Dean Heller

Heller To Take Senate Oath, Replace Resigned Sen. Ensign

Jon Terbush | May 9, 2011, 1:16PM

Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV)

The U.S. Senate will return to full strength on Monday when Rep. Dean Heller (R-NV) is sworn in to replace Sen. John Ensign, who resigned last week after the fallout from a sex scandal and resulting ethics investigations continued to cloud his tenure.

After polls showed his popularity plummeting and the odds of retaining his seat next year dwindling, Ensign announced early this year that he would not seek reelection in 2012. Then in late April, as his political standing worsened and as a Senate ethics investigation dragged on, Ensign decided to end his term even sooner, saying he would resign on May 3.

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Sharron Angle

Sharron Angle For Senate? Poll Says Fat Chance

Jon Terbush | April 29, 2011, 8:20AM

According to a PPP poll released this week, Sharron Angle would face strong opposition should she run for a Senate seat in Nevada next year. This time, however, that opposition would come from within her own party.

In the poll, Angle trailed Rep. Dean Heller (R) in a hypothetical Republican primary contest to seek the seat being vacated by embattled Sen. John Ensign (R) -- and it wasn't even close. In that matchup, Heller led Angle by a mammoth 84% to 8% margin.

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Harry Reid

Nevada's Brothel Lobbyist: Reid's Anti-Prostitution Stance A 'Unique Challenge'

Benjy Sarlin | February 24, 2011, 3:43PM

It's hard out here for a prostitution lobbyist.

George Flint, who has represented the Select Legal Brothels of Nevada for the last 26 years, is still reeling from Sen. Harry Reid's dramatic call for a statewide ban on the world's oldest profession. Flint, 77, told TPM he was particularly shocked because he and Reid have known each other for over 40 years, going back to the Senator's earliest days in state politics -- yet he's never heard him complain about the business.

"We're more or less personal friends and I'm completely blown out of the water," he said. "I have no idea what it's tied to. It's nothing like he's ever done before. We're all trying to get a handle on it."

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Harry Reid

Harry Reid and John Ensign Duel Over Prostitutes

Benjy Sarlin | February 24, 2011, 12:03PM

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) defended Nevada's legal prostitution industry on Wednesday -- putting him at odds with Sen. Harry Reid's (D-NV) call this week to end the brothel business.

"You know, that's a county by county issue and I think and it should be left to the counties," Ensign told local station KTNV.com after a town hall meeting.

On Tuesday, Reid delivered a speech to the Nevada legislature in which he declared "the time has come for us to outlaw prostitution." Many state lawmakers defended the current brothel system after and it's unclear whether Reid's position has enough support to move forward. Governor Brian Sandoval (R) has said the issue should be left to the counties as well.

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Sarah Palin

Palin To Keynote Hunting Club Convention In Nevada

Eric Kleefeld | January 14, 2011, 11:13AM

Former GOP Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

Sarah Palin is not shying away from pro-gun imagery, even in the midst of criticism of past violent political rhetoric after the shooting in Tucson. In fact, she'll be headed to Nevada -- a key early caucus state -- later this month, to keynote the convention of a major hunting organization, Safari Club International.

The convention's website says that Palin "will give a keynote address Saturday evening [January 29] touching upon her past hunting experiences and how politics affect the current state of hunting and fishing."

Politico reports: "Organizers made the announcement that Palin would be appearing at the gun-related gathering less than a week after the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords that badly injured her and left six dead."

2012

PPP Poll: Nevada Republicans Want Romney As Their Nominee

Jon Terbush | January 11, 2011, 4:44PM

Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney rolled over the competition in Nevada's 2008 Republican caucus, and a new PPP poll has him in good shape to come out on top there again in 2012.

In the poll, 31% of respondents said Romney was their first choice, compared to 19% who supported Sarah Palin. Newt Gingrich finished a close third at 18%, followed by Mike Huckabee (14%), and Ron Paul (7%). Mitch Daniels, Tim Pawlenty, and John Thune each drew support from 1% of respondents.

An additional 8% said they were undecided, or planned to vote for someone not presented in the poll.

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2012

PPP Poll: Obama Leads All GOPers In NV -- But Barely Edges Romney

Jon Terbush | January 7, 2011, 3:00PM

President Barack Obama and Former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA)

Nevadans just sent Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid back for another term, and a new PPP poll indicates they're leaning toward reelecting another Democrat, President Barack Obama, as well. Obama led all hypothetical challengers in the poll by a comfortable margin -- except Mitt Romney, who Obama leads by just one point, 47%-46%.

Romney was the only challenger who polled within single digits of the president, and the only one who kept Obama's support below the symbolic 50% threshold. Huckabee came next closest, lagging 51% to 41%, while Gingrich trailed 51% to 40%. Palin fared worst against Obama, as she has consistently done in recent PPP surveys, trailing the President 52% to 39%.

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2010 elections

Neva-d'oh! 68% Of Nevadans Regret Nominating Sharron Angle

Jon Terbush | January 7, 2011, 8:45AM

Nevada Senate candidate Sharron Angle (R)

If Nevada voters could do it over again, they'd really, really like to nominate someone not named Sharron Angle, according to a new PPP poll.

In the poll, 68% of Nevadans said they think Republicans should have nominated someone other than Sharron Angle to challenge Sen. Harry Reid last year. Only 21% said the GOP did the right thing in nominating Angle, and 11% had no opinion.

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Health Care

States Fighting Health Care Law Also Fighting For Health Care Law Grant Money

Brian Beutler | September 1, 2010, 10:37AM

President Barack Obama

Don't underestimate Republicans' desire to stymie or unwind the health care law. But not all of them are as committed to its demise as Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R), who yesterday issued an executive order forbidding his state's officials from applying for grant money from the new law.

It turns out that seven of the states -- Arizona, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska and Nevada -- that have applied and been approved for subsidies to cover the cost of caring for retired state government employees are also part of a coalition of more than 20 states suing the federal government over the constitutionality of the health care law's individual mandate, which experts say is critical to the success of the policy. Minnesota's attorney general, Lori Swanson (D), refused to join to Pawlenty's displeasure.

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