Sandoval won’t seek that which he can’t have

Before we get started today, I have some announcements to make …

First, I will not be seeking an Academy Award for my performance in “Jenna’s 12th Birthday Party” video this year. Second, I will not be seeking the Miss Congeniality Award in the Miss America Pageant. And last, I will not be seeking a Nobel Peace Prize for my successful intervention in Kristen and CJ’s dispute over whose turn it was to empty the dishwasher.

And while we’re on the subject of making announcements that we’re not seeking that which we are highly unlikely to get: Gov. Brian Sandoval (R&R Partners) recently announced he will not seek the official endorsement of the Nevada Republican Central Committee for his re-election campaign. Instead, he said committee members should just look at his record. But of course, that’s the problem!

Sandoval’s record is completely out of whack with the Republican Party platform. Raising taxes, expanding government, implementing Obamacare and giving driver’s licenses to people in the country illegally. With a record like that, Sandoval would have as much chance of getting the party’s official endorsement as Sen. Harry Reid.

It also doesn’t help that the Republican-in-Name-Only governor has not only not helped build the Nevada GOP the way Reid has the Democrats, and not only has ignored, stiff-armed and back-slapped the central committee’s grass-roots volunteers, he’s actively worked to cripple and knee-cap the party so his high-paid consultants can get all the work instead.

Speaking of which, Sandoval’s top handler, Mike Slanker, is up for Hypocrite of the Year for his performance in a Washington Post interview in which he said the governor was not seeking the party’s official endorsement and would instead rely on the primary election “where all Republicans have a voice.”

This is laughable since it’s Sandoval himself who brought all this endorsement stuff on by hand-picking and endorsing a candidate in the lieutenant governor race more than six months ago even though there were three other clearly viable, clearly qualified and clearly interested Republicans publicly exploring in the race.

So, according to Monsieur Slanker, it’s OK for Sandoval to endorse candidates rather than let “all Republicans have a voice” but it’s not OK for GOP central committee members, who are the voice of grass-roots Republicans, precinct by precinct, to do the same?

This is the first time the Nevada Republican Party has stepped forward to provide much-needed leadership in the party’s primaries and the process still needs some tweaking to do it right in the future. But bravo to central committee members for stepping up like this. Preprimary endorsements are long overdue.

Now I have to go prepare my request for a Grammy for my shower performance of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” I think I’m a lock this year.

Chuck Muth is president of Citizen Outreach, a conservative grass-roots advocacy organization. He can be reached at www.muthstruths.com.