The Assembly Republican Caucus has had a long line of politically weak, wishy-washy leaders over the 30 years I’ve been “doing politics” in Nevada, but none as bad as Minority Leader Greg Hafen this session.
Well before the game even started, he had the opportunity to bring this fractured caucus together by keeping some conservative members on his leadership team. But knowing he had the votes without them, he instead kicked them to the curb.
And it was all downhill from there.
In fact, Assemblywoman Jill Dickman boycotted the caucus throughout the session.
And Hafen was such an unreliable, ineffective leader that lobbyists and others simply went around him and dealt with Assistant Leader Toby Yurek instead to get things done.
The fact is, under Hafen’s “leadership,” the GOP caucus gave us multiple tax hikes while failing to get even a modicum of true school choice.
Yes, Democrats dug in their feet on expanding Opportunity Scholarships. But Hafen didn’t even put up a fight. His school choice bill went down in flames with a whimper, not a bang.
As did every other meaningful conservative bill. Indeed, most never even got a hearing, let alone a vote.
But Hafen just took it. “Thank you, sir, may I have another?”
It was pathetic. Yet, he had the chutzpah to send out a “Promises Made, Promises Kept” and “Big Wins for Nevada” email yesterday celebrating his supposed success.
One of his “proudest moments”? Getting “permanent raises for public school teachers.”
Lovely. Just what conservatives wanted.
Another “proud moment”? Delivering “real election reform.”
No more automatic, universal mail-in ballots? No. No more counting ballots that arrive after election day? No. Restrictions on ballot harvesting? No.
Instead, Hafen brags that he ensured that “sample ballots were sent out on time and before official ballots.”
Lovely. Just what conservatives wanted.
Hafen then claims to have “learned there was a plan to defund the police.” Nice catchphrase, but not true.
There was no “plan.” There was a temporary tax hike – approved by a vote of the people in 1996 – that was due to expire in two years.
But instead of allowing the people to vote on extending the tax, Hafen and all but one Republican – Assemblywoman Dickman – voted to hike it themselves.
Lovely. Just what conservatives wanted.
And then there was this whopper: “I also tackled our high gas prices.”
No, he didn’t. Twelve of his GOP caucus members voted to extend a separate “temporary” gas tax and put gas tax hikes on autopilot – based on inflation – for another ten years!
Hafen concluded his undeserved pat-on-the-back with this: “Throughout the session, I had two primary goals: to help Governor Lombardo pass his agenda and to limit the size of government.”
He failed on both counts.
Two of the governor’s priority bills never even got a vote, and his education bill was watered down with ZERO additional funding for Opportunity Scholarships.
Meanwhile, scores of government-growing bills made it through the Assembly, many with votes from his caucus members – such as the ban on Styrofoam food containers.
Look, Republicans were in the minority. So nobody was expecting good conservative bills to make it through.
But we WERE expecting at least a fight that would create issues for GOP candidates to use in next year’s campaigns. Instead, we got a surrender monkey general who raised the white flag before the session even started.
As I’ve said for years, the only way we’re gonna save this state and protect ourselves from becoming East California is to not only elect more Republicans, but better ones as well.
That’s what primaries in solid GOP districts are for. And there’s no better place to start next year than in Hafen’s Assembly District 36.
Applications are now being accepted.
P.S. If you want to keep track of the governor’s vetoes and veto messages, click here.
