Trouble for Rand in Nevada?

Nevada voters will have an early say in 2016 in the Republican race for the presidential election, right after New Hampshire primary and at the same time as the South Carolina primary where Rand Paul is not expected to do well.

The early thinking must have been from the Rand camp that Nevada results  would give Rand a powerful boost, since Rand's father always put in a very strong showing in the state.

But things may be changing and not for the better for Rand. The Nevada GOP may move from a caucus system to a primary.

WaPo's  Katie Zezima explains what this would mean for Rand:

If the bills -- one which would create party primaries instead of caucuses, or another that would mandate an open primary -- pass, it could be bad news for the Paul running for president this year.

The Kentucky Republican is tapping into his father's infrastructure in the state, hoping to harness its supporters as he draws in others who may not have been affiliated with his campaign. Paul is trying to appeal to the state's libertarian bent, telling an audience in Las Vegas this month that he is "unafraid to challenge the status quo" and railing against excessive government regulation.

Caucuses tend to bring out only the most passionate supporters, making them a natural fit for Paul. A primary system -- which increases turnout, lessens the impact of motivated outsider groups, and can make it more difficult to add additional delegates by way of a selection process that falls after Election Day -- would make it more unlikely for Paul to claim the sort of insurgent showing his father did.

  -RW