For years, I have argued, mostly seriously and sometimes facetiously, that Nevada matters in the national political scheme.

Despite relentless national derision about our beloved, quirky state, it is inarguable that Nevada has been considered pivotal by presidential campaigns this millennium. And my #WeMatter Twitter hashtag had been reinforced by the primacy of Sen. Harry Reid, a polarizing but potent figure here and in the capital.

But with three consecutive victories by Democratic presidential nominees here and Reid now presumably trying to match his think-thank partner John Boehner’s tan at the Bellagio pool, the question presents itself: Will Nevada still matter?

The answer is a resounding yes. And I say without fear of contradiction (Who would dare do so?) that 2018 may be Nevada’s most consequential year yet in the national matrix. And more parochially, the results of this year’s balloting will dramatically change the state’s trajectory as a tremendously consequential governor leaves and his legacy could be either cemented or undone by what comes next.

I say this not because of Nevadacentrism or because I want MSNBC to still call once in awhile. I say it because it is so obviously true, and you don’t have to take my word for it.

Consider the evidence:

— The sizzling top of the ticket: Never has the state had two races at the top of the ticket that will get so much attention from the national parties: An open governor’s seat and, arguably, the most-watched Senate contest in the country.

Dean Heller, who has never lost a race, is widely acknowledged to be the most vulnerable GOP incumbent, much of it through his own inconstancy on issues, but also because of the state’s purple hue turning more bluish. He also has a primary with Danny “Sixth-Time-is-The-Charm” Tarkanian, and a general, should he survive, against Rep. Jacky Rosen.

Both parties know how important the seat is likely to be in order to control the Senate in 2019, and both have been active in the social and paid media pummeling game for almost a year already. That’s astonishing.

The governor’s race has equally fascinating dynamics as Gov. Brian Sandoval has signaled he will not endorse GOP anointee Adam Laxalt, the precocious attorney general who shocked the political world in 2014 with his upset of supposed rising Democratic star Ross Miller. Laxalt will have to deal with a kamikaze underfunded primary foe in Treasurer Dan Schwartz, but he will have plenty of national money and support from the doge of the Strip.

The Democratic side features two Clark County commissioners, Steve Sisolak and Chris Giunchigliani, who could not be more different. The Democratic Governors Association has not yet fully engaged – the DGA pounds Laxalt once in awhile – and other national groups, most notably EMILY’s List, have been on the sidelines so far.

One more note: Most forecasters believe the Democrats have an excellent chance of recapturing the House, so with two open and potentially competitive congressional seats (Rosen’s and Ruben Kihuen’s), Nevada’s importance becomes even more evident.

— Just check out Sam Boyd Stadium today: There is a reason that organizers of the year-after women’s marches decided to have their major national rally in Las Vegas. Many cities had marches Saturday, but today, national and local leaders will be at the stadium for a megarally to generate enthusiasm and spark voter registration.

“When 2018 came around, we had to be really strategic about what message we want to come out of this gathering,” Women’s March co-organizer Linda Sarsour told CNN. “And in order for us to put forth a strong message that women are going to lead the victories in 2018 electorally, we had to go to a state that was relevant. We chose Nevada."

Philanthropist Elaine Wynn, who was involved a year ago, is helming this weekend’s activities and has helped generate a ton of interest in the Las Vegas event, which surely will be broadcast across the country on cable TV. This “Power to the Polls” gathering is just more evidence of how important national Democratic Party-aligned groups see the state going forward, including in 2020.

— The national GOP smells blood here: On the other hand, there is a reason the Republican National Committee started investing so early in Nevada, as opposed to past cycles, and held a summit in Las Vegas on Friday. They know that 2014, when Laxalt won and the heavily Democratic Congressional District Four flipped, was a fluke. It had less to do with anything the GOP did and much more to do with Democrats being arrogant, inside and outside those campaigns.

The RNC has decided to make Nevada a test case for its data operations, not just imitating what made The Obama and Reid Machines whir, but do them one better. A thousand points of light have become a billion points of data, and their commitment and resources are impressive.

They have made slow but steady inroads into the Democratic voter registration edge, although it is still early. And their volunteer teams North and South, and now in the rurals, too, could serve them well in November.

Nothing says Nevada is important more cogently than all the money and staff the RNC has placed here. They know what national Democrats know about this state:

We matter.

Disclosure: The Elaine P. Wynn and Family Foundation, Steve Sisolak and Christina Giunchigliani have donated to The Nevada Independent. You can view a full list of donors here.

Jon Ralston is the editor of The Nevada Independent. He has been covering Nevada politics for more than 30 years. Contact him at [email protected] On Twitter: @ralstonreports