Based on campaign promises made in the Republican primary last year, word on the street is that conservative activists in Washoe County are thinking about launching a recall effort against Senate Minority Leader Bill Raggio (R-Reno) the minute he, as expected, votes for the billion dollar hike sometime this week.
In his GOP primary race against former Assemblywoman Sharron Angle last summer, Sen. Raggio said categorically, “This is not the time to start talking about raising taxes. It is something that we can’t even consider.”
In addition, Sen. Raggio told a voter in that primary election flat out, “Well, I’m not going to raise taxes, I can guarantee you that.”
If the senator flip-flops on those unmistakable campaign promises, that would certainly be grounds enough for a recall by TEA’d-off voters who believe we’re all Taxed Enough Already. And in this climate, despite the fact that recalls are rarely successful, this one might just prove the exception. But even if not, the effort would surely cause the Minority Leader an awful lot of grief, money and embarrassment to fend off.
Not exactly the way the 37-year legislative veteran – who will be termed out in 2012 even if a recall fails – was planning to be remembered.
Of course, Sen. Raggio could still come out the hero in this legislative train wreck if he blocks the billion dollar tax from reaching the governor’s desk. But since Sen. Raggio is at the table in the middle of negotiating FOR the billion dollar tax hike, that seems rather unlikely.
