Harry Reid Wins His Primary, But Can He Win for Online Poker?

Harry Reid won his Democratic Senate primary yesterday. Not a shock, but an essential hurdle for the powerful yet vulnerable Nevada senator to overcome in a race that will almost certainly play a role in how all poker politics progress.

He won handily — 75 percent — but for him the primary was more a matter of how deep he had to dig into general-election coffers to secure the nomination … as he\’ll likely need all the cash he can get come November. (He\’s spent $8 million so far, and has about $9 million left, according to the National Review.)

First Lady Michelle Obama came to Las Vegas on June 1, not to bemoan the UIGEA, but to rally support for Harry Reid. The two hiked in Red Rock Canyon, but didn\’t even consider stopping by the WSOP, even though Jack Effel totally woulda let either one of them do the shuffle-up-and-deal.

The buzz around Nevada is that Reid\’s re-election bid got new life with the late-surge Republican victory of Sharron Angle, a Reno Tea Partyer now being referred to as \”wacky\” by Nevada Democratic operatives. Supposedly, since Reid can\’t boost his own approval ratings, his best chance in November will come from tearing down Angle, and his office saw her as the weak player at the table against whom he most wanted to challenge heads-up. (The article linked to above also suggests that Reid\’s office may have played a role in helping Angle win.)

Here\’s a Republican ad slamming Angle as a Scientologist-loving nutball (she\’s actually a Baptist) that should help Reid deflower her just in time for the November Nine:

Hmm, maybe current online poker leaders might think she\’s not so bad after all?

Check out Jim Geraghty\’s piece in the National Review for some conservative perspective on the GOP\’s horse to unseat Reid:

The Anti-Beer Libertarian
If she wins Nevada’s GOP primary, Sharron Angle will be painted as a nut

Yes, should be interesting awesome … hardcore cut-throat plausibly dirty politics at its finest … to watch a state-level pol who considers herself a Tea Party idealist (but really might be more traditional neocon moralist) go up against Reid, the fourth most powerful man in the country and a pillar of Democratic change Big Casino quasi-corruption … especially with so much on the line for our poker-specific special interest.

And here\’s another good article that addresses just how important Reid is to the intensifying internet gambling debate in Washington DC. While Reid\’s office continues to downplay his involvements, his spokespeople seem to already be on point:

\”Sen. Reid\’s priority is to protect the jobs of Nevadans, protect minors, and to continue to position Nevada as our nation\’s leader in gaming,\” Reid spokesman Jon Summers said. \”Taking into account these things will serve as the framework for any potential Internet gaming legislation.\”

AGA president Frank Fahrenkopf is obviously aware that Reid staffers have paid visits in recent months to all the Las Vegas casino interests he represents in Washington DC to discuss online gambling issues, but isn\’t talking about a possible agenda, other than to acknowledge every bit of any new law related to online gambling rests on Harry Reid. Said Fahrenkopf, speaking to the Reno Gazette Journal about Reid\’s role in the future of online gambling:

\”He has not told anybody what he is going to do. But he is the key.

\”Even if the House were to pass over the Barney Frank bill (which would legalize online gaming and set up a regulatory agency) to the Senate, Reid, as the majority leader, has the say over what gets heard and what gets voted on. So right now, there is a big unknown as to what is going to happen this legislative session.\”

Also in this story are hints about current online gambling legislative strategy — at least what Nevada business leaders most affected by it are being told — and it would seem to bode well for supporters of fully legal, taxed and regulated online poker. According to one such CEO: \”It is definitely coming. It is just a matter of time. Poker will come first, then Internet gaming.\”

Of course all of what may or may not happen in our world now depends greatly on the ability of Harry Reid, the 2009 Mormon of the Year, to beat a fiscal conservative who may well like the tax revenues online gaming provides, but when speaking about legalizing marijuana suggested she only begrudgingly accepts legalized booze (according to that same National Review article linked-to above.) If Reid cannot outshoot Angle, any online gambling plans that have quietly been taking shape behind the scenes could be all for naught.

Without a doubt, get your internet charged up and let the games begin!