Romney won’t attend July presidential debate in Las Vegas

Mitt Romney plans to skip a July 10 GOP presidential debate in Las Vegas, snubbing a conservative gathering and missing a chance to woo voters he will need to again win Nevada.

Instead, the two-time White House contender plans to participate in a series of six other debates this summer and fall, culminating with one Oct. 18 in Las Vegas that will be televised live by CNN. That faceoff will be part of the Western Republican Leadership Conference, a major regional meeting for GOP fundraising and organizing, including for Nevada's Feb. 18 presidential caucuses.

Andrea Saul, spokeswoman for Romney, said Tuesday the former Massachusetts governor has received many requests to participate in debates "and cannot participate in all of them."

Organizers of the July 10 debate questioned the wisdom of the GOP front-runner avoiding his rivals in Nevada early on in the campaign season and giving up a chance to address conservative activists attending a related Conservative Leadership Conference on July 9 at the M Resort.

"His absence will be another candidate's gain," said Kurt Bardella, a spokesman for the Daily Caller, a Washington, D.C., online publication that is co-sponsor of the debate.

As front-runner, however, Romney would be a big target for his GOP foes.

Jon Huntsman, former U.S. ambassador to China and ex-Utah governor, is seen as the newest and possibly strongest threat to Romney in Nevada. Both men are Mormons, a group that voted heavily for Romney in the 2008 GOP caucus to help him win. And both have moderate appeal.

Huntsman formally entered the presidential race on Tuesday and plans a stop in Nevada on Friday to attend the Reno Rodeo, staking his first claim in the state's more conservative North.

Herman Cain and Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, also are popular presidential candidates among the conservative crowd in Nevada, although nationally they're seen as also-rans in the GOP field.

Cain dared Romney to change his mind and join the July 10 debate.

"Now is not the time for political games," Cain said. "It's time to get serious about our anemic economy and the millions of Americans out of work because of it. People deserve to hear from all of us."

Americans for Tax Reform also is sponsoring the July 10 debate. The organization's president, Grover Norquist, and the Daily Caller's editor-in-chief, Tucker Carlson, will moderate. Norquist, an anti-tax crusader, said the debate will focus on the economy.

The two-hour debate, 6-8 p.m., will be streamed live on YouTube, the organizers announced Tuesday. The interactive forum will allow people to submit questions via YouTube.

The debate also will be broadcast on CBS affiliate KLAS and streamed at the dailycaller.com.

Contact Laura Myers at lmyers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919.