Edwards campaign moves staffers from Nevada to N.H.

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- John Edwards's presidential campaign said today that staffers are being moved out of Nevada to other early primary states like Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina.

It is the latest sign that Nevada's early presidential contest is growing to be an afterthought. It is also probably not a coincidence that the decision was made less than a week after it became clear that New Hampshire and Iowa will move up the dates of their contests. This means that Nevada will likely be third instead of the second state to vote. Currently the Nevada Caucus is scheduled for Jan. 19, at least seven days after the New Hampshire Primary. South Carolina matters to the campaign because it is the only state that Edwards won in the 2004 primary.

Edwards spokeswoman Kate Bedingfield would not say how many staffers would move to New Hampshire. But she said it would be a "handful." In June the campaign had 40 staffers and it now has 10 field offices in the state.