Politics

Nevada Sen. Reid’s campaign batters image of GOP challenger

Font Size:

Harry Reid’s small army of young, eager staffers has bombarded Nevada voters with unflattering, sometimes distorted allegations about his challenger Sharron Angle.

“What this material shows is who Sharron Angle really is and what makes her tick,” Reid spokesman Jon Summers said.

It might also be said that the material shows who Harry Reid really is: how much money and manpower the powerful incumbent has to throw around (his campaign has $9 million in cash on hand); how far he is willing to go to turn voters against Angle; and how, as a result of his efforts, the unpopular senator has revived his chances of reelection in a year when most voters say they don’t want him in the Senate anymore.

Opposition research is standard operating procedure in modern politics. But for Reid, painting Angle as crazy has become an essential function of the campaign. The state's soaring unemployment rate and his own lack of voter appeal have left him one of the most vulnerable incumbents in the country.

Full story: Nevada Sen. Reid’s campaign batters image of GOP challenger