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WASHINGTON — Democrats were lobbied hard by Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and organized labor before they picked Nevada as the best bet to energize the party's early presidential voting in 2008.

A Democratic rules panel on Saturday recommended that Nevada hold a caucus after Iowa's leadoff contest in mid-January 2008 but before New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary. South Carolina was awarded an early primary a week after New Hampshire.

The full Democratic National Committee will have to approve the plan during its August meeting in Chicago before the changes become effective.

Aides for several potential candidates already are making contacts with key political figures in Nevada — especially with union representatives for the hotel and restaurant workers, Democratic strategists say.

In the end, the lobbying of Reid, who represents Nevada, and organized labor trumped the lobbying of Democratic Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano and the shadow of likely GOP presidential candidate John McCain, Arizona's senior senator.

"Nevada won because they did a better job of politicking," said Don Fowler, a member of the rules committee and former national chairman of the DNC. Nevada Democrats also argued that they have experience running caucuses.

Also, inclusion of a state with a strong labor contingent was one of the Democrats' goals of diversifying the vote.