Nevada’s bizarro political world

Friday, Nov. 6, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Some end-of-the-week musings from your favorite pundit:

• Memo to the nation: Nevada has always been able to distinguish itself with its bizarre political dynamic, often providing fodder for national ridicule. But on the cusp of Campaign 2010, it strikes me that we may have reached a nadir in the depth and breadth of politicians who are either deeply unpopular and potentially unelectable or deeply embarrassing yet, perhaps, still electable. To wit:

In the three most important Nevada offices, we have politicians who are upside-down with voters. How many other states can claim ownership of a governor and two U.S. senators whose disapproval ratings exceed their approval ratings — and for such different reasons?

Gov. Jim Gibbons has done almost everything wrong a politician can — his approval numbers are in the teens. U.S. Sen. John Ensign has displayed a remarkable arrogance and self-delusion after national media reports (and more to come) of his attempt to cover up an affair and buy the silence (how did that work out?) of a cuckolded husband and former best friend — his approval ratings are now in the twenties. And Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has worn out his 40-year welcome with too many Nevadans — his approval figures are in the high 30s.

How many states can claim to have the top trio of elected officials languishing with potentially fatal numbers?

If that’s not quirky enough for Nevada-watchers, consider the predicament of the leaders of the two most prominent local governments in Nevada. Mayor Oscar Goodman is wildly popular in Las Vegas, but he is a national embarrassment because of his bacchanalia, his braggadocio and his boorishness. And County Commission Chairman Rory Reid, the Democrats’ only contender for governor, may have a vision for the state, but people don’t appreciate it — his numbers, like Reid the Elder’s, are upside-down, although half the state doesn’t know him (is that a blessing or a curse?).

It’s no wonder gubernatorial hopeful and ex-Judge Brian Sandoval has adopted the gag-inducing slogan, “A Reason to Believe Again,” considering how negatively voters here feel about their major elected officials. And it’s no wonder Reid the Elder plans to unsheath his trusty vaporizer next year, because the only way to beat voter negativity is with more negativity.

This would all be funny and stimulating for state political observers — if only we didn’t live here.

• Independents in Nevada: With all the chatter about nonpartisans, 15.4 percent of the vote in Nevada, being the key to elections this cycle, it’s instructive to see who those folks are. That’s especially true after those Tuesday results in Virginia and New Jersey showed independents going 2-to-1 for the GOP contenders.

Of the 184,276 independent voters in the state at the end of September, only a quarter are 55 and older, according to the secretary of state’s office. So three-quarters are younger voters, many of whom likely went for Barack Obama in 2008 — 68,000 of them are 34 and under.

Contrast this with demographic breakdowns of major parties provided by the secretary of state’s office: Thirty-six percent of Democrats are 55 and older while 40 percent of Republicans are in that group.

The younger skewing of independents here may provide both Reids with an opportunity to capture what Obama did and drive those voters back into the Democratic column a year hence. But, as many will point out, neither Reid at the top of the ticket will ever be compared to Obama as an inspirational figure, so that may be wishful thinking. But it will be worth keeping an eye on how that age breakdown changes as the election gets closer.

Final note: One of the great ironies of independents determining Harry Reid’s future: The slogan that launched his federal career was “Harry Reid: Independent Like Nevada.”

• Goodman governor watch, Part XXXXXVIII: His Honor was asked by the Sun’s Sam Skolnik on Thursday about running for governor, which he has previously said he would do only as an independent. As can happen only with the ever-evolving reality that is Goodmanworld, when Skolnik asked about a diminishing timeline, Goodman said, “If I were to run as a Democrat, it gets a little tighter than if I were to run as a nonpartisan.”

So read his lips — and don’t believe anything that comes out of them.

If Goodman were to run as a Democrat, Sandoval is all but a lock. If he runs as an independent, Sandoval is all but a lock, although it’s possible Goodman could surprise if people really are looking for a different kind of savior who can, ahem, give them a reason to believe again.

Run, Oscar, run.

Discussion: 5 comments so far…

By Birdiedreamin

11/6/09 at 2:56 a.m.

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hey jon...
i told you having heidi harris on face to face was a mistake...
she is a child...
she is not interested in a reasoned discourse which leads to the truth...
she is all about nah nah nah boo boo...
she is all about declaring herself the winner...
pathetic...
and the way she treated you on her radio show was double pathetic...
the entire right wing tv and radio circuit is pathetic...
obama has it right...
we must ignore them...
let them play among themselves...
let them scream at the top of their lungs as children will do...
let them marginalize themselves further and further by the day...
but the key is...
not only must the politicians ignore them...
the media must too...
you must too...
you must not give them a platform...
hope you learned your lesson...
keep up the good work...
By JohnF

11/6/09 at 6:49 a.m.

Suggest removal

"This would all be funny and stimulating for state political observers -- if only we didn't live here."

Precisely what I was thinking.
By Birdiedreamin

11/6/09 at 7:10 a.m.

Suggest removal

talk about bizarro political world...
consider that little gibbons monkey the other day...
did you read the police report...
he said all indignant...
did you read the police report...
then he claims he did...
and it said the bomb was a phone book in a box...
hee hee hee...
really you little gibbons monkey...
what the hell police report were you reading...
hmmm...
a comic book...
hmmm...
please tell us monkey boy...
i'll tell you what...
your performance the other day makes you look like...
well a little gibbons monkey...
and everybody knows little gibbons monkeys can't read!!!
By Caroll

11/6/09 at 11:27 a.m.

Suggest removal

From what was told to me about the statements that came out of Heidi Harris' mouth during her thursday's morning radio show, without question it is just a matter of time before she finds herself sitting before a judge and off the air.

I wonder if she knows that ignorance and stupidity is not a defense.
By AmericanMan

11/19/09 at 10:38 a.m.

Suggest removal

I don't believe in censorship. I don't think it's right to try to force a radio or TV personality off the air the way Palin tried to force David Letterman. I do believe that we vote with our dials and our dollars. I think it's time for Ms. Harris to retire. Her show keeps getting moved earlier and earlier. Soon the only people listening to her are going to be office building janitors at 4am and I don't think that's the audience she's shooting for. I for one have stopped listening to her garbage and think it's time others consider doing the same. No protests, no boycotts of her sponsors, no calling her names, just turn it off.

Done.