Politics

Sharron Angle: the first Tea Party congressman?

Steven Nelson Associate Editor
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Former Nevada Senate candidate Sharron Angle may run for Congress as an independent, the Las Vegas Journal-Review reports.

According to Republican strategists, Angle is considering a third-party run if she does not secure the Republican nomination for Nevada’s 2nd congressional district.

The congressional seat, currently held by Republican Rep. Dean Heller, may be filled by a special election if Heller is appointed by Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval to replace John Ensign in the Senate.

Currently there is uncertainty over whether Nevada law would allow each political party’s central committee to pick a candidate for a special election without a primary election. If parties chose their candidates, Angle would consider running as an independent, the Journal-Review reports.

According to the Journal-Review, a recent poll shows a neck-and-neck race if Angle ran as an independent. Republican and Democratic candidates are reportedly in a dead heat with Angle, all placing within the unnamed poll’s margin of error.

The potential independent candidacy of Angle could place the longtime Republican stronghold within striking distance of a Democratic candidate.

Angle’s run could make her either the first House independent since Vermont’s Bernie Sanders or a spoiler like Doug Hoffman, who’s conservative third-party candidacy in 2009 for New York’s 23rd district flipped the seat to Democrats.