2014: The Year of the Republican Woman?

(Chuck Muth) – If there has indeed been a Republican war on women, Republican women
in Nevada are striking back!

Apparently sick and tired of watching the GOP’s men-folk muck
everything up, a growing army of conservative Republican women are
jumping into the 2014 election fray, with some taking on moderate
Republican men who have been anointed by the GOP’s all-male
establishment in primaries.

Republicans currently only hold two constitutional offices in Nevada,
and neither incumbent is a woman.  That could change next year as
conservative Sue Lowden, a former state senator, seems ready to jump
into the lieutenant governor’s primary race against the candidate
hand-picked by “the boys,” one-session moderate state Sen. Mark
Hutchison.

It also appears likely that conservative State Sen. Barbara Cegavske
– who had her leadership roles stripped from her by Senate Minority
Leader “Moderate Mike” Roberson in the 2013 legislative session
– will jump into the Secretary of State’s race, while
Assemblywoman Melissa Woodbury, one of only three Republican women
currently serving in the Nevada Legislature, is said to be mulling a
run for State Controller.

At the state Senate level there are two seats up for grabs that will
determine which party controls the upper house.  And burned by a
scathing tongue-lashing from GOP women for his treatment of Cegavske
earlier this year, it is well-known that Moderate Mike is
single-mindedly recruiting female candidates for both of those races.

Which brings us to the state Assembly, where conservative firebrand
Assemblywoman Michele Fiore of Las Vegas is likely to hold onto her
seat despite rumored efforts by some of her moderate male colleagues
to find a candidate to run against her in next year’s primary.

In rural Assembly District 38 conservative Dr. Robin Titus is likely
to replace moderate Assemblyman Tom Grady, while in Washoe County
Assembly District 26 conservative Lisa Krasner has an excellent shot
at knocking off moderate Assemblyman Randy Kirner in a GOP primary
shoot-out.

Also in Washoe County, Jill Dickman – a longtime Reno GOP activist
– has announced her candidacy in Assembly District 31, the only
district with a Republican majority that is currently represented by
a Democrat.  If Dickman wins an anticipated primary, she’s got a
great shot at winning the general.

In the Las Vegas area, conservative businesswoman Amy Groves is
looking at running in Assembly District 29, while Victoria Seaman
intends to run for the open Assembly District 34 seat.  And Minddie
Lloyd has announced her candidacy for Assembly District 9, with
others surely yet to come.

All of these Republican women are serious, credible and viable.  And
while I’ve never been one to support gender-based politics, it
wouldn’t exactly be unpleasant to see a lot more pretty faces in
Carson City in 2015 – especially if a conservative mindset is behind
them!