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SUN FILE
New state Senate Minority Leader Mike McGinness, shown in 2007 with former Sen. Mark Amodei, seized Sen. Bill Raggio’s long-held post.
By Anjeanette Damon (contact) 
Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2010 | 2 a.m.
Bill Raggio
Bill Raggio
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Sandoval and Raggio, Seg. ...
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Sandoval and Raggio, Seg. ...
Sun archives
- State Sen. Bill Raggio bagged by his own party (11-5-2010)
- Rural uprising sparks anti-Raggio resolutions, but Clark was in on it, too (11-5-2010)
- Bill Raggio calls his ouster a ‘pyrrhic victory’ for GOP agitators (11-4-2010)
- GOP warfare: Raggio’s leadership position in state Senate challenged (11-3-2010)
- Reid endorsement may put Raggio on the outs in GOP (10-31-2010)
- NV GOP chief says Raggio endorsement threatens his leadership post; refuses to say he’d support Ensign in 2012 (10-8-2010)
- Raggio: I’m with Reid, against Angle because she’s so extreme, but still against Obama’s agenda (10-7-2010)
- Republican leader Bill Raggio endorses Harry Reid (10-7-2010)
Sun Coverage
Trying to pinpoint a dramatic and telling moment in Sen. Mike McGinness’ lengthy legislative career — a remarkable maneuver, key orchestration of a difficult policy issue, anything that hints he has the skill and political ambition to be the Republican state Senate leader — is difficult.
That’s not to say McGinness’ career lacks distinction.
But McGinness, known as a level-headed, pragmatic conservative with a dry wit and quiet demeanor, seemed an unlikely figure to oust the Senate Republicans’ iconic leader of nearly three decades, Sen. Bill Raggio, R-Reno.
Yet in a deft play, McGinness this month quickly swept up a majority of votes in a Republican caucus primed to replace Raggio as the Senate minority leader.
“I think I took him by surprise,” McGinness said. “Maybe I misjudged him. But I was surprised he didn’t hear it coming from someplace else.
“I had talked to some people about whether I should do this. The easiest thing would have been not to do it.”
McGinness’ ouster of Raggio, to this point, may be the defining moment of his political career. The longest serving Senate Republican after Raggio had the seniority and the will to grab a position no other ranking member of the caucus expressed an interest in.
But the true test of the veteran lawmaker’s skill will be the upcoming legislative session, which is expected to feature one murderous struggle after another on taxes, reapportionment, public employee benefits and other simmering issues.
Exactly how McGinness will lead the Republican minority, newly relevant with an additional member and a popular Republican in the Governor’s Mansion, through those skirmishes is a significant variable in predicting what the upcoming session will bring. Especially considering McGinness will remain in the shadow of Raggio, who is expected to maintain a powerful negotiating position because of his deal-making ability and sway over more centrist Republicans.
McGinness is “a thoughtful, almost to the point of cautious leader,” veteran lobbyist Pete Ernaut said. “He’s going to be an even hand and not prone to leaping to one extreme or another.”
Unlike Raggio, McGinness’ political strength doesn’t come from Nevada’s traditional power structure of gaming and business lobbyists. Instead, he’s the product of the at-times arcane world of county party politics who has cultivated a rural base of grass-roots Republicans.
During legislative sessions — he has been a lawmaker for 22 years — he is rarely found at the after-hour cocktail parties and Carson City night life scene populated by Las Vegas legislators.
Instead, he’s back home in Fallon, where he was born and raised, working at the tiny radio station that he manages with his high-school sweetheart turned wife, Dee Pearce. (The station, built by his wife’s family in the 1950s, boasts a collection of vinyl that spans decades and includes titles from some of the greatest rock ’n’ roll and country artists.)
As station manager, McGinness became a community leader. He served as president of the local chamber of commerce and became an integral part of the Churchill County Republican Party.
He got his start politically on the Churchill County School Board, where as chairman he presided during a divisive community debate over a state mandate to teach sex education.
“This is a very conservative community,” he said. “I had people coming to my door at 10 o’clock at night, with their kids.”
He emerged from that episode firmly opposed to state education mandates and with an enhanced ability to listen to both sides and make a decision. It’s a practice he has tried to use at the Legislature, with varying degrees of success.
