After several weeks of planning for a so-called "ballot royale," with everyone and their crazy uncle piling into a ginormous, no-filing-fee jungle-style special election, the reality in NV-02 just got revised into something much more staid:
A Nevada judge is siding with the state's Republican Party by saying political parties can pick who will appear on the ballot for the Silver State's first special election to fill a vacant U.S. House seat.
The ruling Thursday will likely be appealed to the Nevada Supreme Court.
We hesitate to make too much of a big deal out of this ruling, as it's possible (maybe even likely) that, as that last sentence says, this will get reversed on appeal and we'll be right back where we were next week. (Remember that half a week where Rahm Emanuel was off the ballot? Good times.) The ruling also gives the parties until June 30 to make their nominations.
Nevertheless, if this stands, it probably will benefit the Republicans, given the generic lean of the district (it was a 49-49 tie in the presidential race in 2008, and has always been GOP at the House level). The Dems' best hope was to unify behind one strong candidate and hope that a three- or four-way split among Republicans (hopefully including the always delightful Sharron Angle) would let her prevail. Now, if the parties do pick, it would point to a rather bland face-off probably between Dem treasurer Kate Marshall and an establishment GOPer, like Mark Amodei, with the Republican having a minor advantage. Unless... Angle were to run as an independent. (Jon Ralston points out that she has already vowed that she wouldn't go indie... and Sharron Angle never does anything crazy and unpredictable, right?)
This diary is brought to you by Daily Kos Elections, an official Daily Kos sub-site. Please read our
Mission Statement. Our focus is on electoral politics rather than policy. Welcome aboard!