Romney names Krolicki, Heck co-chairs of his presidential campaign in Nevada

Mitt Romney on Friday named two top Republican politicians as co-chairs of his presidential campaign in Nevada.

The announcement touting support from Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki and Rep. Joe Heck further solidifies Romney's position as the candidate to beat in the Silver State.

It also comes on the same day Romney is holding a private fund raiser in Las Vegas to add to the tens of millions he's already collected to scare away competition for the GOP nomination.

The former Massachusetts governor easily won the non-binding GOP presidential caucus in Nevada in 2008. And early polls have shown him to be the front runner for the 2012 GOP caucus here as well. This time Nevada's February caucus following first-up Iowa and New Hampshire will be binding and delegates will be split among the top finishers so there's much more at stake.

As a result, Romney is expected to see growing competition for Nevada caucus goers, including from fellow Mormon Jon Huntsman. The former Utah governor plans to announce he's getting into the White House race on Tuesday and then make a stop in Nevada next Friday as part of his initial campaign swing.

Romney is far ahead of Huntsman and every other presidential candidate in organizing in Nevada, where former staffers and supporters have been waiting to be called again to get to work.

Both Krolicki and Heck were key to helping Romney's effort in 2008.

“I am proud to have the support of Lt. Governor Brian Krolicki and Rep. Joe Heck,” Romney said in a statement Friday. “I look forward to working with them to spread my message of creating jobs, getting spending under control, and reversing President (Barack) Obama’s failed policies.”

Romney blames Obama for not doing enough to pull Nevada and the nation out of an economic recession. The president inherited the economic problems when he took office and has argued things would be even worse without the stimulus and big industry and bank bail outs he has pushed.

Nevada has the worse unemployment rate in the nation at more that 12 percent.

Obama easily won Nevada in 2008 yet is expected to have a more difficult time keeping the swing state in his column in 2012.

“President Obama’s policies have failed Nevada and have failed to pull the country out of the economic downturn,” Krolicki said in a statement. “Mitt Romney’s private sector experience and record as governor prove that he knows how to create jobs and grow the economy.”

Heck won his House seat in a hard-fought 2010 election during which Romney campaigned for him.

“Nevadans have seen the results of President Obama’s failed policies: high unemployment and record deficits," Heck said. "Mitt Romney has the experience to pull us out of this economic downturn. He has created jobs, balanced budgets, and cut taxes.”