A survey of 40 Carson City insiders published on Monday by the Las Vegas Review-Journal declared that freshman conservative Republican state Sen. Elizabeth Halseth was the “Worst” freshman senator of the 2011 Legislature while moderate GOP state Sen. Ben Kieckhefer was named the “best” freshman senator.
Now, this is no surprise whatsoever….and Halseth should wear her designation as a badge of honor. You see, the mark of a “good” legislator in the state’s capital among the media and various special interest lobbyists is an absence of philosophical principle and a willingness to “compromise,” even if only for compromise sake.
If you go along to get along you’ll get along fine with the insiders. But if you rock the boat, ask inconvenient questions and vote your conscience….refusing to concede that maybe, just maybe, Nevadans aren’t taxed enough already and that maybe, just maybe, the government needs to get bigger and more expensive….well, then, you’re nothing but a mindless ideologue.
Of course, that’s THEIR depiction. We here prefer to call such folks principled conservatives. And Halseth’s designation as the “Worst” freshman state senator only goes to solidify our selection back in December of Sen. Halseth as our Conservative of the Year – for which she will be duly honored at the Conservative Leadership Conference in Las Vegas next month.
On the other hand….
Freshman GOP Assemblyman Mark Sherwood…er, I mean Surewould (“Hey Mark, would you vote for higher taxes?” “Sure would!”) was named the “Worst” freshman assemblyman DESPITE being willing to negotiate with Democrats for higher taxes the entire session and ultimately voting for the $600 million tax increase of the “sunsets.” I mean, this guy sold out his vote for a box of Chiclets before the session even started.
Alas, the problem for Ass. Surewould is that people who, you know, actually met with and talked to him in Carson City were able to cast ballots. As one of those who took the RJ’s survey put it, Ass. Surewould lacks “people skills.”
Sure does.
Insider, outsider…doesn’t matter. Ass. Surewould was the worst freshman assemblyman. Perhaps the worst state legislator…period.
Best freshman Assembly Republican by far, bar none? Cresent Hardy. Best freshman GOP senator? Michael Roberson.
