Leading Nevada Republican endorses Harry Reid

Bill Raggio, the minority leader in the Nevada state Senate
and a leading Silver State Republican, added a major new dimension to the U.S.
Senate race there by blasting Sharron Angle for being radical and extreme, and
endorsing Sen. Harry Reid (D) for reelection.

Raggio is no particular fan of Reid, though they share the
kind of mutual professional respect that is often lacking between the political
parties these days. Raggio has never before endorsed a Democratic candidate in
a major race. His political viewpoint is Republican-conservative.

What is striking about Raggio’s endorsement of Reid is that
he moved beyond criticizing Angle’s views as extreme. He attacked the lack of
integrity shown by Angle when Raggio and Angle clashed politically. He harshly
criticized Angle’s inability to work with other Republicans, or Democrats, in
the personally respectful or professionally effective manner that is necessary
to make life better for Nevadans, especially in hard times.

Raggio is right: Angle in Washington would be just like
Angle in Nevada, having weird and strange opinions about many things, being
effective and accomplished about nothing.

In short, if you want a talk show host who gets nothing
done, listen to Angle. If you want a senator who can get the most jobs for
Nevada during hard times, vote for Reid.

It is revealing that when Angle was in the State
Legislature, she accomplished nothing of importance for Nevadans. The list of
Angle achievements is blank. When Reid serves in the United States Senate, his
colleagues respect him so much they chose him as majority leader and his list —
of veterans’ healthcare being improved, jobs being saved and success in the
battle against the Yucca Mountain — is real, and long.

Times are hard. Voters are unhappy. Public confidence in the
Congress is low, as it should be. But Harry Reid has achieved more for Nevada,
in real time, in real life, in real projects, than the rest of the Nevada
delegation combined.

The truth is, in any given month Harry Reid has done more
for Nevada than Sharron Angle has done in her entire lifetime of weird ideas
and personal insults to Republicans as well as Democrats.

I have compared Harry Reid to the “man in the
arena” Teddy Roosevelt spoke about in his famous speech. I am not
comparing Reid or anyone to TR. I am suggesting, backed by a long list of
provable Reid accomplishments, that Reid has been at the center of the battles,
taking his lumps while achieving his successes. Angle has been a loud, irrelevant
and strident extremist with a long list of weird ideas and a long list of
Republicans and Democrats she has insulted and alienated in Nevada.

Don’t take my word for it. Take the word of Republican
Nevada state Senate Minority Leader Bill Raggio, the leader of Republicans in
the chamber, who is voting for Reid.