Lonely in Elko

ELKO, Nev. - It is Elko's time to shine.

Once every four years this small mining town in northern Nevada gets some national attention when presidential candidates make a stop here. This year only Ron Paul and Mitt Romney are dropping by while the other two remaining candidates, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich focused their time on the population hubs of Reno and Las Vegas.

Elko is unique because its economy usually goes against the rest of the country. Mineral mines, particularly gold, surround the greater Elko area and when the economy goes south the price of gold goes north bringing high paying low skilled jobs to town. Most residents I spoke to here reference a core population that stays through the extreme swings in the minerals market and a mining population that comes and goes with the jobs.

Even with the mining culture dominating the town you still find 24/7 culture that is common in Elko's bigger cousins to the west and south. The largest "resort style casino" here is the Red Lion Hotel and Casino with its 222 rooms located right off I-80. Out of town mining crews frequently stay here as the rooms are cheap.

The 24/7 culture of Nevada mixes well the frontier style culture of this area creating a unique political climate. Paul is particularly popular here due what Elko County GOP Chair Marla Criss calls its "real independent libertarian streak."

"Everyone wants to be left alone," said Criss, a Paul supporter.

Several voters I talked to here reference the US Forest Service's travel management plan for the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest as a major issue. The plan will limit accessibility to the area and local residents are concerned this will hurt tourism while curtailing their recreation activities.

"We don't go in there tearing the place up. We're respectful with our ATVs. People pack out what they pack in," said Tyler Vavak, a barber here.

Paul visits Elko this afternoon while Romney stops by here tomorrow during a swing across the state. After that it will probably be another four years before this town is in the national spotlight again.