© 2024 Blaze Media LLC. All rights reserved.
Sharron Angle Announces 2012 bid...for Congress

Sharron Angle Announces 2012 bid...for Congress

"With your help we can once again change the country's direction..."

LAS VEGAS (AP / THE BLAZE) -- Four months after her strong bid to unseat U.S. Sen. Harry Reid ended in defeat, Sharron Angle said Wednesday she'll run for Congress again in an effort to "stop the liberal agenda."

Angle told supporters via YouTube, Twitter and an e-mail that she will pursue one of Nevada's four U.S. House seats in 2012.

"With your help we can once again change the country's direction like we started in 2010," she wrote in an e-mail to supporters.

Reid beat Angle by 6 percentage points in November after strongly challenging the longtime senator during a bitter campaign. She raised $14 million in one three-month fundraising quarter and finished ahead in a series of polls.

The high-profile race helped to make her a tea party leader and in her concession speech, she indicated she likely would pursue office again. Recently, she has traveled to Republican rallies in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina and kept followers abreast of her whereabouts through her Twitter account.

Angle previously ran for the House in 2006, but lost to Republican Rep. Dean Heller. He announced Tuesday that he'll run for Sen. John Ensign's seat, clearing a path for Angle in the rural Nevada House seat.

Angle and her campaign didn't immediately respond to telephone messages about her congressional run, first reported by The Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Angle has become one of Nevada's most recognizable political figures in recent months, but she could face a crowded primary.

Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki is also eyeing the congressional seat, as is State Sen. Greg Brower and state GOP Chairman Mark Amodei.

In the general election, Democrats are eager to see one of their candidates claim the open seat. Possible contenders include former congressional candidate Jill Derby, state Assemblywoman Debbie Smith and state Treasurer Kate Marshall.

"We were going to pursue this seat whether Sharron Angle jumped into it or not," said Zach Zaragoza, executive director for the Nevada State Democratic Party.

Angle has provided campaign fodder for any rival. Reid's campaign dug up a series of videos and interviews last year that showed her slamming abortion, federal benefits such as social security and unemployment and illegal immigrants.

"Her unfavorables are higher than her favorables, even with Republican primary voters. If that's accurate it could put the seat in jeopardy against a moderate Democrat," said GOP consultant Ryan Erwin, who is working on Krolicki's campaign. "Can she get elected? That's the wild card on this."

Angle has said she represents voters who are tired of Reid and President Barack Obama wasting tax dollars.

"The job still needs doing, and I won't stand by and wait for someone else to do it," she said in the e-mail.

Want to leave a tip?

We answer to you. Help keep our content free of advertisers and big tech censorship by leaving a tip today.
Want to join the conversation?
Already a subscriber?