A disaster. A train wreck. A mess. These are how people in Reno are describing the Republican party in Nevada, a state that used to be solidly red but has turned into a true swing state in recent years.

Nevada's Republican party is in such disarray, thanks to the divisive primary battles, that Mitt Romney had to bring in his own people — known here as Team Nevada or sometimes Team Romney — to provide the campaign heft that the state party would normally give.

In theory, Romney should have a leg up on Barack Obama here. Nevada's unemployment rate is the highest in the country, the housing market crashed in spectacular fashion, and there is a strong Mormon community backing him.

But, at the moment anyway, Romney is facing an uphill battle in a battleground state that has six electoral college votes up for grabs. And the lack of tactical support from his own party has put him at a noticeable disadvantage.