about changing times. The state Republican Party used to be so boring that all it did was get mainstream candidates elected to high office. No more.

While the outside world believes Mitt Romney will receive the party's presidential nomination - he garnered 50 percent of the Nevada caucus vote - the Sparks convention attendees were determined to deny the undeniable. They rallied in support for their libertarian saint, Ron Paul.

The spoilsport Republican National Committee rolled its eyes and issued a letter to the state party warning that Nevada would be ostracized if it tried to seat too many Paul supporters at August's national convention.

The Paul supporters countered by rolling and smoking the warning letter and managed to force out Republican National Committeeman Robert List and GOP stalwart Heidi Smith with Paul acolytes. It must have shocked List and Smith to awaken in a world in which anyone believed they weren't conservative enough. Thanks to the weekend's shenanigans, Nevada will send 22 Paul delegates to the convention in Tampa. Romney gets six.

Alas, not everyone wants to appear on my new show.

While Paul addressed the convention in person Saturday, Romney sent son Josh. Which makes me wonder what Mitt has against Josh, but I digress.

Sandoval, the state's most popular Republican officeholder, didn't attend. I understand his tin-foil hat was in the cleaners.

Congressman Joe Heck was on Army Reserve duty. It's only a rumor Heck was willing to join the French Foreign Legion if necessary to miss the nutty affair in Sparks.

Dean Heller, the U.S. Senate appointee, decided to attend his daughter's soccer game. Anything to avoid being kicked around by Paul's patriots.

With that caliber of chaos, the convention would make a great pilot for a new reality series. A large percentage of Nevada Republicans are already tuned into their own version of reality, one in which Paul is a viable presidential candidate and not a cranky ideologue who refuses to depart the political stage.

Add to the cast new state party Chairman Michael McDonald, the ex-councilman whose credits include starring in the short-lived series "Ethical Survivor," and the episodes almost write themselves. Throw in cameo appearances from multibillionaire casino titan and GOP campaign moneybags Sheldon Adelson, and the picture is irresistible.

It's enough to sober up Snooki and curl The Donald's coiffure.

While it will only hurt Romney's chances to win Nevada, it's a winning formula for reality TV.

I'm guessing the Democrats are already tuning in.

John L. Smith's column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Email him at Smith@reviewjournal.com or call 702-383-0295. He also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/smith.