In 2003, McGinness chaired the Senate Taxation Committee, helming the debate over former-Gov. Kenny Guinn’s proposed tax increase. McGinness was instrumental in killing the centerpiece of Guinn’s proposal, the gross receipts tax. His committee passed a much smaller tax package, which ultimately was rejected by the Legislature.
But in the bloody days of the two special sessions that followed the tax stalemate, McGinness’ committee was never able to piece together a compromise package. The task eventually fell to the Committee of the Whole (the entire Senate), chaired by Raggio.
Closing the deal has been Raggio’s franchise. He is a master negotiator. And he hasn’t been afraid of twisting arms when it comes time to herd his recalcitrant caucus behind a bill.
Senate Minority Leader Mike McGinness is shown in November 2010 outside the small Fallon radio station he manages with his wife, Dee Pearce.
Some of that arm-twisting may have left bad blood between McGinness and Raggio despite their continued respect for each other.
In 2003, McGinness eventually supported the tax increase. In 2009, he refused to support a tax hike, citing concerns about the economic effects, despite “considerable pressure” from Raggio to change his mind.
“I know he does feel we left him out on that limb,” McGinness said of Raggio’s support of last year’s tax increases. “But … he knew at the beginning I wasn’t going to vote for taxes.”
McGinness described the conversation in which he informed Raggio that he was poised to take the leadership position as one of the most difficult of his life.
“I went to Sen. Raggio the day before (the official caucus vote) because I thought the honorable thing to do was to tell him I was going to do this,” McGinness said. “It was not a fun time. It was kind of like taking your dad’s keys away and telling him he can’t drive anymore.
“Sen. Raggio has been very supportive of me over the years and all of my campaigns. So it was very difficult.”
But McGinness, reflecting the county party politics that shaped him, agreed with Republicans on rural county central committees that Raggio’s support for Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s re-election should disqualify him from continuing as leader of Senate Republicans.
McGinness also thought Raggio would become a lightning rod for party angst in the upcoming tax debate.
“I thought it was the right thing for the caucus and for the party,” he said of his decision to seek the leadership post.
McGinness has been called the Brutus of the caucus by some political operatives and Raggio allies. He did, after all, oust Raggio before the final session of a storied career that will end in 2012 because of term limits.
“I can’t believe they are doing this to him,” said one lobbyist the morning of the caucus vote. “It’s just disrespectful.”
Raggio, himself, took the news personally, McGinness said.
“He told me this is very personal,” McGinness said. “I said, ‘No, it’s politics.’ But he just said it was like a slap in the face.”
To Republican voters in Churchill County and elsewhere, McGinness is a near hero.
“Grass-roots Republicans sent a message and Mike McGinness received that message and took the necessary steps to make that happen,” said James Smack, chairman of the Churchill County Republicans. “For that, I applaud Sen. McGinness.”
It remains to be seen, however, how McGinness will manage the infernos sure to erupt in next year’s legislative session and how Republicans will view his ability to deliver in those situations.
McGinness’ conservatism likely matches his caucus’s politics more than Raggio’s. But he’s not an intractable ideologue.
McGinness favors abortion rights and was a key swing vote in the passage of the domestic partners law in 2009. And he heads into this session without the rigid stance against taxes that he brought to the last session.
McGinness said he’s not convinced Gov.-elect Brian Sandoval can deliver a budget based on 2007 revenue levels without substantially harming essential services.
He said he’s willing to consider lifting the sunset on some of the 2009 tax increases to ensure enough revenue flows into state coffers over the next two years. And if that’s the case, McGinness could quickly find himself at odds with the caucus that helped him force out Raggio.
Who are Ragman's biggest fans.....Democrats.
Enough said.....
If Raggio was TRULY surprised that Republicans would not support him after he PUBLICLY supported Reid, then Raggio is a bigger moron than I originally believed him to be. Thank God for term limits!
Raggio is one of the few Republicans who has integrity and cares about Nevada while McGinness is a scumbag.
Raggio was worthless in the Democrat's eyes until he became a turncoat. Now Democrats love him.
Well, They can have him...
Raggio was foolish enough to support dirty Harry and think we would not kick him out, good riddance.
Larry and Desert;
What's your kool-aid color today? McGinny's already admitting taxes are on the table, but Raggio was bad for the party when he saw they were inevitable? He just saw what the rest of you couldn't due to being too close to the latest spin. Call him a turncoat (as you have done so many times), but he was leading not following. Let's see how the remainders negotiate before you throw any parties.
