Saturday, July 17, 2010

Against Harry Reid: An Angle Too Right

Sharron Angle -- running against Harry Reid for the U.S. Senate here in Nevada -- is probably the best example of why the Tea Party should stay out of the business of backing candidates. By any measure, Angle is a ditz. She's the candidate that Reid wanted to run against; just because he knew she could be easily beaten. Old Harry probably did a jig when he knew Angle would win the nomination.

The Tea Party backed her "solely" because of her stand on taxes and spending. However, the Tea Party completely ignored her wacko, unelectable views on a variety of other issues; particularly on Social Security in a state with a very high number of retirees. To make matters worse, she does not present herself well in interviews; coming off as somewhat adolescent and constantly making "dumb statements" on the issues. I think this is why her campaign is avoiding, at all cost, any interviews with the media.

Given the economy, the public anger against health care reform, and the variety of other issues, the GOP could have literally ran a "rock" against Harry Reid and won. Sharron Angle is a loser. Prior to being nominated, any candidate running against Reid had a double digit lead. Now, because of all of Angle's silly baggage, she has handed Harry a 7-point lead in the most recent Las Vegas Review-Journal poll.

It was past controversial views that hurt another Tea Party backed candidate, Rand Paul, and it is past controversial views that are now hurting Sharron Angle. The Tea Party is a novice when it comes to properly vetting candidates; and, that's a big problem. In a year that is so crucial to the anti-Obama and anti-Democrat movement, they have managed to insert candidates that could very well lose because of the false belief that Americans are only focused on spending and taxes. A defeat of Harry Reid would be massive anti-Obama win. It would psychologically shake the Democrats to their very foundation and would serve notice to them that all their jobs are in jeopardy if they continue to follow Obama's lead. But, sadly, the nomination of Sharron Angle may have completely thrown that possibility out the window.

I think that if Harry Reid wins, the Tea Party will lose its current luster and wind up being relegated to the ranks of all those minority parties that typically run "no-chance-of-winning" candidates in almost every election.

1 comment:

Cheryl Pass said...

I hope fledgling mistakes don't relegate the tea party to the moldy past as a failed attempt as you suggest. God knows the Republicans have not been doing such a great job of vetting candidates ...otherwise would we have rinos? Arlen Specter comes to mind? (Among others) Frankly, any opposition to Harry Reid could be a dime store mannequin and that would work for me. I don't live in Nevada, but I am hoping for Reid to bite the dust....hard! Wishful thinking ...it's a hard habit to break.