Averting a December Primary, GOP Gives Nevada Prime Locations at Tampa Convention

After bad-mouthing Florida for moving up its primary date to Jan. 31, Nevada Republicans backed off a scheme that would have forced the New Hampshire primary into early December.

Nevada agreed to set its first-in-the-West caucus for Feb. 4, thus allowing Iowa to maintain its Jan. 3 caucus date and enabling New Hampshire to keep its Jan. 10 slot, and settling the electoral calendar.

By consenting to vote after Florida, Nevada earned some perks from the Republican National Committee.

State GOP Chairwoman Amy Tarkanian told the Associated Press that the Nevada delegation would sit "in the best positions" and would have prime hotel accommodations in Tampa.

By contrast, the RNC said it will cut host Florida's delegation in half and relegate attendees to distant hostelries.

The AP said Mitt Romney played an active role in the Nevada deal:

"Campaign officials initially encouraged Nevada to schedule its caucuses before Florida, hoping that Romney's popularity in Nevada would fuel a victory there and create momentum heading into the Florida contest. But sensing a backlash in New Hampshire, Romney representatives encouraged Nevada Republicans to settle on a later date."