Sharron Angle

David McGrath Schwartz has a must-read story in today's Las Vegas Sun on veteran state Sen. Bill Raggio's (R-Reno) fight for his political life:

You spend three decades in the state Senate, you have a bust in bronze at the Reno airport, and yet you face the real possibility of ending your public service defeated in your party’s primary.

Turnout could be the deciding factor. Conventional wisdom gives Raggio the advantage in a high-turnout election. But low turnout could give his opponent, former Assemblywoman Sharron Angle (R-Reno), an edge. Republican turnout in Waschoe County was 37.9 percent in the 2006 primary.

Former Assemblywoman Sharron Angle: Campaign photoThe so-called tax cap ballot initiative — which would limit property taxes to 1 percent of a property's 2003-2004 value and curb increases at 2 percent or the rate of inflation — moved a step closer to the November ballot, The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported Tuesday.

According to the paper, Secretary of State Ross Miller directed the state's 17 county clerks and registrars to begin verifying the 83,600 signatures submitted by the initiative's backers.

The group needs 58,628 valid signatures from registered voters — including a sufficient number from each county — to advance the initiative to the ballot, the Review-Journal reported.

The Property Tax Reform Initiative for Nevada has been a pet concern of state Senate candidate and former Assemblywoman Sharron Angle.

Angle has been actively seeking a cap on property taxes for four years. She's running for a seat in the state Senate in the Aug. 12 Republican primary.