Scott Ashjian
Encyclopedia
Jon Scott Ashjian commonly known as Scott Ashjian, was the candidate of the Tea Party of Nevada
in the race for United States Senate
in the 2010 Nevada general election
. Ashjian was born in Fresno, California
; the oldest of eight children. After graduating from South Lake Tahoe High School in 1982, he started his own auto detailing
company in Bakersfield, California
, and grew it to include locations in Fresno, Bakersfield, and Visalia, California
. He is a Latter-day Saint
, and served on a mission for the LDS Church in Argentina
from 1986 to 1988. Ashjian moved from California
to Nevada
in 1995. He resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he works as a businessman, paving contractor, and real estate investor
, and is owner of an asphalt
company. With his wife, Bonnie, he has two sons and one daughter.
Ashjian was a member of the Republican Party
, and voted for the presidential candidacies of Ronald Reagan
, George W. Bush
and John McCain
. In 2010, Ashjian and his supporters created the Tea Party of Nevada, whose values espouse small government
, freedom
, liberty
, and decreasing the United States public debt
. Ashjian filed his candidacy papers for the Tea Party, a registered minor party
in Nevada
, at Carson City on March 2, 2010. Ashjian's U.S. Senate candidacy was challenged in court in April 2010, and Carson City, Nevada
district judge James Todd Russell ruled that he could stay on the ballot. This decision was appealed, and the Nevada Supreme Court ruled in a unanimous decision on October 6, 2010 that Ashjian would remain on the November 2010 ballot for U.S. Senate.
In media interviews, Ashjian emphasized his values included decreased power of government, and a strict interpretation of the United States Constitution
. He identified with the views of politicians including Ronald Reagan, Sarah Palin
, and Ron Paul
. His political campaign was run as a grass-roots movement, and he served as his own communications director. He explained his decision to manage a minimalist and inexpensive campaign came from a desire to avoid a disconnect between politics and the people he wished to represent. Ashjian asserted he was confident his campaign would beat opponents from the two major political parties, Democrat Harry Reid
and Republican Sharron Angle
. In October 2010, Ashjian released an audio-tape to the media of a recorded conversation with Angle, in which she asked him to drop out of the U.S. Senate race. Angle told him she did not believe she could beat U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, if Ashjian remained on the ballot. Ashjian said he would stay in the race, and criticized both the major parties as inadequate choices in the election that would further the status quo
. Harry Reid won the 2010 race and was reelected to the U.S. Senate.
in 1964; the oldest of eight children. His grandfather, John M. Ashjian, worked in law enforcement
and was appointed by the Board of County Supervisors of Bakersfield, California
as Chief Probation Officer. Ashjian graduated from South Lake Tahoe High School in 1982, where he was a wrestler. As a teenager, Ashjian gained experience managing businesses. Ashjian started an auto detailing
company in Bakersfield, California in 1982. He grew this business to include facilities in Fresno, Bakersfield and Visalia, California
. Ashjian is a Latter-day Saint
. He served a mission for the LDS Church in Argentina
from 1986 to 1988. After completing his mission in Argentina, Ashjian returned to California and married his wife, Bonnie. Ashjian moved from California
to Nevada
in 1995. Ashjian and his wife have two sons and a daughter. His son Brogan served in 2010 on a religious mission in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
. Ashjian's daughter Bostyn participates in dance competitions, and his son Bronson wrestles in his high school. In 2010, Ashjian resided in Las Vegas, Nevada
, where he worked as a businessman and paving contractor. Ashjian is a real estate
investor, and is the owner of an asphalt
company, A&A Asphalt. He is involved with California
based agricultural
ventures.
, and voted for the presidential candidacies of Ronald Reagan
, George W. Bush
and John McCain
. Ashjian filed his candidacy on March 2, 2010, and became the candidate of the Tea Party of Nevada
for United States Senate
in the 2010 Nevada general election
. Early polling the week Ashjian filed his candidacy, showed him drawing double-digit support. Ashjian's candidacy is the only one which appears as the "Tea Party" on the November 2010 ballot. It is his first entrance into an election for political office. The Tea Party of Nevada qualified as a minor political party with the Nevada Secretary of State on January 27, 2010. Ashjian's supporters created the party, by successfully filing more than the 250 signatures needed. The Tea Party of Nevada's stated goals include striving to "promote this nation's founding principles of freedom, liberty and a small representative government." The party stated in its preamble
that both major political parties were responsible for a "massive national debt" in the United States, and that the "great conservative majority in America" should not believe that the Democrats and Republicans would support their views. In April 2010, Ashjian faced a legal challenge which attempted to remove his name from the ballot, as he had been a registered Republican
shortly before he submitted his candidacy. Carson City, Nevada
district judge James Todd Russell heard arguments on whether Ashjian could remain on the ballot starting on April 14. Judge Russell ultimately ruled that Ashjian complied with the intent of the law and he could remain on the ballot. The American Independent Party
, which brought the suit against Ashjian, filed an appeal of the case to the Nevada Supreme Court. Ashjian commented on attempts to remove him from the ballot, "They are doing the bidding for the Republican Party. They should welcome the ability of minor parties to field candidates when the two major political parties have failed us so badly." On October 6, 2010, the Nevada Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling that Ashjian's candidacy would remain on the November 2010 ballot.
