Sharron Angle, poised to make things fun once again (Reuters/Sam Morris)
Sharron Angle fans, rejoice:
Saying the decision on who to elect should rest with the people and not “politically elite powerbrokers,” Secretary of State Ross Miller announced [on Monday] that the special election ballot for the 2nd Congressional District will be open to all candidates and not just nominees selected by the state’s political party.
“There’s only one critical question: how are those candidates picked? By the people of the state of Nevada or by a small group of powerful party officials,” Miller said. “We are announcing the ballot will be open to all qualified candidates.”
The special election will be Sept. 13 to replace U.S. Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., who will be appointed to the U.S. Senate next month following Sen. John Ensign’s resignation.
Republicans are already threatening to sue over Miller's interpretation of the law, but if it stands, we'll see a wide-open, "jungle"-style race where all candidates from all parties compete against each other on a single ballot (there won't be a primary), and whoever emerges with the most votes wins, no matter how bare the plurality. If Democrats can rally around a single candidate—there's word that Treasurer Kate Marshall will get in the race—then there's a chance we can steal this steadfastly red seat from the GOP.
That's because Republicans are likely to have a much harder time uniting behind just one person. Sharron Angle is already raising money for a run—and hollering that GOP power-brokers want to steal the race away from her. But she's so toxic and unacceptable in Republican circles that they're no way the bigwigs will cave in to her threats. That means at least two well-known (and well-funded) Republicans will run, and even if Angle can only take 10% or even just 5%, that might be enough for us.
There won't be any filing fee for this race, so every nutjob is free to join in the fun. And as long as Sharron Angle is among those nutjobs, then fun it shall be.