Desert King, LarryVegas; You are right on about the RHINO Raggio.! What did he think! I can support Dingy Harry, get even with Sharron. and then act like nothing happened. Acts have consequences, now Raggio can retire and have all of his Demorat buddies call him and tell him what a great guy he is. Good Riddance!
'Slap in the face..' that was kind of what Raggio did to the republican voters in the state when he backed Harry Reid.
It had to be done & I give McGinnis full points for having the backbone to do it.
It seems true that the Dems never liked him until he became a Rep outcast.
I never cared for him. He doesn't feel the urgency to fix the crap quality of our state's education system, as evident by his votes and previous statements. He also doesn't seem to support changing the ridiculous, sweet-heart tax deal that the mining industry is getting.
He's a good ol' boy that needs to go away.
The Republicans and the RJ are in complete disarray. Unless taxes are raised, lawsuits will mandate spending for Court System, schools, prisons and the environment.
The demotion of Raggio is a slap in the face, but the election of Angle would have been a kick to the groin.
Who did Republican Sandoval immediately run to for advice and help for Nevada? Reid. Is the pro-McGinness crowd now going to start a recall?
They have painted themselves into a corner.
...the election of Angle would have been a kick to the groin."
More like a fatal shot to the head.
The Nevada GOP deserved another term of Harry Reid..
Raggio the Rino. Good riddance!
Did Mr. Raggio, a Republican think that supporting Harry Reid had no consequences?
What was he thinking?
Raggio must be suffering from senility if he couldn't see what was coming when he backed Harry the Red. The Dumbocrats profess to love him but remember their reaction when lefties Joe Lieberman & Ralph Nader didn't toe the line? Hypocrites! mred: you love higher taxes? No law says you can't open your wallet and donate to the state. Let us know when you do. Liberals! They love spending money - as long as it belongs to others!
Mr. Raggio was probably thinking "What is best for Nevada."
As a life-long non-partisan voter, Angle is a beyond-extreme religious fanatic/lunatic. I.E. - force the kid have the baby, even is she's been raped by her father, brother, stranger, etc. It's simply making lemonade out of lemons.
Sharron Angle should be involuntarily committed to a mental institution; she's a danger to herself and others.
This isn't just about backing Angle, but also for Raggio's support of badly needed funding last session and of course, "The World's Greatest Tax Increase EVER" back in'03. That's the same session where Gov. Guinn was labled a RINO. The Republican party continues it's purification process and has pushed all-in. You can not get base support unless you are a purist these days and among other things that means NO TAXES OR FEES of anykind. The coup to overthrow Raggio can be traced to the right-wing nuts who run the rural county central committees. It's a geriatric sea of blue-hairs determined to run things and as long as they block vote, they stand a good chance of doing it.
Raggio is a traitor to his party and the people of Nevada for supporting Reid. What did he expect ?
the fact that raggio is so well connected has become a problem with him for a decade. he was the monkey and someone else was the organ grinder.
It was time for Raggio to go!
He has been there way past his prime and should "spend more time with his family".
Sorry to inform Mr. dippy that Nevada is the laughing stock of the entire nation for re-electing Harry Reid to a fifth term of doing nothing for Nevada, and being Obama's water boy...
You have got to be kidding me. Raggu was SURPRISED that he would be held accountable for his treasonous statement of support for Harry Reid...
What a joke...
The legislative session is going to be very tough. Raggio will be a key figure. Conservatives cast him as a RINO, but someone has to bring the two sides together to make the tough choices so Nevada makes it through the next 2-4 years of economic distress.
Did Raggio really think he was going to get away with crossing lines and not get flack for it. He got exactly what he deserved. He helped screw the residents of the state of Nevada and the he gets screwed. HE GOT WAHT HE DESERVED.
Bye-bye, Raggio. RINOs are no longer welcome in the Tea Party-backed new GOP. Good riddance! There will be more house cleaning!
To dipstick: Perhaps you are overlooking the point. The point is that we, The People, don't want the govt. "running our lives" at all--PERIOD! That's why a house cleaning is underway in DC. Govt. officials are our employees and WE RUN THEIR LIVES (or, that's the way it's supposed to be). We are moving back toward that.