Republican governor of Nevada Brian Sandoval being considered for Supreme Court

Republican Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval is the first Hispanic to hold statewide office, as well as the youngest chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission.
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Synopsis

Brian Sandoval was born on August 5, 1963, in Redding, California. Of Latino ancestry and Mexican roots, he became the first Hispanic in Nevada to hold statewide office. Sandoval served on the Nevada Assembly and its Gaming Commission. He then served as a United States District Court judge and the Nevada attorney general before he went on to become the state's governor in 2010.

Early Life

Republican Nevada Gov. Brian Edward Sandoval was born in Redding, California, on August 5, 1963. The long-time Reno, Nevada, resident is of Latino ancestry with Mexican roots. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and economics in 1986 from the University of Nevada and then earned a law degree from the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in 1989. He opened his own law firm in Reno a decade later.

Judicial and Political Career

Prior to opening his own law firm, Sandoval ran for a seat on the Nevada Assembly in 1994. He won the seat and won re-election in 1996, but resigned two years later, when then-Governor Bob Miller appointed him to serve as a member of the Nevada Gaming Commission, which oversees the state's gaming industry. The next year, in 1999, Sandoval became chairman of the commission: At age 35, he was the youngest person ever to serve as chairman of the commission. During his time on the commission, Sandoval fought national efforts to block gambling on college sports events, among other efforts.

Sandoval ran for the Nevada Attorney General seat in November 2002. He won the election, defeating Democrat challenger John Hunt, and took office in January 2003. While in office, Sandoval sponsored legislation strengthening Nevada's laws against drug abuse, domestic violence and human trafficking. He also developed the state's first Public Integrity Unit.

In 2004, Democratic U.S. Senator Harry Reid recommended to then-President George W. Bush that Sandoval be nominated for the United States District Court for the District of Nevada. By the fall of 2005, the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Sandoval (89-0, with 11 senators not voting), who then received his judicial commission. Sandoval resigned from that position on September 15, 2009—the same day he announced that he was running for the governorship of Nevada.

Sandoval won the 2010 gubernatorial election, in which he faced challenger Democratic Rory Reid, chair of the Clark County Commission and son of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Sandoval won every county in the state with a majority, with the exception of Clark County. The election victory made Sandoval the first Hispanic candidate elected to statewide office in Nevada.

In 2012, Sandoval was rumored to be on Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's list of vice-presidential possibilities. In June 2012, CNN published an article taking a close look at how Romney could court the Latino vote. In addition to studying the possibility of Romney choosing New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez, CNN examined Sandoval's chances. "Sandoval is a budget-cutting, government-shrinking Republican," CNN wrote, "but he favors abortion rights, which could be a drawback as a GOP running mate. And though he's Latino, he doesn't speak Spanish."

But Sandoval said he would not want to be considered as a vice-presidential nominee, stating that he had "the best job in the country," according to the Las Vegas Sun. In its own explanation of why Sandoval wasn't really in the running, the Las Vegas Sun wrote, "First is that he's simply not charismatic and would have an incredibly hard time commanding respect, not to mention being totally unable to sell a warped idealogical agenda to America." The April 2012 article went on to say that Sandoval would do more harm than good, if he were ever elected as vice president.

Despite rumors regarding Sandoval's potential vice-presidential nomination, Romney announced U.S. Republican Congressman Paul Ryan as his running mate for vice president in August 2012.

Personal Life

Sandoval is married to Kathleen Sandoval, a native Nevadan, and together they have three children.

http://www.biography.com/people/brian-sandoval-20939705

Harry Reid supports him, that is a plus. The Republican Senate leaders already said he is dead on arrival. That is also a plus. I don't see anything saying he is a serious legal mind, but I haven't read enough yet.

I agree, given an article I just read on another thread from NYT, no one will be considered so it wouldn't matter if he has the finest legal mind in the history of mankind.

Senate Republicans Lose Their Minds on a Supreme Court Seat

I hope Obama considers that a gauntlet being thrown down.

To me it is one more increment down, not up.

I don't know, according to Politico, he is seen as a betrayal to the republican party.



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He just seems more like a senator or congressman (or governor) rather than a Judge, but I don't really know.

Actually, I think he may be the presidents best hope.

As a justice he isn't a bad pick. He's already been a sitting judge and been approved by Congress. That said, I would expect a Democratic President to look for a more liberal judge. Obama in general has picked candidates that are fairly moderate, so you say he is just being consistent. As a political move, it is brilliant. The Republicans really are going to block whoever Obama sends, so send someone that makes the Republicans look like idiots. Sure, Sandoval is an endangered breed being a moderate Republican, but he is still a Republican. Republican Senators have a hard pitch explaining why Sandoval is not a good Republican. Before they even get to abortion, people will be on the Internet looking at cat pictures. Democrats just have to keep saying "they won't even give a Republican governor a hearing!" It's the perfect two second sound bite.

I imagine you completely oppose this choice right? I mean, think of the nominee that Bernie would nominate when he gets elected.

Not that you've taken this position, but I have a hard time seeing how someone who supports Bernie because he's such a champion for the far left causes can possibly support Obama selecting this man, this republican, to serve on the greatest court in the land.

I just got through saying he is the president's best choice. Back off.

Anyway he said today he does not want to be picked.

I agree that he's probably the only choice that has a chance of getting passed.

That doesn't mean that YOU have to support him or Obama does it?

quit being an asshole.

I'm not trying to be an asshole.

I REALLY don't get it. This may be directed to other members on A2K, not necessarily you, but it's too difficult to keep track of the nuances in everyone's thought process.

I don't see how one can face the political realities in this situation knowing that republican's are never going to confirm a justice as far left as even Obama or Clinton or especially Sanders would want to nominate.

But are willing to stand by Sanders so much that you'll let the republicans take over the presidency by not voting for Clinton if she's the nominee. How can one not see the political realities in that situation.

I said he may be the president's best choice #3.

I was wondering if he would agree to be a pawn in this game or if he would preemptively remove his name. Now we know (and I'm not surprised.)

I was three quarters favoring him, until I watched this video. Now I hope like hell he does not want to be appointed.

Did you check to verify the hosts of Young Turks remarks to make certain they are true? Obama considering him could have been pie in the sky in the first place. In any case I did check it out and he does oppose restrictions on guns rights. Glad he declined, perhaps the administration wasn't done checking into his background because I know the administrations position on gun rights and I don't believe he would have chosen someone who opposes gun restrictions.

Where did the thought come that Obama was considering him anyway? Was it from anyone who would really know?

I believe I recall Reid floating the story.

Oh, maybe Reid likes him then, I think Reid is not really a gun control advocate.

why not Hope Sandoval?