BORN AGAIN CONSERVATIVE STATE SENATOR MICHAEL ROBERSON?

BORN AGAIN CONSERVATIVE STATE SENATOR MICHAEL ROBERSON?

March 11, 2017

Trapped between the political reality of a Conservative Pro Trump base and a liberal Republican establishment here in Nevada, Senator Roberson seeks to redefine himself after his devastating loss to Danny Tarkanian in the Republican Primary race for Congressional District 3 last year. Roberson has been keeping his head down and driving forward trying to redefine his image. But the real question for Republicans is, does Roberson deserve a second chance after betraying Nevada Republicans and which Roberson would appear if he were given the chance to govern again?

After running as a hardcore Tea Party candidate for the State Senate in 2010, Michael Roberson quickly figured out which direction the money and power flowed in Nevada. He aligned himself with the newly elected Govenor Sandoval, who himself ran as a conservative, promising no new taxes. But both of the men broke their promises in the 2011 session raising taxes on businesses. Roberson carried the water in the State Senate for Sandoval helping pass driver’s licenses for illegal aliens in Nevada and supporting common core. Then, in 2014, when given the power by the voters to lead the State Senate, Roberson helped pass the biggest and controversial tax increase in the state’s history in the 2015 legislative session. It was this action that ultimately lead to his loss in the 2016 Congressional primary, the loss of control by the Republicans in both the State Senate and the Assembly in last year’s general eleciton and now threatens to cut short Roberson’s political future.

After the election last year, Senator Roberson lead a bipartisan commission setting up the rules, regulations and structure for the Clark County School District breakup. His leadership on the commission was instrumental in passing the final draft with buy in from most of the stakeholders, including unions and parents. Conservatives praised his efforts as an effective leader.

Now Roberson claims he heard the voters and the Tea Party warrior is back. Trying to reinvent himself as a conservative, Roberson is taking a tough stance against looney liberal legislation like the ERA and the removing the US Constitution as a required subject teachers need to know to get hired in Nevada. But he doesn’t have any power in the State Senate to pass anything, so the bills he is plugging have zero chance of passing. Bills like one that would ban sanctuary cities in Nevada. So as the leader in the State Senate of the opposition to the Democrats, Roberson is reclaiming the conservative title hoping the voters will forgive him because they certainly won’t forget as he found out last year the hard way.

Rob Lauer

Political Reporter

360Daily.net