Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki (R)
What a difference a Sharron Angle makes. Via Dave Catanese:
Nevada Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki is passing on the special election in the 2nd Congressional District, taking a major Republican player off the field in the campaign for Rep. Dean Heller's seat.
In a statement Thursday, Krolicki cited his obligations as President of the Senate and responsibilities to his family as reasons for foregoing a campaign.
While unlikely, he never directly rules out running in the regularly scheduled election in 2012.
In that statement, Krolicki specifically references SoS Ross Miller's ruling which mandates a free-for-all election:
“I firmly believe that political parties have a role in elections and I fully support the Nevada Republican Party’s lawsuit to protect their ability to nominate the candidate of their choice. Voters rely on parties to vet candidates and put their best choice forward. Robbing voters of that knowledge, and the political parties of that process, seems shortsighted."
Jon Ralston has more on the suit that Krolicki mentions. Just to recap, Nevada law prohibits primaries before special elections. Republicans wanted to be able to select their nominee via a party committee, but Miller ruled that this wasn't permissible, and that anyone who wants can run on whatever party line they want (without even paying a filing fee). All candidates will run together on a single ballot, and whoever emerges on top - no matter how small the plurality - wins. Republicans, fearful that Sharron Angle could siphon votes away from their preferred standard-bearer, are desperate to undo Miller's decision. (Plan B seems to be a binding straw poll. Uh, good luck with that.)
Oddly, though, Krolicki didn't seem to leave himself room to get back in the race if the GOP lawsuit is successful—but as Catanese notes, he could run again in the regularly-scheduled election in November of next year. Of course, the district lines are liable to change considerably by then, with Nevada adding a seat. In the meantime, Democrats still need to hope that the GOP finds a way to split the vote, but fortunately, several other Republicans are still in the mix, including state party chair Mark Amodei and former USS Cole commander Kirk Lippold. With any luck, we'll be able to rally around state Treasurer Kate Marshall and snatch this red seat away from the GOP.
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