I am a staunch liberal. I do have respect for real conservative Republicans that are willing to live by the tenets of their conservative policies. For the most part that type of Republican is more scarce than platinum. I do not know much about Bill Raggio. That said endorsing intellect and sanity over demagoguery and a lack of intellect is deserving of some praise.
Hopefully Nevada will get sensible and vote in the interest of themselves. That not withstanding, God help us all.
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Nevada State Sen. Bill Raggio, who is considered to be one of the most influential Republican lawmakers in the Silver State, endorsed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in his reelection fight against GOP challenger Sharron Angle on Thursday. Raggio has served in the Nevada state legislature since 1972, and told "Face-to-Face" host Jon Ralston this week that never in that long career had he endorsed a Democrat. But given the caliber of his own party’s nominee, he said in a statement Thursday, that time has come.
"What is difficult to overlook is her 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 of Angle.
Raggio, of course, has another reason to dislike Angle, who made a failed attempt to unseat him in 2008. He 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?"
He added, "I am a lifelong Republican and unlike Ms. Angle, I have never changed parties. I have always supported Jeffersonian principles of free enterprise, low taxes, limited government and fiscal responsibility. These were the same principles endorsed by every one of our Republican presidents, since the days of Lincoln, and including President Reagan, whom I knew personally."
To put things in perspective, Raggio also made it clear that he was less than thrilled to throw his weight behind Reid’s campaign.
"Having said this, I am not pleased or supportive of many of the issues which Senator Reid has supported and I have told him so," he said. "I believe he understands that he must vote more strongly to represent the views of his Nevada constituency in the future rather than a liberal agenda which many feel drifts toward Socialism in America. With that caveat, I will reluctantly vote for Senator Reid’s re-election."
The four-term Democrat responded to news of the endorsement in a statement, saying, "I am honored to have the support of Senator Bill Raggio, a man I deeply respect not only for his commitment to public service, but his love for this state…"
While Raggio’s endorsement announcement comes with Nevada’s midterm election just weeks away, the Republican legislator began to air his feelings on the race just one day after Angle’s win in the state’s primary campaign.
"I would say there are a lot of Republicans who will find it difficult to support Sharron Angle," he told The New York Times. "Abolishing the Department of Education, phasing out Social Security, those are pretty extreme positions. I think any incumbent is vulnerable, but you have to have somebody that is also acceptable if you’re going to win."
At the Las Vegas Sun, Ralston relays a statement put out by Angle’s camp on news of Raggio’s decision to support Reid.
Top Nevada Republican Endorses Harry Reid, Slams Sharron Angle