Lone Democrat joining Tea Party Express speakers

As the only Democratic candidate invited to join the Tea Party Express speakers lineup this Saturday in Searchlight, U.S. Senate candidate Ed "Mr. Clean" Hamilton has a unique message.

"Why wait until November to retire Harry Reid when you can do it now," Hamilton said he would tell the crowd of thousands expected to gather in Reid's hometown nearly nine weeks ahead of the June 8 primary.

"I'm going to tell them I am the early opportunity candidate to vote against Harry Reid."

Hamilton, 67, describes himself as a "conservative" Democrat and in fact changed his voter registration so he could oppose Reid in the primary race. Previously, Hamilton has run as a Republican in Nevada, losing both times in the GOP primary.

Hamilton ran for Republican Sen. John Ensign's seat in 2006 and for Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley's seat in 2008.

This time, Hamilton is one of three little-known Democrats seeking to defeat Reid in the primary, seen as an impossible task given the Senate majority leader's support among core party regulars.

After 40 years in politics, Reid is more vulnerable in the general election, and more than 20 candidates have jumped into the race for a chance to face him in November, including a dozen Republicans.

Initially, Debbie Landis, the local Tea Party organizer in charge of inviting candidates, refused Hamilton's request to speak, telling him, "I'm sorry, we do not intend to provide a platform for you or any other liberal candidate," according to e-mail exchanges between them that both she and Hamilton provided to the Review-Journal.

But Landis changed her mind Wednesday after he appealed and national members of the Tea Party movement vouched for him, saying he has attended their "parties" in the past and shared the group's views that essentially boil down to being pro-Constitution and anti-big government.

"They have heard of him and approve of his conservative message (I know, huh? Who woulda thought) and I retracted my 'no' vote," Landis explained in an e-mail to the Review-Journal.

About three dozen election contenders have been invited to speak at a forum in Searchlight. It is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m., about 90 minutes before the rally that will feature former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, who is expected to draw 5,000 to 10,000 people.

Republican, Libertarian and Independent American Party candidates have been invited to speak for the hotly contested races, according to the list Landis provided, including in the governor and lieutenant governor contests and for the Democratic seats of Reid and Reps. Dina Titus and Berkley.

Not invited is Scott Ashjian, the self-declared Tea Party of Nevada candidate whose ballot status is being challenged by members of the movement who said the former Republican isn't one of them.

Contact Laura Myers at lmyers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919.