Adam Laxalt launches Senate campaign

Adam Laxalt is making a statewide campaign trip in his bid for U.S. Senate and was in Reno today.
Published: Oct. 1, 2021 at 6:19 PM PDT
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RENO, Nev. (KOLO) -Former Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt launched his long-expected bid for the U-S Senate Friday with a luncheon appearance at a south Reno restaurant.

Laxalt worked a crowd of likely familiar faces, including a number of former and present GOP office holders and longtime party regulars. Then he gave them what they expected, a pitch aimed at the party faithful, casting the race as a key to stopping what he described as the left’s plan to transform America abandoning its traditional values.

“We have seen the convergence of academia, the media, large corporations and the ruling elite, both Democrats and Republicans, sometimes, in Washington that are simply not representing our values.”

And -- he charged -- Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto was in lock step with those forces, citing her support for the administration’s $3.5 trillion dollar government overhaul bill.

“It is a bill that will permanently transform our country and will take us many steps further toward a European-style socialist country.”

A group of pro-choice demonstrators stood outside on the sidewalk as the candidate and his supporters gathered. Their message: sending Laxalt to Washington would threaten a woman’s right to choose.

The subject never came up during his talk and he declined to dive into it when fielding questions later.

“I know the media wants to focus on the two or three issues that they think are going to be great to get Catherine Masto reelected. we want to focus on what Nevadans really care about.”

There’s nothing new or calculated in his response. Laxalt has never hidden his personal conviction on the issue. It’s likely, however, that it will inevitably play a role in the campaign. In 1990 Nevada voters approved abortion rights by a nearly two thirds margin and Sen. Cortez Masto is a co-sponsor of the Women’s Health Protection Act which if passed--would guarantee equal access to abortion nationwide.

Laxalt has worked to build a higher profile in conservative circles. He carries a last name which still resonates with older Nevada residents and, after two statewide campaigns, one successful, one not, does not have to introduce himself to most current voters. For a variety of reasons, the match-up will be closely watched here and elsewhere.

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