RENEE MONTAGNE, host:
This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning. I'm Renee Montagne.
STEVE INSKEEP, host:
And I'm Steve Inskeep.
Enough about Iowa and New Hampshire. Other states now get their chance to influence the presidential race. And this morning, we'll survey two starting with Nevada, which holds caucuses a week from Saturday. The people watching will include Kenneth Fernandez of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Welcome to the program.
Professor KENNETH FERNANDEZ (Political Science, University of Nevada, Las Vegas): Good morning.
INSKEEP: What are the big issues in Nevada right now?
Prof. FERNANDEZ: Well, I think like most states were into the economy, the war, of course, and immigration.
INSKEEP: How is the economy?
Prof. FERNANDEZ: Well, generally, Nevada has a lower unemployment rate than the nation. We've been one of the fastest-growing states for the last 50 or so years. So - but still, again, the trends do affect us.
INSKEEP: You mean, fewer people - well, I mean, gambling pretty much stays strong regardless, doesn't it?
Prof. FERNANDEZ: It does. I mean, 9/11 really hit the tourist industry, but we have bounced back remarkably well.
INSKEEP: Nevertheless, people are concerned about the future?
Prof. FERNANDEZ: Absolutely. I think all the states are interested, just as Nevada is.
INSKEEP: Now, a different candidate seemed to find different states important. Who's focusing on Las Vegas, Reno - places like that?
Prof. FERNANDEZ: Well, most of the Democrats. The Democrats decided to move up Nevada to kind of, you know, add a little more spice to the primary system. Nevada is very different from Iowa and New Hampshire with a very a large Latino population, almost about 25 percent. So we're sort of an interesting state. And we're learning from what happened in Iowa, what happened in New Hampshire.
Clinton, in the December poll, had a double-digit lead. But again, Obama's done well. The culinary union here has just endorsed Obama. That's going to take a little bit of pressure off of his loss as well.
INSKEEP: Is that a big deal to get the culinary workers' endorsement?
Prof. FERNANDEZ: It's the largest union here. And again, we have a caucus - not a primary. And if the unions can get out to vote, that can be influential.
INSKEEP: Professor Fernandez, stay on the line. We want to go to another state - one of the first big ones to vote. Florida is voting at the end of the month.
And Richard Scher is a political science professor at the University of Florida in Gainesville.
Welcome to the program.
Professor RICHARD SCHER (Political Science, University of Florida, Gainesville): Good morning. Thank you.
INSKEEP: Okay. We heard that Democrats are focusing on Nevada. They're not campaigning at all in Florida because it went too early for the taste of the Democratic Party in the other early states. What about Republicans?
Prof. SCHER: Well, Mr. Giuliani has been here really regularly for quite a long time. And as you probably know, Mr. Romney pulled out yesterday. He pulled his ads out. But this is pretty much a Republican state and it's a goldmine for the party, so they'll be here in earnest. And quite frankly, the Democrats will come very soon as well.
INSKEEP: Giuliani has been counting on Florida after poor performances in other early states and not really trying in many earlier states. Should he be counting on Florida?
Prof. SCHER: It's a gamble. It's definitely a gamble. He's counting on the urban big state, parallels with New York and, of course, there's so many ex-New Yorkers here. He's very well known in the state. He has lots of money in the state. But it is a risk because his numbers have been falling very, very rapidly since about the first part of December. And Mr. Huckabee is really a very much on the rise. And with Mr. Romney bailing out, it could turn into a two-man contest with McCain in the third spot and could be a spoiler.
INSKEEP: Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Rudy Giuliani. As people consider those candidates, what's one of what I'm sure many issues that you think are in Floridians' minds?
Prof. SCHER: The economy and, especially, housing. The state floats on real estate and with the collapse of the real estate market, the candidates on both sides are going to have to start talking about what we're going to do about the housing market and the mortgage crisis.
INSKEEP: We've been hearing about lots of empty buildings in Miami.
Prof. SCHER: Absolutely. It's a disaster.
INSKEEP: Hmm. Well, now, let me ask you both very briefly, both Florida and Nevada are newcomers to voting this early. Has that changed help the state do you think?
Prof. FERNANDEZ: Well, in the case of Florida, at least, particularly the Democrats, are rearing to go because I think, they smell blood. This is definitely going to be a swing state. They've been sort in the background for the last eight years, and I think Democrats are really rearing to go. Republicans may be a little more subdued but still not completely out of the loop.
INSKEEP: Do you feel like Florida is getting more or less attention for having gone so early?
Prof. FERNANDEZ: Much, much less at the moment. But it's too important. It will get more important as we get closer.
INSKEEP: Or much less because the Democrats wrote you off and other states have gotten the attention so far.
Prof. FERNANDEZ: That's right. But on the other hand, Florida is going to be a key state for whoever is going to be nominee.
INSKEEP: Kenneth Fernandez, we just got about 10 seconds or so. Are Nevadans excited to be this early?
Prof. FERNANDEZ: Absolutely. This is the first time in our history and we're very excited about it. You know, Nevada is a swing state where evenly divided on registration of Republicans and Democrats. And even though we only have five Electoral College votes, it could come down to that.
INSKEEP: Okay. Well, Richard Scher and Kenneth Fernandez, thanks to you both.
Prof. FERNANDEZ: Thank you.
Prof. SCHER: Thank you.
INSKEEP: They've been giving us the update on Nevada and Florida.