State Sen. Elizabeth Halseth, R-Las Vegas, resigned her office today, citing personal reasons, according to the senate Republican caucus.
Her resignation will place on the ballot a seat that favors Democrats, putting another obstacle in the way of Republicans' goal of taking control of the state Senate, where Democrats have an 11-10 advantage.
Halseth's resignation comes after Democratic lawmakers complained she had not been attending meetings or returning phone calls.
Halseth and her husband, Daniel, are getting a divorce. Her husband was arrested last year on "gross and open lewdness" charges.
My, oh my. I guess Elizabeth Halseth (and Michael Roberson) couldn't keep this ridiculous charade going for any longer. And I guess they couldn't handle the heat heading their way on this.
And this isn't just a win for Nevada Democratic strategists. This is a win for Nevadans, period. No Nevadan deserves to go unrepresented. And yes, that's what was happening while Halseth was AWOL and avoiding her professional duties as a Nevada legislator.
Now, voters in Senate District 9 will have a chance to elect someone who's genuinely interested in doing the job. Congratulations.
UPDATE, 3:50 PM-
I just spoke with a knowledgeable source who explained to me the process going forward:
- Brian Sandoval will appoint a placeholder to fulfill the duties of District 9's Senator for the rest of the 2012 interim.
- And in November, a special election will be held for SD 9 under the NEW boundaries. This means SD 9 will be a more Democratic leaning seat and a prime pickup opportunity for Nevada Democrats.
Wow. Just wow. Nevada Republicans just blew it... Again.
UPDATE, 4:10 PM-
In case you missed it, the Secretary of the Nevada Senate was first in posting Halseth's resignation letter. You can read it here. I'm loving her line on blaming her apparently not-so-good "prospects for employment" here in Nevada on "selfish partisans and a handful of reckless bloggers".
You're welcome, soon-to-be-ex-Senator Halseth! No seriously, I was never out to hurt her "prospects for employment" or harm her quality of life in any way, shape, or form. I only wanted for her constituents to get the kind of representation and service that they deserve.
Oh, and her line attacking President Obama for her personal woes is so "Klassy". Keep it "Klassy", Elizabeth Halseth.
UPDATE, 4:35 PM-
I wonder if Ralston stands by his prediction made on Twitter yesterday:
If I'm right and Halseth resigns, entire state Senate dynamic has gone, IMHO, from lean GOP to lean Dem. Wouldn't that be something? #nvleg
Yes, it is! And again, this is Michael Roberson's worst nightmare come true. Between this and Sheila Leslie giving Greg Brower a real run for his money (literally!) in the new SD 15 in Reno, his chances of becoming Senate Majority Leader have greatly diminished... And Nevadans tired of "tea party" insanity wreaking havoc on Nevada's government rejoice.
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How disgusting that she's using her children as human shields against her own infidelity and failure as an elected official. I thought Conservatives were in to personal responsibility.
ReplyDeleteYes, her resignation letter is plenty partisan. No, she wasn't a good legislator, in fact, she was a reckless one in my opinion. But dang, folks. She's being put through the ringer with all her personal stuff, can't you just let her move on? I wouldn't wish that type of situation on ANYONE, but there's no empathy whatsoever in this post.
ReplyDeleteShe resigned and now she's out of our hair, great, let's move forward. This post seems to me like it's kicking a person when they're down. As Democrats, we're supposed to be better than that, aren't we?