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StumblePublished Thursday, Oct. 7, 2010 | 3:05 p.m.
Updated Thursday, Oct. 7, 2010 | 5:30 p.m.
Here's the full statement of Reno icon Bill Raggio, who said on "Face to Face" this week he had never before endorsed a Democrat in a major race. A sign of how much he despises and disrespects Sharron Angle -- it's palpable in the statement, which is an all-out attack (Team Angle's reponse now posted below):
“I was a strong supporter of Sue Lowden in the Republican primary for U. S. Senate. Unfortunately she lost due largely to efforts by the National Tea Party Express and similar national political groups.
“Following the primary, I indicated that I would keep my powder dry and evaluate the two candidates, Senator Reid and Sharron Angle, as the campaign unfolded.
“Only one of these candidates has sought my endorsement, Senator Harry Reid. I haven't heard from Sharron Angle or talked with her since long before she decided to run against me for State Senate two years ago. After losing to me in a primary, during which she ran a very negative campaign and distorted my record, referred to me as a liar and a RINO, I never heard one word from her, or a concession, or an offer of support. Instead, she lent aid and comfort to an effort to recall me as State Senator.
“Those are personal issues which I was willing to put behind me.
“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.
“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’! Since when should this be the criteria on how we select and vote for a U.S. Senator to represent our State?, I ask.
“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, and who laid down the Republican 11th Commandment: Don't speak ill of other Republicans. In other words, quit calling dedicated people like former Governor Guinn and many other good Republicans RINO’s and other derogatory terms.
“Other than my inability to accept her extreme and often even radical ideas and positions, if there was any concern about my natural preference to endorse a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, it was removed altogether when Angle, in a secretly taped conversation, expressed her true feelings by slamming and disavowing the Republican Party saying it had ‘lost its standards and principles.’
“For all these reasons, I am unable to support Sharron Angle. We need someone in the U.S. Senate who can be effective, work with others, and best represent the interests of our State.
“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. 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.
“As a further note, I oppose almost all of the Obama agenda. The next Congress will need to make changes, certainly in the health care bill and with bailouts which undermine the concept of free enterprise. Barak Obama is not President because of the way I, and others like me, voted. I voted for Senator McCain, who lost in large part because ultra conservative voices bashed both him and President George W. Bush for over a year and then in the last few weeks, asked us to vote for McCain!
“I truly believe most Nevadans, and for that matter, most Americans, are disgusted with negative campaigning and would like to see civility restored to the political process, with both parties working together and seeking responsible compromises in difficult and complex issues.”
UPDATE: here's Team Angle's response via Jerry Stacy:
"It’s refreshing to have the light shed on those who are finally willing to expose who they really are in a desperate attempt to help keep the churn turning for liberal big-government beliefs. We know that many good ol’ boy career politicians do not believe in Republican principles, but instead are more apt to line themselves closer with the liberal policies promoted by Senator Harry Reid such as Obamacare, Cap & Trade, amnesty for illegal aliens, higher deficits, and the reckless stimulus spending which has resulted in even higher unemployment for our state. Sharron Angle has been a loyal fighter for taxpayers, and it’s ludicrous to imagine that Sharron would expect any endorsement from somebody who has spent their legislative career promoting billions in new taxes and higher spending on the backs of hard-working Nevadans. Sharron Angle is only candidate in the race that is going to fight for Republican principles such as smaller government and less taxes. "
Raggio said, "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'!"
Except one Senator can actually block any Senate business (legislation, debate, etc.) just by withholding unanimous consent.
"Because unanimous consent is required to avoid a filibuster and post-cloture debate, just one senator can place a "hold" on any senate business by indicating their willingness to withhold such consent. Worse, Senate customs have evolved to allow "secret holds," where a senator tells his party leader to place the hold and the leader blocks progress on a matter without ever revealing which senator is responsible for this obstruction."
"Senators have long used holds to "take hostages." Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), for example, recently placed a hold on over 70 nominees from the Obama administration in an attempt to force the federal government to award a $35 billion defense contract to Northrop Grumman. Recently, however, senators have also begun to use these holds simply to prevent business from moving quickly on the Senate floor."
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2...
Much more serious that just voting "no," Sharron would be capable of slowing and/or stopping ANY legislation she disagrees with single-handedly, even if 99 other Senators want to see it passed.
99 to Sharron could paralyze the Senate.
The negative campaigning in this race has been one-sided. Dirty Harry Reid has run the dirtiest campaign I have ever seen, and I am 62 years old.
Anyone is better than Harry Reid. $787 billion Stimulus and Nevada is #50 getting $1.9 billion. He really is looking out for the residents of Nevada. Amnesty for the Illegal Aliens. Etc. Etc.
Ms. Angle's ideas are not that "Extreme or Radical" if you listen to her and not Harry Reid's ads which take her ideas TOTALLY out of context.
You seem ready to endorse a radical liberal left wing candidate when you claim to be Republican/Conservative. A true Republican would NEVER DUE THAT.
Shame on you, I have lost all respect for you. You are letting your personal issues and feelings get in the way of COMMON SENSE, which obviously you have lost any that you had.
Sorry tarbox, I have to disagree with you - if you notice Reid's ads, they always have the reference to the subject matter in the footnotes.
Notice the complete ABSENCE of any footnotes in the Angle attack ads? That's because her ads are all outright lies, she can't reference something that's made up!
THOSE WHO KNOW ANGLE BEST DISLIKE HER THE MOST!! Including the leadership of the Republican Party in Nevada!
I cannot wait to see how the Angle campaign spins this, other than predictably calling Raggio a "RINO".
Crazy back room Sharron is no better than some street whore saying "Hey Sailor, you got some time?" Go back to you country hick town and make some serious money as the Madame you always wanted to be.
Angle is a quack. I am another Republican that can't support Angle in her bid for the Senate.
Even if Angle is extreme she won't be able to push that agenda by herself. But, by electing her, we can slow the Obama, Reid, Pelosi axis which is wreaking havoc on our economy as well as our freedom. Angle is the lesser of two evils by any measure.
It is a shame that our choices come down to this.