Conservative Rookie of the Year: Michael Roberson

(Las Vegas, NV) – Citizen Outreach officially announced today that Nevada State Sen. Michael Roberson (R-Henderson) was unanimously selected by the organization’s board of directors as its “Conservative Rookie of the Year” and will be honored at a special awards luncheon at the 2011 Conservative Leadership Conference this July in Las Vegas.

“Sen. Roberson has been unafraid to stand up to left-wing activists, special interests and Democrat leaders while defending the principles of individual liberty, limited government, low taxation and free markets,” said Citizen Outreach president Chuck Muth.  “While many talk the conservative talk, Sen. Roberson has walked the conservative walk in his first legislative session, usually uphill.”

Upon being notified of the award Tuesday night, Roberson said, “I’m humbled and honored and look forward to joining you at the conference in July.” 

Roberson will be the first “Rookie of the Year” award recipient.  Muth said the idea was suggested by GOP political strategist Robert Uithoven in a tweet yesterday after liberal state Sen. Mike Schneider (D-Public Unions) derisively referred to Roberson as the “rookie from Green Valley” in a budget debate on the floor of the Legislature in Carson City.

“Sen. Schneider got his tights in a twist over a simple, truthful statement by Sen. Roberson; that legislative Democrats are beholden to public sector unions,” Muth said.  “The legislative old-timer then tried to insult Sen. Roberson by referring to him as a ‘rookie.’  Well, we conservatives will take this ‘rookie’ over a liberal grumpy old man any day of the week and twice on Sunday.”

Roberson will be joined at the awards luncheon by fellow conservative state Sen. Elizabeth Halseth (R-Las Vegas), a “rookie” herself, who has been selected as Citizen Outreach’s 2011 Conservative of the Year.

The 2011 Conservative Leadership Conference (CLC) will be held at the M Resort in Las Vegas on Saturday, July 9-10, 2011.  It is being co-hosted by Citizen Outreach and Americans for Tax Reform and will feature a Republican presidential candidate debate.  For additional details and online registration, please visit the official conference website at www.CLC2011.com.  You can also follow the conference on Twitter @CitizenOutreach. The conference hashtag is: #CLC2011.