It would seem that locally, the OFFICIAL Clark County Republican Party failed to learn anything after the embarrassing outcome of the 2016 election.
No, I do not mean the Presidential election where they backed Donald Trump and he won. But let’s face it, Clark County did not win the Presidency for him and in fact, he suffered a very narrow loss in Clark County to Hillary Clinton.
What I mean is in how the OFFICIAL Party took it upon themselves to ignore bylaws in the Primary to state a position in a contested primary and actually opposed their own candidates in the general election, all of whom went on to win their races, subsequently all to be listed as wins for the Party. It would seem those incumbents and new candidates won IN SPITE OF the Party.
This blog, among others, called for a restructuring of the Party and we saw just that. A new chair was elected too much praise. That is, until it was seen he wanted to bring unity back to the party over the previous ‘purity purge’ of any that did not go along lock-step with the fringe element that had controlled the party.
For two years, it was a constant barrage of smears, allegations, efforts to undermine and belittle every action of the chair and board. Constant infighting with efforts to overthrow the chair until finally, in the 2018 restructure, the fringe succeeded in election another of their own to do their bidding.
Again we see where bylaws apparently are only mere suggestions as the fringe “reinterpreted” the bylaw on not taking a position in a contested primary to openly endorse John Ley over incumbent Ann Rivers in the 18th Legislative District Senate race.
Ley, in his fourth try for office, after running a campaign of smears and mudslinging, lost again.
Copying their 2016 fiasco, the OFFICIAL Clark County Republican Party again declines to support their own candidate and we see another effort to write-in a candidate against Ann Rivers, 78-year old former County Councilor Tom Mielke of M&M fame for his strong adherence to the agenda of former County Councilor David Madore.
In the meantime, while many resources and focus will be placed on what will likely be a futile effort again to oust Rivers, Republicans have been presented with the best chance in decades of making an inroad into the heavily Democrat controlled 49th Legislative District with the entrance of well known and popular Police Officer, Rey Reynolds filing to face off against Democrat State Senator Annette Cleveland.
While the party says they have endorsed Reynolds, wouldn’t this be the ideal race to focus on and capitalize on Rey’s popularity in the city and finally, get a Republican in the 49th Legislative District?
You would think such an effort would make political sense where we have for far too long been under a strong Democrat majority. But by all appearance, the OFFICIAL Clark County Republican Party would rather give up yet another seat to the Democrats in the 18th, some Board Members and even some PCO’s openly admitting as much on social media here.and here.
Gone are the days of President Ronald Reagan and his call of “The person who agrees with you 80 percent of the time is a friend and an ally, not a 20 percent traitor.”
Ann Rivers voting record falls well within Reagan’s words. But, the fringe that took over the local party settles for nothing less than 100% lock-step.
So while the OFFICIAL Clark County Republican Party acts like petulant spoiled children throwing a tantrum because they didn’t get everything they wanted, they are throwing away the best chance they have seen in decades to decrease the Democrats stranglehold by directing more resources to support Rey Reynolds.
I again call upon rank and file Republicans to take back your party!
UPDATE Nov. 13, 2020: Sad to report that Rey Reynolds was unable to defeat Annette Cleveland, he would have been a great Senator.
On another note, as expected, Ann Rivers came out well ahead of the feeble write-in effort and her Democrat challenger and was reelected by a wide margin.
Again, the OFFICIAL Clark County Republican Party lists her as a win for the party, after they pulled out all stops to see her defeated, even if it meant giving the seat to a Democrat.
I am left to believe that at some time, party leaders got together and reinterpreted the party by-laws to once again allow her to be a Republican and list her win in their win column.
I can only hope that the upcoming re-organization will see saner leadership and an end to this fringe, right-wing element and a return to Ronald Reagan’s Big Tent Party. But that is up to you Republicans.
