Long-shot Senate hopeful drops out

Titus said Jan. 24 she raised less than $15,000 for her campaign, not enough to compete with Lowden, Las Vegas businessman Danny Tarkanian, investment banker John Chachas and others seeking to challenge Reid.

She says the recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court to allow corporations and unions to spend unlimited amounts on political advertising made her campaign even less viable.

"I can’t compete in that financial game, for sure," says Titus, a lifelong resident of Smith Valley, an area east of Highway 395, near Minden and Gardnerville. "I’m not about to sell my soul to a corporation or special interests."

Titus was a long-shot candidate from the time she announced but impressed observers with her knowledge of the issues, particularly health care.

She says she was frustrated news of her dropping out was coupled with a mistaken report she would support Lowden.

She has invited other candidates to Smith Valley to discuss the issues with voters and says she will support the eventual Republican nominee, be it Lowden or one of about eight others remaining in the Republican race.

She also said the suggestion she might challenge Assemblyman Tom Grady, R-Yerington, is wrong. "Tom Grady and I are personal friends. I’ve been his family doctor and for his children and grandchildren for 26 years," she said.

Titus, a first-time candidate, has attended candidate preparation classes and says she is considering running for office again in 2012.

STRAW POLLS FAVOR ANGLE, GIBBONS

U.S. Senate candidate Sharron Angle dominated the field in a straw poll of Washoe County Republicans choosing who they would like to see challenge Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.

Angle, a former assemblywoman from Reno, received nearly 43 percent of the vote. Former state GOP Chairwoman Sue Lowden was a distant second at 18.4 percent, followed by Las Vegas businessman Danny Tarkanian at 15.2 percent.

In a gubernatorial straw poll, the Washoe partisans picked incumbent Gov. Jim Gibbons as their favorite primary candidate, with 45.6 percent of the votes going his way. Establishment favorite and front-runner in statewide polls Brian Sandoval received 41.4 percent.

The straw poll represents a small sample of hard-core partisans in Washoe County.

BILL CLINTON PLAYS CAESARS

Bill Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States, will deliver a lecture, "Embracing our Common Humanity," on Feb. 22 at Caesars Palace. Tickets for the evening event go on sale today at 10 a.m. and may be bought by appearing at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace box office, by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000 or by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, keyword "Caesars Palace."

CORPORATIONS FOR REID

In another sign that this year’s Senate race is turning Nevada into a political wild, wild West, Politico reports this morning on how interest groups are positioning to weigh in on the re-election of Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader.

In the wake of last week’s Supreme Court ruling that loosened the strings on corporate involvement in campaigns, the story suggests a cash pipeline is being erected into the state. PhRMA, the industry group representing drugmakers, already has run ads praising the Nevada senator on health care.

"I think we are going to see a lot of (corporate) ads saying how great Harry Reid is," the piece quotes a Reid insider.

One reason some corporations and other interest groups might want Reid to stick around: They prefer him to Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, who figures to compete for the job if Reid loses and is much more partisan and liberal than the Nevadan, according to Politico.

Contact reporter Benjamin Spillman at bspillman @reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3861. Contact Stephens Washington Bureau Chief Steve Tetreault at stetreault @stephensmedia.com or 202-783-1760.