TPX calls for Danny Tarkanian to drop out of NV U.S. Senate race

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A leading Tea Party organization is asking Danny Tarkanian to drop out of the U.S. Senate race in Nevada. A news release from Tea Party Express (TPX) claims that the latest polling results indicate that Tarkanian has dropped into third place in the race for the GOP nomination, behind Sue Lowden and TPX-endorsed Sharron Angle:

The Tea Party Express is formally requesting U.S. Senate candidate Danny Tarkanian terminate his campaign for U.S. Senate as new polling data confirms Tarkanian has fallen into third place and dropping.

"Danny Tarkanian has been a strong supporter of the tea party movement, and he can best help this movement by ending his campaign for U.S. Senate," said Bryan Shroyer, Political Director for the Tea Party Express.

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"We really like Danny. He's been personable, intelligent and straightforward in his dealings with us," said the Tea Party Express's Shroyer.

"Sadly, it has become increasingly clear, however, that his campaign has failed to catch fire with voters. He is receiving less support in the polls now than when he first announced his candidacy despite having spent over $800,000 to reach voters (according to the most recent data reported by the FEC).

If Danny Tarkanian listens to the tea party group and ends his campaign, it could head off a potentially awkward situation for Sarah Palin. Her father and brother have endorsed and campaigned for Tarkanian, but the governor has yet to make an endorsement in the race. The withdrawal of Tarkanian would clear the way for Gov. Palin to endorse either Sharron Angle or Sue Lowden without any appearance of divided loyalties withing the Palin camp.

But judging from the defiant stance taken by the Tarkanian campaign in response to the TPX request, the son of successful and colorful college basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian isn't about to go quietly anytime soon:

A spokesman for Tarkanian's campaign issued a statement calling the request a "money grab" by a consulting firm "making big money off the Tea Party Express."

"The Tea Party Express is leading the corporatization of the Tea Party movement and it's distasteful," said Tarkanian consultant James Fisfis.

It's not clear which of the two women the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate would support should Tarkanian finally relent and exit the contest. The Susan B. Anthony List, parent organization of Team Sarah, has endorsed Lowden, as has Sen. John Kyl and Jerri Thompson. In addition to the Tea Party movement, Angle has the backing of the National Federation of Republican Assemblies, Club for Growth, Concerned Women for America, and conservative talk show host Mark Levin. If Tarkanian refuses to exit the race, we're not sure if Gov. Palin would want to get involved in what is rapidly becoming a contentious Republican primary.

A new survey just out from Democrat firm Public Policy Polling (PPP) in Nevada finds Sharron Angle has surged ahead of Lowden and now leads with 29 percent of likely voters. Sue Lowden now follows at 26 percent and Danny Tarkanian has 24 percent of the vote. A recent Mason-Dixon poll of 500 likely Republican primary voters in the Silver State, conducted for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, had Lowden in first place with 30 percent, followed by Angle with 25 percent and Tarkanian at 22 percent. All three leading GOP candidates have taken pro-life positions.

- JP