Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

Harry Reid won his hometown of Searchlight by three votes

Republicans maintained throughout the U.S. Senate race that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid sold out his small-town roots in favor of a lavish Washington lifestyle.

But Reid won his hometown of Searchlight in last week's election, according to precinct voter tallies released today.

Just barely.

Reid bested Republican Sharron Angle by three votes in the tiny town of about 600.

Reid won 197 total votes. Angle won 194. Nine people voted for none of these candidates, while 22 people voted for third-party contenders.

Angle beat Reid by 13 in early votes cast by Searchlight residents.

But Reid won 12 more votes than Angle in ballots cast on Election Day. He also beat Angle by four mail-in votes.

In her effort to unseat Nevada's most powerful Democrat, Angle tried to cast Reid as having forgot his humble beginnings. She released a campaign commercial accusing Reid of living in a million dollar Washington penthouse and asked him during a debate how he became one of the richest men in the Senate despite his public servant's salary.

A March tea party rally in Searchlight attracted about 8,000 people who joined former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin in decrying Democrats, government spending and health care reform.

Palin told the crowd that Reid was "gambling away our future" and would have to explain his votes when he came back to his hometown.

Reid supporters planned their own rally that day about a mile from the tea party event. They argued that Reid has done a lot for the state and taped signs that read "Nevada Needs Harry Reid" to the side of a truck.

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