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September 08, 2009 04:18 PM UTC

Wadhams Reportedly off to Nevada for 2010

  • 52 Comments
  • by: the_spaces_between

(Got some GOP hopes up, anyway – promoted by Colorado Pols)

POLS UPDATE #3: Well, so much for that rumor.

According to The Associated Press:

State Republican Party chairman Dick Wadhams says he’s not leaving Colorado to try to unseat Democratic Sen. Harry Reid in Nevada.

A blog run by Reid opponents reported that Wadhams was in Las Vegas recently and was considering moving there to help former Nevada GOP chair Sue Lowden oppose Reid, the Senate majority leader.

Wadhams said Tuesday that he isn’t moving to Nevada to help Lowden. However, he said he did visit with Lowden and her supporters recently to talk about his success unseating former Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle in South Dakota in 2004.

POLS UPDATE: Initial word from sources confirms this is a possibility leaning toward probability–but the final decisions have reportedly not been made yet. A major development in Colorado politics if this happens, and the story we’re hearing has as much to do with internal GOP anger at Wadhams after the Jane Norton/NRSC debacle (which he is widely suspected of involvement in) as it does any “opportunity” this may represent for a two-time Senate campaign loser. We’ll see if the narrative adds the phrase “on a rail” to Wadhams’ departure in the coming weeks.

As for Democrats? We’ve maintained for years now that Wadhams is a foul-mouthed braggart whose usefulness to the Colorado Republican Party is deeply suspect. A massively–as it turned out for Republicans catastrophically–overrated political strategist. It would be kind of silly for us to celebrate Wadhams’ departure on Democrats’ behalf then, wouldn’t it? Democrats can only hope that Wadhams’ replacement will be no more competent, but they probably shouldn’t expect to be so lucky again.

It should also be noted that becoming the Republican Party Chair in Colorado was never exactly in Wadhams’ grand career plan. Wadhams, you’ll recall, was campaign manager for Virginia Sen. George Allen in what was supposed to be an easy re-election bid in 2006 that was then a prelude to running for President in 2008. That, of course, didn’t happen, and Wadhams was left to return to Colorado with tail firmly between legs. Heading to Nevada to take on the Senate Majority Leader makes sense for Wadhams if he ever wants to ascend back to the top of the GOP strategist heap; knocking out Reid would certainly add a shine to the ol’ resume.

POLS UPDATE #2: Wadhams responds very carefully, courtesy conservative blogger Joshua Sharf:

My friend Sue Lowden, who recently resigned as Nevada Republican state chairman, asked me to make the presentation to a group of her supporters as she decides whether to challenge Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

As fun as that quick trip to Las Vegas was, my full time political agenda is here in my home state of Colorado, as state chairman of Colorado Republicans.

But, as Sharf notes, nowhere is an explicit denial to be found.

Original post follows.

—

Dick Wadhams is reportedly considering a move to Nevada to help former State Party Chairwoman Sue Lowden oppose Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s bid for re-election. This according to the Dump Reid Political Action Committee…

Sources confirm that Dick Wadhams was in Las Vegas recently to meet with Lowden and is prepared to join the campaign if/when it becomes official.

‘Who is Dick Wadhams?’ I hear many of you ask.  Only the guy who ran John Thune’s stunning upset victory over then-Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle out in South Dakota in 2004.  Wikipedia notes that Wadhams has also worked for former Virginia senator George Allen, Colorado Senator Wayne Allard, former Colorado governor Bill Owens and former Montana Senator Conrad Burns.  He is also the current Chairman of the Colorado Republican Party.

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52 thoughts on “Wadhams Reportedly off to Nevada for 2010”

        2. The post-Allen Wadhams has old generals’ syndrome, fighting the last war in a world that’s moved on.  I just hope we get a Wadhams protegee who follows his playbook to the letter.

  2. Wadhams is such a kind, caring man who has made it his life work to promote a constructive civil discourse.  He is the king of his profession of “campaign consultant.”  His type of campaigning is the type that makes us proud of our democracy!  It is going to be a blow to the electorate of the state of Colorado to lose such a valuable asset.  With his departure, the level of political conversation will dip measurably I’m sure.

    He will be missed…..

    1. to any more

      Liberal

      LIBERAL

      liberal

      LiBeRal

      lIbErAl

      liberal liberal liberal liberal

      ads.

      It’s a crying shame that the over saturation of of scary “He’s a liberal” ads won’t continue.  It was the absolute best way to help elect Udall by trying to frame him in 1980’s imagery.  Worked out perfectly for Udall.  Schaffer not so much.

  5. but fail to name the numerous, consecutive defeats. Yeah, he’s on a roll, alright–just not a winning one.

    Well, now we’re stuck with Reid for six more years.  

          1. To be honest, I don’t really know how that works at all. Are they appointed or voted on by their colleagues? I always thought it had to do with seniority in the Senate but that can’t be right, since there are Senators who have been there much longer than he has.

            Anybody have any idea how that works?  

            2. Are selected from within the caucus after an election. They are nominated at a caucus meeting and then voted on. The vote’s significance is contingent on whether there is an actual race for a post. Same goes for other caucus positions: asst leader, whip, etc.  

            3. and I bet he’s thinking like madmike below … willing to contribute to a one-way ticket home … his contribution just happens to be falling in line with Pelosi-Obama on cap ‘n tax and card check/forced arbitration.

      2. but from the discussion above as to who and why Reid will be replaced … it pretty much looks like there is a consensous that Reid is “toast” or in this case “a goner”.

      3. When the Senate Majority Leader is behind in the polls to two neophytes it is time to put a fork in him. No the phrase is not in the article but the numbers are

        3. Whether or not the Senate Democrats realize it, or if even Obama realizes it, the “anemic” support for many Democrats right now centers around the impression that they’re not getting the job done WRT health care reform.  The poll number suck because Democrats and Democratic-leaning Independents aren’t “pulling the level” in the poll numbers for Democratic office holders.

          If Reid decides to get off is officious butt and herd the health reform bill through the Senate with its teeth intact, he’ll be fine come election time.  If he’s instrumental in killing it or gutting it, I think he’s done.

          If anyone doubts just why the Republicans are trying to screw the American public on health care reform (again), this is it: they want a replay of 1994.

  8. Wadhams should do for the party the same as when Schaffer ran.  He can run both a Senate campaign and the Colorado Republican Party.  He was able to do it in 2008, why not again in 2010?  

    (I like that as a slogan – Again in 2010.)

    1. Ever since ‘campaign finance reform’ began driving dollars to 527’s and the like, the State Parties have lost power and become little more than a mouthpiece for each party’s malcontents. That trend looks to continue into the foreseeable future.

      Although, it will be difficult to find a voice so clearly representative of divisiveness in politics as that of Dick Wadhams.

  12. The quote you post in your update may not be clear as to his intentions but the other part of his statement sure as hell is:

    I just want to let you know that nothing can keep me from being a part of unseating a Democratic governor for the first time in 48 years, and the accidental senator he appointed.

    Sounds to me like he ain’t going nowhere.

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