SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
Former Nevada State Legislator Sharron Angle confirmed late last night that she is not seeking the appointment to fill the unexpired term made available by Sen. Bill Raggio’s sudden departure. Angle decided to make her decision public after her office was inundated with hundreds of phone calls.
“I want to thank my supporters, but I’ve already made statewide and nationwide commitments that I will be honoring,” Angle said. She suggested that constituents not call her but instead relay their requests to the Washoe County Commission and respectfully ask that they appoint someone who will uphold the governor’s promise to not raise taxes and fees.
“The commissioners owe it to the constituents in Senate District 3 to appoint someone who would put an end to Raggio’s failed campaign promises,” she said. She did not recommend a replacement for Raggio but warned that any appointee who continues to raise taxes and fees as Raggio did could expect a “vigorous and spirited challenge” in 2012.
Asked for her thoughts concerning Raggio’s resignation, Angle said that Raggio’s mid-term departure was deliberately timed and came as no surprise. “I warned voters in 2008 that Senator Raggio would vote to increase taxes again and then resign in the middle of his term to pave the way for an appointment rather than allowing the voters to elect his replacement. It’s a premeditated endeavor to keep the ‘good old boy’ politics in play that the majority of Americans rallied against in the recent elections.”