Can it be? GOP Senator Backs Democrat In Tough Nevada Fight

You never know what can happen in the topsy-turvy world of politics, whether it's local, regional, national or international.

The Mid-Term congressional elections are 19 days away and races in many states are near the boiling point.

Take what's happening in Nevada, for a most recent example. It's one of the hottest election battlegrounds in the nation.

Nevada State Sen. Bill Raggio, considered to be one of the most influential Republican lawmakers in the Silver State, has endorsed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in his reelection fight against GOP challenger Sharron Angle.

Raggio has served in the Nevada state legislature since 1972. He  told "Face-to-Face" host Jon Ralston that never in his lengthy career to date has he ever endorsed a Democrat.

But given the caliber of his own party's nominee, he said in a prepared statement, that time has come.

"What is difficult to overlook is her (Angle's) record of being totally ineffective as a four-term assemblywomen, her inability or unwillingness to work with others, even within her own party, and her extreme positions on issues such as Medicare, social security, education, veterans affairs and many others," Raggio said.

Raggio has another reason to dislike Angle, The Huffington Post reports. She made a failed attempt to unseat him in 2008.

Raggio also challenged his Republican colleagues who have lined up behind Angle's campaign.

"Some supporters tell me we need to support her because we need her vote in the U.S. Senate as a Republican and she 'can't do much harm as a junior back bencher,'" said Raggio. "Since when should this be the criteria on how we select and vote for a U.S. Senator to represent our State?"

But, Raggio is by no means the only Nevada Republican to have come out and express concern over Angle's electability.

Reno Mayor Bob Cashell, who -- like Raggio -- endorsed defeated candidate Sue Lowden in the state's GOP primary race, has criticized Angle as an "ultra right-winger."

If she were to win, he recently told reporters, "Our state will suffer and we would never get anything done."

The latest numbers out on Nevada's Senate race show the highly contentious Reid-Angle matchup to be deadlocked, according to The Post.

I like Raggio but I don't like Reid or Angle.  Still, I'm confident Reid will win and keep his seat.

What do you think?

 

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