The next Vucanovich?

Can’t drive 55? Thank Barbara Vucanovich. Because of her legislative efforts, you haven’t had to crawl along major highways at that speed in quite some time.

That bill was a fitting accomplishment for the former Nevada congresswoman, who died Monday in Reno at age 91. She wanted people to get where they wanted to go.

Mrs. Vucanovich wanted to go to Washington. And as the first Nevada woman elected to the U.S. House, the staunch conservative blazed a trail — even for those on the other side of the aisle, such as Shelley Berkley and Dina Titus.

Unfortunately, that trail has gone quite cold for right-leaning women. Barbara Vucanovich remains the only Republican woman to represent the Silver State in Washington, and no one is close to following in her footsteps. In key offices around the state, there is a dearth of Republican women.

In the 21-member Nevada Senate (10 Republicans), there’s Barbara Cegavske of Las Vegas. That’s it. And she just wrapped up her last session because of term limits. The 42-member state Assembly (15 Republicans) has just two women representing the GOP: Michele Fiore of Las Vegas and Melissa Woodbury of Henderson.

There are plenty of bright, right-leaning women in this state who have chosen to stay out of the political fray. The Nevada Republican Party has to shoulder some of the blame for that, as well as the responsibility of reaching out to make women more comfortable putting their viewpoints and political acumen into play.

Yes, the GOP is trying to reach out to minorities. But make no mistake, the Republican Party will fail to make headway against the Democratic machine unless more women are compelled to seek elected office at all levels.

Nevada GOP leaders can’t keep waiting for the next Barbara Vucanovich. They have to go out and find her. That’s the best way they can honor the memory of the woman Gov. Brian Sandoval called Nevada’s “Silver Lady.”