Via (who else?) Jon Ralston:
In a statement teeming with conservative shibboleths, Rep. Dean Heller announced his candidacy this morning for U.S. Sen. John Ensign’s seat in an email to supporters. Heller has been widely expected to run since he released a poll a few weeks ago showing him crushing Ensign, who announced his retirement last week.
Ralston also has a link to the email itself (PDF).
But I still suspect he won’t be the only one to jump in.
And now that he’s in, at least one establishment GOPer and at least one teabagger will announce in NV-02. I’m wondering if Heller will be loyal to back fellow Carsonite Mark Amodei, or if he’ll go along with possible frontrunner Brian Krolicki. We’ll see who else wants to join Chuck Muth in singing Kirk Lippold’s praises.
® Doooooooooooom! is a tradmarked catch phrase of user leeatwater (RIP).
The right could maybe beat him if they all united around a moronic candidate but it looks like it will be to split to me but anything can happen.
As expected, Brian Krolicki endorses Heller and takes himself out of Senate running… And probably into NV-02…
But here’s something most didn’t expect, but you heard from me first! [Hehe, I’m right again. 😉 ] Nevada Treasurer Kate Marshall (D-Reno) is considering an NV-02 run! If she does decide to jump in here, then Washoe Dems FINALLY have an A-List candidate who can actually take advantage of Obama’s coattails and possibly get enough Indie voters to cut back on the ticket splitting and win this race.
Especially if Krolicki gets teabagged as Amodei siphons off some establishment support, then there’s a chance a teabagger like Lippold slips through the cracks of the constantly troubled Nevada GOP and makes this a little easier for an A-List Dem like Marshall (though it still won’t be a cakewalk, as this is a traditionally GOP district).
It isn’t as critical for the Dems, but if the GOP loses the Senate seat with their best candidate (either because of teabagging in a primary losing the general), and loses the new NV-02, they could be looking at a big uphill climb to get Nevada back to a swing state.
After the 2012 election, Dems should have one Senator and two house seats locked in. The other Senate seat, two house seats, and the electoral college votes are up for grabs. The (small) possibility of a GOP wipeout should make nevada Obama’s biggest small state target.