• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Blog Home
  • Topics
    • Keystone Press Releases
    • Politics and Government
    • Legislation
    • Nevada News
    • Tourism & Gaming
    • Rural Nevada
    • Business
    • Opinion
  • Membership
  • Contact Us
  • About Keystone Nevada

Keystone Nevada Korner

Welcome to The Keystone Korner The Official Blog of Keystone Nevada

Home » GOP Outsiders Dominate the 2022 Midterms

GOP Outsiders Dominate the 2022 Midterms

November 6, 2022 by Pauline Lee

Almost none of the Republicans in competitive Senate races have ever held office.

by Gregg Opelka, The Wall Street Journal, November 6, 2022

If the “red wave” of recent predictions comes to fruition on Tuesday, the 2022 midterms should be called the Inside-Out Election, because Republicans will have put so many outsiders in and turned so many insiders out.

I’m old enough to remember the Beatles appearing on “The Ed Sullivan Show” and I can’t remember an election in which so many political newcomers had a serious shot at taking out established politicians of the opposite party.

Here’s the short list among the Senate races: J.D. Vance in Ohio, Herschel Walker in Georgia, Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania, Blake Masters in Arizona, Don Bolduc in New Hampshire, Joe O’Dea in Colorado and Tiffany Smiley in Washington. They are, respectively, a venture capitalist/author, an ex-football star, a doctor/television celebrity, another venture capitalist, a retired Army general, a construction company CEO and a nurse. They’re all complete outsiders with no political experience. Their Democratic opponents, except for Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman, on the other hand are all incumbent senators or representatives. Even so, Mr. Fetterman is no rookie, having served as a small-town mayor before becoming lieutenant governor.

One exception is Nevada’s Adam Laxalt, the grandson of a governor and senator who served a term as attorney general and lost his own bid for governor in 2018. The GOP also has a few veteran politicians fighting to retain their Senate seats. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who’s been in public office nearly 64 years, faces the first serious threat to his incumbency in decades. Ron Johnson, a businessman before being elected to the Senate in 2010, hasn’t exactly had a cakewalk in Wisconsin, though he appears to be pulling away from his challenger. But what is remarkable is both the number of first-time Republican politicians running and, more astounding, how well they are doing.

The MVP among the GOP governor candidates is undeniably Kari Lake in Arizona, who during her run has given a master class in how to handle a recalcitrant media with aplomb. Not since Joan Rivers has a woman delivered so many zingers with a smile. President Trump provided the blueprint. The first political outsider in at least a century to seek and win the presidency showed how best to deal with the press—never stop hitting back. Like Mr. Trump, Ms. Lake also benefited from years in front of a TV camera. She was a news anchor in the Grand Canyon State for more than 20 years.

They used to run musical revues on Broadway decades ago with the same title, only changing the year. They were called “New Faces of 1934,” “New Faces of 1936,” “New Faces of 1943,” etc. Welcome to New Faces of 2022. Something tells me we’re going to be seeing a lot of them.

Mr. Opelka is a musical-theater composer-lyricist.

Filed Under: Opinion Tagged With: Adam Laxalt, Blake Masters, Herschel Walker, J.D. Vance, John Fetterman, Mehmet Oz, Tiffany Smiley

Primary Sidebar

Connect with Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
Bootleg Bistro
Bootleg Bistro Ad
SLLC_Keystone_Blog-Ad_300x500_10%-Off-Repairs_05.19.21
CIOServices Ad 300x500-100
BRH Keystone Ad JPEG
Willow_Manor
Keystone Corporation Nevada

News Topics

  • Keystone Press Releases
  • Politics and Government
  • Legislation
  • Nevada News
  • Tourism & Gaming
  • Rural Nevada
  • Business
  • Opinion

Rural Nevada

30 new projects in Pahrump: Arby’s, Chipotle, Midas Muffler, 3 convenient stores & more

March 29, 2023 By Courtney Holland

By Robin Hebrock, Pahrump Valley Times, March 28, 2023 Business is booming in the Pahrump Valley, with dozens of new companies looking to bring … [Read More...] about 30 new projects in Pahrump: Arby’s, Chipotle, Midas Muffler, 3 convenient stores & more

UPS and AVK America plan to expand in Douglas County

March 19, 2023 By Courtney Holland

Staff Reports for The Record Courier, March 17, 2023 United Parcel Service plans to build a new 168,000 square foot building in Douglas County, … [Read More...] about UPS and AVK America plan to expand in Douglas County

Redwood Materials gets $2 billion federal loan for mega battery facility near Reno

February 12, 2023 By Pauline Lee

by Jason Hidalgo, Reno Gazette-Journal, February 9, 2023 Redwood Materials just secured a commitment from the federal government for a $2 billion … [Read More...] about Redwood Materials gets $2 billion federal loan for mega battery facility near Reno

LETTER: Voting by conscience or from pocketbook?

January 31, 2023 By vrobison

Not everyone enjoys or is interested in politics, but given the number of retirees in the Moapa and Virgin Valleys, I would imagine there is … [Read More...] about LETTER: Voting by conscience or from pocketbook?

Opinion

OPINION: NEVADA VIEWS: Government over the taxpayers

March 26, 2023 By Courtney Holland

By Robert Fellner, The Las Vegas Review Journal, March 25, 2023 The legislative proposal to raise Nevadans’ property taxes highlights why … [Read More...] about OPINION: NEVADA VIEWS: Government over the taxpayers

Hypocrite Biden blocks mineral mining his clean-energy goals require

March 24, 2023 By Pauline Lee

by Carrie Sheffield, New York Post, March 22, 2023 President Joe Biden claims he wants America to lead in “clean energy” production, but he’s again … [Read More...] about Hypocrite Biden blocks mineral mining his clean-energy goals require

OPINION: The ‘Green Amendment’ is well-intended — but that’s not enough

March 19, 2023 By Courtney Holland

By David Colborne, The Nevada Independent, March 19th, 2023 Supporters of AJR3, also known as the “Green Amendment,” want to protect Nevada’s … [Read More...] about OPINION: The ‘Green Amendment’ is well-intended — but that’s not enough

Tags

Adam Laxalt am post Build Back Better Business Business Columns Casinos & Gaming Catherine Cortez Masto Clark County Clark County School District Conventions COVID Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) Editorials Education employment Gov. Joe Lombardo Gov. Steve Sisolak Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED) Housing inflation Inside Gaming Joe Lombardo las vegas Local Local Las Vegas Local Nevada lvcva mc-business mc-local mc-news mc-opinion mc-sports Nevada News NPRI Opinion Opinion Columns PAID Politics and Government Real Estate Insider Roe v. Wade Sports The Strip tourism Victor Joecks

Footer

Copyright © 2023 · Keystone Corporation - All Rights Reserved · Log in
Privacy Policy
By accessing this site, you are agreeing to our Terms of Use

The views, opinions and conclusions expressed by the authors of any article or post on the Keystone Korner are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Keystone Corporation or its officers and board members. Moreover, any reference to a person, party, product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Keystone Corporation or its officers and board members.