Nevada’s middle man — Gov. Sandoval
By Jon Ralston, Politico
As Republicans look on in dismay at the chaos of the party’s presidential race and a Congress that can’t seem to get anything done, their focus keeps turning to Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval. Reelected in a landslide last year, he has earned a reputation as a chief executive who somehow manages to get things done. Jon Ralston, a Politico magazine econtributing editor and longtime Nevada political reporter, talked with Sandoval about why he’s staying focused—for now—on fixing his state.
JR: Is there a place for a guy like Brian Sandoval in the Republican Party who says, “You know what, I think at times you have to raise taxes, you have to expand Medicaid even though you don’t necessarily agree with the overarching Obamacare”?
BS: Absolutely—it’s about solutions. I stepped in here—the highest unemployment in the country, second highest in the country uninsured, $2 billion budget deficit, an ineffective economic development structure, a failing infrastructure, all of that. People want someone who’s going to find solutions and make tough decisions, and do what’s in the best interest of the state. I don’t see why there wouldn’t be a place for somebody who wants to do that.