Dem, GOP insiders say Reid is toast for 2016
The votes are in, and U.S. Sen. Harry Reid is the winner. Sort of.
The National Journal polled Democratic and Republican party insiders to ask, “Who is the most vulnerable senator up for re-election in 2016?”
Among Democrats, the Nevada Democrat won by a hair with 27 percent picking the Senate minority leader. He was closely followed by U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., who was picked by 26 percent of Democratic insiders.
The piece anonymously quoted insiders about Reid’s chances.
“Reid gets more and more vulnerable by the day. Sandoval will be a giant-slayer,” one said of Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval, who is being wooed to run by Republicans but has insisted he has no interest in the race.
“If Reid doesn’t decide to retire, he’s a good bet to be taken down in a presidential year,” another observer said. “His health issues insulate him from a primary, but in a general he’s a goner.”
“He’s lost his power-and-influence argument, and long ago lost any new ideas or ability to create excitement around his candidacy,” another Democrat said, referring to Reid’s loss of his majority leader status in the Nov. 4 election.
Republicans are giving Reid even less of a chance of winning a sixth Senate term with 42 percent of those polled by the National Journal saying he’s the most vulnerable senator in 2016. Kirk followed him again with 25 percent of the vote.
What were the GOP insiders saying?
“If Gov. Sandoval runs, Reid is toast,” said one.
“Reid hit the jackpot last time running against a candidate who was crazier than he is,” said another, referring to Republican Sharron Angle, who lost to Reid by nearly 6 percentage points in 2010.
“Hopefully, he will not be able to select his opponent again,” added one observer.
“Time’s up,” said another.
“There is no force so weak as a politician whose time has gone,” said yet another, piling on.
But don’t count out Reid yet. The former boxer, who’s sporting injuries from a freak exercise accident these days, has been counted out before yet always has managed to be the last candidate standing.
Reid personally has assured new Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Jon Tester of Montana that he’s planning to run for re-election. Tester is hoping Democrats can retake control of the Senate with Reid’s help. And the odds are looking pretty good since Democrats are defending only 10 seats while Republicans are defending 24 seats.
Tester told The Hill he talked to Reid about his own race and other Democrats as well.
The Montana senator recounted their conversation.
“‘Are you in?’” Tester said he asked Reid. “And he goes ‘Absolutely.’ ”
“He assures me he’s going 110 percent,” Tester said.
— Laura Myers
POT TAXES, SPEED LIMITS NEXT UP
A bill that could lead to higher speed limits on Nevada freeways and another that would impose taxes on medical marijuana production are just two of the measures the Nevada Legislature will consider in Week 2 of the 2015 session.
The Senate Transportation Committee on Thursday will consider Senate Bill 2, introduced by Sen. Don Gustavson, R-Sparks, to allow speed limits on some freeways to increase to a maximum of 85 mph from the current 75 mph limit.
A similar measure to allow the Department of Transportation to increase the speed limit to as high as 85 mph on selected highways in Nevada passed the Senate in 2013 but failed to win approval in the Assembly.
The Assembly Taxation Committee on Tuesday will take up the bill to prepare the state to collect excise taxes on the sale of medical marijuana. Dispensaries around the state are gearing up to open sometime later this year after legislation allowing their operation was approved in the 2013 session.
Assembly Bill 70 would allow the state Department of Taxation to begin collecting a 2 percent excise tax on the wholesale sale of marijuana and another 2 percent on retail sales, beginning July 1.
A very preliminary estimate generated by the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health in October suggested that the program could generate as much as $10 million in excise in the upcoming two-year budget.
Twenty-five percent of the excise taxes will go to operate the program. The other 75 percent, which in this estimate would total $7.5 million, would go to fund public education. Retail customers also will pay sales tax on their purchases, a separate calculation that has not yet been projected.
— Sean Whaley
SITTING IT OUT
Clark County Commissioner Mary Beth Scow is doing more than just abstaining from a vote when the commission fills a vacancy for Las Vegas Township justice of the peace. Her son, Richard Scow, is a finalist.
On Tuesday, when Richard Scow, a county prosecutor, and the other two finalists gave their pitch to county commissioners, his mom didn’t stick around to watch.
Scow exited the room and waited until they were done, stressing she is staying out of influencing the process entirely.
The other two finalists are Amy Chilini and Bita Khamsi. All are attorneys, as required by law.
The three finalists were picked from a pool of 18 applicants by a seven-member Judicial Selection Committee that Nevada Supreme Court Justice Mark Gibbons oversaw.
Nine of the 18 applicants were interviewed by the committee for the $153,449-a-year job.
The commission didn’t take a vote. That decision is still at least a couple of weeks away.
The vacancy was created because former Justice William Kephart was elected to the District Court bench.
— Ben Botkin
NORTH LAS VEGAS’ TAKE: $3,000
North Las Vegas’ raised $3,000 for its libraries by charging $40 a ticket to see the mayor’s State of the City address.
The City Council gave the library director an oversized check for the money at the Feb. 4 council meeting. Attendance was high — 735 people packed into a ballroom at Texas Station.
The year before saw 600 people, with 592 attending in 2013, 582 in 2012 and 514 in 2011.
Charging for a mayor’s annual address drew criticism from advocacy groups, who say it’s wrong to charge money for what should be a public event.
Henderson charged $45 to see Andy Hafen lay out his plan for the city’s future at Green Valley Ranch Resort Grand Events Center. A total of 960 people attended.
Las Vegas held its event in its City Hall and did not charge.
— Bethany Barnes and Eric Hartley
Contact Laura Myers at lmyers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919. Contact Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900. Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or 702-405-9781. Contact Bethany Barnes at bbarnes@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3861. Contact Eric Hartley at ehartley@reviewjournal.com or 702-550-9229.
