EDITORIAL: Nevada Republicans target Democrat state senators for recalls

Give state Republicans credit for creativity. With virtually no shot of taking back the state Senate until at least the 2020 election cycle, they’re trying to speed up the clock by attempting to recall vulnerable Democrats.

But the unorthodox gambit is not without its risks.

In the past few weeks, GOP operatives have filed the paperwork necessary to begin the recall process in three Las Vegas area Senate districts, all held by Democrats, who have what amounts to a 12-9 edge in the upper house. But most of the Democrats facing reelection next year are in safe seats. And the GOP is apparently a bit impatient.

On Wednesday, state Sen. Nicole Cannizzaro, a Democrat who represents District 6 in the northwest valley, became the latest target. State Sens. Joyce Woodhouse of Henderson and Patricia Farley, a Republican turned independent who caucused with the Democrats last session, are also in the cross-hairs.

Sen. Cannizzaro narrowly won her first term last year by a 51-49 margin. Sen. Woodhouse defeated her Republican opponent in 2016 by less than 1 percentage point. And while Sen. Farley easily won her 2014 race and doesn’t plan to seek reelection, Republicans would love to get rid of her because Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford awarded the “independent” a seat on the powerful Legislative Commission, essentially tilting control to the Democrats.

Democrats, of course, are aghast and mortified at this unconventional tactic. Probably in part because they didn’t think of it first.

“Nevada Republicans have stooped to a new low by filing this baseless petition,” said a statement issued by Sen. Cannizzaro. Sen. Ford, a Las Vegas Democrat, accused the Republicans of trying to “steal” Senate seats. Other critics called the move an attempt to “hijack the democratic process.”

Whether this is a “new low” in Nevada remains a matter for debate, given there’s plenty of competition for the honor. As for the other two allegations … well, neither can survive intellectual scrutiny. How does winning a legal recall election constitute the theft of a seat? And isn’t the recall process the epitome of democracy?

In fact, there’s a reason why recalls so rarely succeed. They’re extremely difficult to pull off. Gathering the requisite signatures won’t be a slam dunk in any of the three districts, especially given the amorphous rationale behind the efforts. Then there will be the inevitable legal challenges from Democrats. And in the event that one or more of the recalls actually make the ballot, Republicans will have to articulate far more than they’ve offered so far or risk turning off voters.

Republicans are certainly within constitutional parameters. But the money necessary to pull this off might be better spent highlighting for swing voters the deficiencies of the legislative majority during the 2017 session.

In addition, the risk here is that the GOP stunt gives momentum to those who would water down the state’s recall statutes, which are an important tool to ensure elected officials remain accountable to their constituents. The Nevada Supreme Court has already shielded judges from the process. If the legislative recall become just another weapon with which to harass the opposition, it could eventually face extinction, as well.