Sharron Angle brushes off 2010 defeat, sets sights on 2012

By Anjeanette Damon

Published Wednesday, March 16, 2011 | 10:04 a.m.

Updated Wednesday, March 16, 2011 | 10:42 a.m.

In a quick move to end Nevada’s favorite parlor game, former Assemblywoman Sharron Angle released a YouTube video this morning announcing her intention to run for the congressional seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev.

Angle, who made a national name for herself in her failed bid to take out Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., last year, has been widely expected to run for office. But Angle’s outsider status made it difficult for the political establishment to pinpoint in which race she would land—U.S. Senate, the 2nd Congressional District, or even the presidential primary.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal was the first to report Angle’s decision.

In the video, Angle makes a small attempt to reintroduce herself to voters as a “grandmother and former teacher” just months after she lost what many saw as a nearly impossible race to lose against Reid.

She made a passing reference to the loss in her video.

“2010 was bittersweet,” she said. “Conservatives had some victories but we still face some obstacles from Obama and the Democrats in Congress.”

Her campaign for Congress will likely follow the same themes as her Senate race: fiscal and personal responsibility and smaller government.

“The effort to bring the people’s voice back into government did not end in 2010,” she said.

But while Angle won a surprising and resounding victory in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate last year, she goes into 2012 with the baggage of losing to Reid, who was the GOP’s top target last year and who suffered from a near fatal approval rating.

Internal poll numbers from other Republicans considering the race show she is hurting among the conservative base because of that loss.

As one Republican put it: “She has to be stopped.”

Other potential candidates in the primary include: Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki, Nevada Republican Chairman Mark Amodei, state Sen. Greg Brower and former U.S.S. Cole Commander Kirk Lippold.

Still, those same poll numbers show Angle could win in a crowded GOP primary, indicating the devoted base that has seen her through multiple defeats remains on her side.