Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

Despite loss, Sharron Angle says she’s still smiling

Election 2010 - Republican Party

Sam Morris / Las Vegas Sun

Sharron Angle delivers her concession speech at the Republicans’ election-night party early Wednesday at the Venetian.

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Election 2010 - Republican Party

Sharron Angle arrives with her husband, Ted, to give her concession speech at the Republicans' election-night party early Wednesday at the Venetian. Launch slideshow »

After a bruising campaign, Republican challenger and Tea Party favorite Sharron Angle conceded the race for U.S. Senate to incumbent Harry Reid in a speech to her supporters.

Angle conceded the race shortly after midnight — more than an hour after Reid declared victory — saying she had talked to Reid and congratulated him.

Reid, the Senate majority leader, won a fifth term with 50.24 percent of the vote to Angle’s 44.59 percent, or 361,655 votes to 320,996.

Angle thanked her supporters, many of whom were participating in a campaign for the first time, she said.

“We the people have been awakened over the last 20 months and it’s been an incredible journey,” she said. “I’ve never seen the kind of patriotism that I’ve seen over the last 20 months.”

Angle then shifted to a speech not much different than the ones she has given throughout her campaign, calling for government to cut spending, pay down the debt, repeal “Obamacare” and make the Bush tax cuts permanent.

Despite losing a race that many polls had her leading right up to Election Day, Angle said she remains positive.

“We have a future here,” she told supporters who had gathered at the Venetian on the Strip for what they had hoped would be a victory celebration.

“I want you to see that I’m still smiling and it’s because I still believe in American exceptionalism,” she said.

At the end of her speech, a quick slip made Angle sound like she was getting ready for another race.

“We all have the right Angle for governor — for government,” she said.

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