If there has indeed been a Republican war on women, Republican women in Nevada are striking back!
Apparently sick and tired of watching the GOP’s menfolk muck everything up, a growing army of conservative Republican women are jumping into the 2014 election fray, with some taking on moderate Republican men who have been anointed by the GOP’s all-male establishment in primaries.
Republicans only hold two constitutional offices in Nevada, and neither incumbent is a woman. That could change next year as conservative Sue Lowden, a former state senator, seems ready to jump into the lieutenant governor’s primary race against the candidate handpicked by “the boys,” one-session moderate state Sen. Mark Hutchison.
It also appears likely that conservative state Sen. Barbara Cegavske — who had her leadership roles stripped from her by Senate Minority Leader “Moderate Mike” Roberson in the 2013 legislative session — will jump into the secretary of state’s race, while Assemblywoman Melissa Woodbury, one of only three Republican women currently serving in the Nevada Legislature, is said to be mulling a run for state controller.
At the state Senate level there are two seats up for grabs that will determine which party controls the upper house. And burned by a scathing tongue-lashing from GOP women for his treatment of Cegavske this year, it is well-known that Moderate Mike is single-mindedly recruiting female candidates for both of those races.
Which brings us to the Assembly, where conservative firebrand Assemblywoman Michele Fiore of Las Vegas is likely to hold onto her seat despite rumored efforts by some of her moderate male colleagues to find a candidate to run against her in next year’s primary.
In rural Assembly District 38, conservative Dr. Robin Titus is likely to replace moderate Assemblyman Tom Grady, while in Washoe County, Assembly District 26 conservative Lisa Krasner has an excellent shot at knocking off moderate Assemblyman Randy Kirner in a GOP primary shoot-out.
Also in Washoe County, Jill Dickman — a longtime Reno GOP activist — has announced her candidacy in Assembly District 31, the only district with a Republican majority that is represented by a Democrat. If Dickman wins an anticipated primary, she’s got a great shot at winning the general.
In the Las Vegas area, conservative businesswoman Amy Groves is looking at running in Assembly District 29, while Victoria Seaman intends to run for the open Assembly District 34 seat. And Minddie Lloyd has announced her candidacy for Assembly District 9, with others surely yet to come.
All these Republican women are serious, credible and viable. And while I’ve never been one to support gender-based politics, it wouldn’t exactly be unpleasant to see a lot more pretty faces in Carson City in 2015 — especially if a conservative mindset is behind them!
Chuck Muth is president of Citizen Outreach, a conservative grassroots advocacy organization. He can be reached at www.MuthsTruths.com.
