People in the news

Sharron Angle

2010 Nevada Senate Nominee (R)

(Nevada Legislature)

Why She Matters

The former Washoe County assemblywoman was the surprise winner of the GOP primary to face Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) in 2010. She lost the November midterm election after a series of public gaffes that drew national criticism.

In a midterm year when incumbents were weak and Republicans played offense, Reid was perhaps the biggest prize of all. The top Senate Democrat was floundering at home in Nevada, as his state suffered terrible job losses through the 2008-2009 economic crisis. From his leadership perch, Reid was also a key part of pushing President Obama's controversial health-care reform overhaul.

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Background

At a Glance

Career History: Assemblywomen for Washoe County in Nevada (1998 to 2006); Manager of a small business (1987 to present)
Birthday: July 16, 1949
Hometown: Klamath Falls, Oregon

Alma Mater: University of Nevada, Reno, B.A.
Spouse: Ted
Web site

Path to Power

Born in Klamath Falls, Ore., Angle and her family lived in the Pacific Northwest while her father, a World War II veteran, fought in Korea. After Angle's father earned a discharge, the family moved to Reno, Nev., where they owned and operated a motel.

For school, Angle attended the University of Nevada Reno. After graduating with a B.A. in fine arts, Angle and her husband moved to Ely, Nev., where Angle worked as a substitute teacher.

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The Issues

In 2010, the disparate conservative movement known as the tea party united around Angle in an effort to defeat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who to many became the face of President Obama's legislative agenda, including the 2009 stimulus package and March 2010 health-care reform. Angle is a proponent of much smaller government, including eliminating the Education Department, slashing taxes and the deficit. On social issues, she is a proponent of the right to bear arms and liberal web sites have reported that sh is against abortion rights, even in the case of rape and incest.

On the issue of abortion, her own web site says Angle believes "all human life is precious, regardless of location, age, infirmity, or degree of dependence," and that she has been endorsed by conservative activists like Phyllis Schlafly and Concerned Women for America.

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Although she polled worse against Reid than her GOP opponents, Angle won the primary with nearly 40 percent of the vote.

Political Past

In 1984, Angle switched her party affiliation from Republican to Democrat. She continued as a Democrat at least through March 1988. According to her spokesman, Angle switched parties in order to help a conservative Democrat run for state Senate. She also claims to have voted for President Ronald Reagan (R) in 1984.

That wasn't the only time Angle left the Republican Party. In the 1990s, prior to joining the Nevada State Assembly, Angle was an active member of the Independent American Party, which is a right-wing group that mixes libertarian and Christian social conservatism. The party supports states' rights and gun rights while opposing homosexuality.

Angle returned to the GOP in 1997, and ran for State Assembly later in the year. Leaders of the Independent American Party told Talking Points Memo that Angle left in order to run for state office as a Republican.

Education

Angle worked as a teacher or substitute teacher for 25 years, but that doesn't mean she's happy with the current education system in America. She's an advocate of eliminating the Education Department, while supporting home-schools, vouchers and charter schools.

"The Department of Education is unconstitutional and should not be involved in education, at any level," says Angle on her campaign website. "Agencies, such as the Department of Education, have given Americans a one-size-fits-all policy and programs that fit no one, i.e. No Child Left Behind."

Health Care

Angle is opposed to the federal health-care overhaul passed in March 2010, and also opposes Medicare.

"Social Security and its attendant Medicare are broken and bankrupt systems because we, as voting citizens, have allowed Congress to transform these systems from insurance programs to and entitlement programs," Angle contends.

Angle wants to repeal and reverse Obama's 2010 health-care reform plan while moving towards "free-market alternatives" for both health care and Medicare. Nonetheless, Angle maintains that the government must continue to "keep its contract with seniors, who entered the system on good faith and are now depending on that contract."

Angle does support TRICARE, the federal government's health-care plan that provides for military members and their families.

The Network

Although a neophyte on the national stage, Angle had a chance to meet with GOP leaders on a trip to the nation's capital in June 2010. She met with the National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) during the trip.

Angle also likely has the ears of other GOP leaders since they all share the desire to unseat Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.).

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Additional Resources