Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

Reid’s competition; GOP targets Titus

WASHINGTON -- Greetings, Early Liners. Lots of cute kids in Easter outfits parading around the city as the egg-roll continues down at the White House.

Who knew the tradition (minus appearances by Fergie and Ziggy Marley) dates back to 1878, shortly after the compromise that put President Rutherford B. Hayes in office?

Before we get too far afield, here’s your Monday wrap up.

Let the candidate parade begin. Former Republican state Assemblywoman Sharron Angle, you may have heard is exploring a possible run against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Angle is the fierce conservative who almost knocked Dean Heller out of the Republican primary for the Northern Nevada congressional seat in 2006, thanks to more than $800,000 in backing from the Washington-based Club for Growth.

Heller went on to win the seat that year and then defend it in 2008, despite the Democratic wave that swept the state and helped put Barack Obama in the White House.

But Douglas School Board President Cindy Trigg is undeterred. The Record Courier reports today the Democrat has announced her primary bid to unseat him.

The election is 19 months out, but the Republican campaign committee in Congress is wasting no time going after Democratic Rep. Dina Titus. The committee launched its second radio ad against her today, complaining about her votes on spending.

Like her Republican predecessor during the George W. Bush years, Titus, too, is now being hammered as a “rubber stamp” for the Democratic agenda. As I wrote Sunday, this line of attack is expected.

Speaking of ad wars, the resources appear to be infinite in the ongoing battle over the Employee Free Choice Act – the labor-backed bill that would make it easier for workers to organize unions.

Even as several key lawmakers have announced opposition, dramatically shifting the debate to discussions of compromise, the battle continues unabated.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today launched a six-figure TV ad campaign in five battleground states (not Nevada) to fight the so-called card check bill.

Theirs follows last week’s launch of a seven-figure campaign, running nationally from the pro-card check American Rights at Work.

Compromise has been in the air ever since Republican Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, a crucial player on the issue, announced he would not be voting to advance the legislation this year.

Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor of Arkansas, home state of Wal-Mart, has been quietly working on alternatives. His fellow Arkansan, Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln, announced her opposition recently, another pivotal loss.

Yet the ad wars continue.

That’s it for now. Check back often for all the political news from Nevada.

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