Squeezed at the Middle? Or No Mo' Status Quo?

We've been talking for a while now about the increasingly complicated landscape of Carson City. Brian Sandoval may have shaken up that landscape with his embrace of the 2009/2011 "sunset tax" deal, but it's also led to some unintended consequences. Everyone's favorite "Angle-philes" emerged from their "hobbit cave" "undisclosed location" to hurl unhinged screeds at Brian Sandoval and Michael Roberson. But perhaps more importantly, Chuck Muth is now unleashing his harpies anger at "moderates" who dare to agree with their fellow Republican, Brian Sandoval, on maintaining the status quo.

So the primaries are coming at full force... Yet not all of them are coming from the right.

We've talked before about the precarious situation that John Lee has fallen into. Last weekend, Steve Sebelius talked with John Lee about his "moderate dilemma"... And his Republican (??!!) campaign manager.



And today, Pat Spearman appeared on News 3 Las Vegas' "The Agenda" to show that she's offering a progressive alternative.

(Start the video below at 12:00.)



Last year, Lee stood with Sandoval on the budget. But now, he's catching heat in his district over it. Lee is now championing community college reform and change in the state's funding formulae. However, Spearman flat out said that it wasn't enough.

So are we finally seeing an election cycle when it's not just the far right that complains about the status quo in Carson City?

I've been saying for some time that Brian Sandoval may have opened Pandora's Box by trying to stake "middle ground" to put away complaints from the right and from the left on the state budget. And the more I see this play out, the less I doubt my initial call. We'll just have to see what happens in June to see where this goes next.