Nevada has changed dramatically in the past 20 years, mostly for the worse. For years, it was an individualistic state which drew many people looking for a second chance at life. It voted mostly Republican and had a strong Libertarian streak. It wasn’t conservative in the way most understand the term, as it had a large number of divorced people and people who lived alone. There were ethnic and religious groups, including many Asians and Mormons, but they were rather insular and mostly wanted to be left alone. Most people, regardless of personal lifestyle or economic status, had no taste for Big Government.
The state has changed demographiclally. The biggest change is immigration from the central America, including a large number of illegal aliens. Also, Las Vegas drawn African-Americans from southern California. Large numbers of baby boomer white liberals, who were once a negligable presence in the state, have come to retire and brought their left-leaning outlooks with them. Right now, the dominant issue is the housing crisis, with nearly two thirds of Las Vegas homeowners saddled with underwater mortgages. As a result, Las Vegas is resembling Los Angeles with slot machines. There has been increased gang activity there and the city is experiencing a historic crime wave. So-called experts disagree on the cause. In addition, Las Vegas is a larger share of the electorate than ever before and the rest of the state is consistantly outvoted. These developments put Republicans in a difficult spot that they’re not accustomer to in a once-friendly state.
Looking at Nevada's history though, it has picked the winner in every presidential election since 1980.