September 08, 2009 04:18 PM UTC

Wadhams Reportedly off to Nevada for 2010

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• by: the_spaces_between

(Got some GOP hopes up, anyway – promoted by Colorado Pols)

POLS UPDATE #3: Well, so much for that rumor.

According to The Associated Press:

State Republican Party chairman Dick Wadhams says he’s not leaving Colorado to try to unseat Democratic Sen. Harry Reid in Nevada.

A blog run by Reid opponents reported that Wadhams was in Las Vegas recently and was considering moving there to help former Nevada GOP chair Sue Lowden oppose Reid, the Senate majority leader.

Wadhams said Tuesday that he isn’t moving to Nevada to help Lowden. However, he said he did visit with Lowden and her supporters recently to talk about his success unseating former Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle in South Dakota in 2004.

POLS UPDATE: Initial word from sources confirms this is a possibility leaning toward probability–but the final decisions have reportedly not been made yet. A major development in Colorado politics if this happens, and the story we’re hearing has as much to do with internal GOP anger at Wadhams after the Jane Norton/NRSC debacle (which he is widely suspected of involvement in) as it does any “opportunity” this may represent for a two-time Senate campaign loser. We’ll see if the narrative adds the phrase “on a rail” to Wadhams’ departure in the coming weeks.

As for Democrats? We’ve maintained for years now that Wadhams is a foul-mouthed braggart whose usefulness to the Colorado Republican Party is deeply suspect. A massively–as it turned out for Republicans catastrophically–overrated political strategist. It would be kind of silly for us to celebrate Wadhams’ departure on Democrats’ behalf then, wouldn’t it? Democrats can only hope that Wadhams’ replacement will be no more competent, but they probably shouldn’t expect to be so lucky again.

It should also be noted that becoming the Republican Party Chair in Colorado was never exactly in Wadhams’ grand career plan. Wadhams, you’ll recall, was campaign manager for Virginia Sen. George Allen in what was supposed to be an easy re-election bid in 2006 that was then a prelude to running for President in 2008. That, of course, didn’t happen, and Wadhams was left to return to Colorado with tail firmly between legs. Heading to Nevada to take on the Senate Majority Leader makes sense for Wadhams if he ever wants to ascend back to the top of the GOP strategist heap; knocking out Reid would certainly add a shine to the ol’ resume.

POLS UPDATE #2: Wadhams responds very carefully, courtesy conservative blogger Joshua Sharf:

My friend Sue Lowden, who recently resigned as Nevada Republican state chairman, asked me to make the presentation to a group of her supporters as she decides whether to challenge Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

As fun as that quick trip to Las Vegas was, my full time political agenda is here in my home state of Colorado, as state chairman of Colorado Republicans.

But, as Sharf notes, nowhere is an explicit denial to be found.

Original post follows.

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Dick Wadhams is reportedly considering a move to Nevada to help former State Party Chairwoman Sue Lowden oppose Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s bid for re-election. This according to the Dump Reid Political Action Committee…

Sources confirm that Dick Wadhams was in Las Vegas recently to meet with Lowden and is prepared to join the campaign if/when it becomes official.

‘Who is Dick Wadhams?’ I hear many of you ask.  Only the guy who ran John Thune’s stunning upset victory over then-Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle out in South Dakota in 2004.  Wikipedia notes that Wadhams has also worked for former Virginia senator George Allen, Colorado Senator Wayne Allard, former Colorado governor Bill Owens and former Montana Senator Conrad Burns.  He is also the current Chairman of the Colorado Republican Party.