(Chuck Muth) – Republican Assembly Minority Leader Heidi Gansert announced yesterday that she’s decided not to seek re-election. Gansert is rumored to be going over to the Sandoval for Governor campaign and would likely land a prominent role in his administration should he win.
The announcement was welcome news for conservatives who never liked how cozy she was with legislative Democrats; however, she didn’t do Republicans in her district any favor by waiting until the last minute, Chad Christensen-like, to announce her decision. Those who otherwise would have had months to organize a campaign will now have just over a week to make a decision on running – and will be WAY behind in organizing a campaign, as well as the money chase.
In any case, the real question is what the fractured Assembly caucus does about leadership now. What Gansert ought to do is immediately give up her position as minority leader and let someone else take a crack at handling the campaigns this election cycle.
Then again, the pickin’s among those left in the caucus as far as conservatives are concerned are pretty pith-poor.
Ty Cobb, James Settelmeyer, Chad Christensen, Joe Hardy and Don Gustavson are all running for Senate seats. John Carpenter is termed out. So they’re not an option.
Assistant Minority Leader Lynn “The Bug Man” Stewart or Minority Whip Pete “Lemme Outta Here So I Can Get Home to My Cows” Goicoechea? Puh-lease.
Tom Grady? A liberal, tax-hiker’s dream.
John Hambrick was worthy of consideration….until he “pulled a Gansert” and went along to get along with all those tax and fee hikes in the just-concluded special session.
Ed Goedhart says he’s not interested. Has a business in the real world to run.
That leaves freshmen Melissa Woodbury and/or Dick McArthur. Woodbury’s in a swing district, so she’s got enough to worry about just holding onto her seat. And McArthur, as reported by the Nevada News Bureau yesterday, isn’t sure about letting all of last year’s tax hikes sunset next year. Uh-oh.
Under the circumstances, the best thing Republicans can probably hope for is that someone not currently in the Assembly, but who possesses some leadership skills, runs and wins and takes over next November.
Someone who won’t be a “minority leader,” but an OPPOSITION leader.
Someone who won’t back down and won’t sell out.
Someone who will stand on principle and not be afraid of being labeled the party of “no.”
Someone with legislative experience as well as political experience
Someone who knows how to turn legislative votes into campaign issues.
Someone who will fight rather than roll over and have her tummy rubbed.
Someone like….
Sharron Angle….come on down!
If Sharron were to change her mind about running for the U.S. Senate and instead run for her old state assembly seat being vacated by Cobb, she’d likely win it in a cakewalk and would be the PERFECT Assembly Opposition Leader.
Oh, what a fun legislative session 2011 would be then. Can you just imagine how much Maalox would be sold in Carson City during those 120 days? Heck, maybe enough to jump-start the entire Nevada economy single-handedly!
Sharron?
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