Sharron Angle Abruptly Withdraws From Nevada Special Election

Sharron Angle abruptly withdrew from the special election in Nevada’s 2^nd congressional district earlier today, saying that she had no desire to participate in either a “ballot royale” or in a process where the party’s nominees are selected by party committee.

Angle, 61, wanted candidates to be nominated in regular primaries prior to the Sept. 13 special election.

Angle, who polled nearly 45 percent of the vote in an unsuccessful attempt to unseat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in 2010, said that either method creates “an illegitimate process that disenfranchises the electorate.”

Democrats and Republicans in Nevada have been battling in court over whether the election should be a free-for-all — or so-called “ballot royale” in which any candidate can run — or whether the candidates should be chosen by party committees.

The Democrats, vastly outnumbered in Nevada’s 2^nd district, favored a free-for-all, but an appeals court judge ruled against them last week. Ross Miller, the Democratic Secretary of State who established rules allowing any and all candidates to appear on the ballot, regardless of party, is appealing that decision to the Nevada Supreme Court.

Angle said either method makes a mockery of the special election.

“I do not have any desire to participate in a process described by others as a ‘ballot royale’ or a situation where the party central committees choose their nominees because it makes a mockery of the most important constitutional element in exercising freedom,” she said in her statement.

“Voter participation has been preempted in either case by disallowing primary elections, or in allowing a select group of people to make a decision who otherwise would not be allowed to vote in Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District,” she continued. “The longer this drags out the more it will become a contest of bank accounts and negative campaigning based on personal attacks instead of the important issues that face Nevada and our country.”

Nevada’s special election is being held to replace Rep. Dean Heller, a Republican, who was appointed to fill the vacancy created by John Ensign’s resignation from the U.S. Senate.

Angle, who refused to rule out a future bid for public office, said that she will be making additional announcements soon detailing her plans.