Describing his political views, Ashjian stated to the Las Vegas Review-Journal
that he espouses Tea Party views including limiting the role of government, and a strict interpretation of the United States Constitution
. Ashjian aligns himself with the conservative views of politicians Ronald Reagan, Ron Paul
and Sarah Palin
. He said in April 2010 that he was "100 percent sure" he would win the election and beat opponents Harry Reid
and Sharron Angle
in the November 2010 general election, "by a large margin". He explained that he filed to run for U.S. Senate, because individuals in Nevada who identified with Tea Party values had been "duped by the Republican Party". Ashjian noted, "The GOP is trying to co-opt the Tea Party. That is one of the reasons I did what I did. I don't see a difference between Democrats and Republicans." Ashjian stated he did not think Sharron Angle would be able to win the U.S. Senate race against Harry Reid, and stated "Republican attack committees are running the (national) Tea Party show." In May 2010 Ashjian asserted to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, "I will pick up a large percentage of votes on both sides (Republican and Democrat) and those in the middle."
Ashjian's political campaign was structured as a grass-roots movement. The candidate served as his own communications director, and relied on his family and friends for assistance. His campaign website contained the declaration, "I am running because I love my country and Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama are ruining it. It is time to take our country back and I am asking you to join me in this fight." Ashjian stated in an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, "I'm a frustrated patriot. I'm not a politician. I'm not savvy with radio and TV. But I believe I can make a change, and that's what I'm here for. I'm here to give people a third choice." When asked to characterize the Tea Party of Nevada, Ashjian responded, "We're not Republican or Democrat. We won't fold into one party or the other. We're a tax-paying party that can make a difference and a party of normal people who want change. Bigger government and higher taxes is not working. Right now we're at a real crossroads to make change, and the bottom line is there's never been so much disdain for politicians." He explained why he chose to run a minimalist campaign, "The political race is for the rich. Why would (politicians) want to spend X millions of dollars on a campaign? It has to be for political gain. That disconnect is why I'm running for office." Ashjian asserted that results for voters would be similar with both major party candidates as opposed to a third option, "I'm here to say there is a choice. If you want to stick to the status quo, pick the Republicans or Democrats, but don't complain. Nobody can do a better job than I can." Regarding overtures from the Republican Party asking Ashjian to acquiesce to the two-party-system, Ashjian said, "By them saying I should fall in line is an insult. I'm not asking for an invitation. I think they should get behind me, not fall in line like sheep. They're so paranoid, it makes me think they have weak candidates and they're afraid. The more they attack, the more they show their hand, and I mean that across party lines. It's not politics as usual. We're running a different campaign, and they're scared to death."
In October 2010, Ashjian released a tape to the media of a recorded conversation he had with Sharron Angle where she asked him to drop out of the race. In the tape, Angle says that she cannot defeat Harry Reid with Ashjian on the ballot. Ashjian commented about the meeting, in an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, "She asked that I support her, and I said, 'Why would I go and do that?'". He stated he would never entertain the notion of dropping out of the race, "She said, 'I can't win without you getting out of the race.' But I said I couldn't. I'm going to beat Harry Reid." He emphasized that he would not drop out of the race, "I call the shots. ... I fought too hard to be on the ballot to get off." Ashjian remarked of the pressure involved in running for office, "I've had personal threats against me and my family. I've had my phone tapped, and I've been followed." He commented that Angle was too close with the Republican Party, and therefore not a true outsider candidate. Ashjian sent a letter to Nevada Secretary of State Ross Miller in October 2010, asking that party abbreviations on ballots be removed.
On October 28, 2010, a second ruling by the Nevada Supreme Court again affirmed Ashjian's ability to stand as a candidate in the 2010 Nevada election for U.S. Senate. In the case, the office of the Secretary of State of Nevada had asserted that the effort to appeal the case to the Nevada Supreme Court was without merit, because voters had already received absentee ballots and a removal of the candidate's entry would have the impact of therefore disenfranchising voters. In its unanimous decision, the Nevada Supreme Court ruled, "(The) appellant's unexplained delay in prosecuting this appeal militates against disrupting the election process, which is already underway." One day before the U.S. Senate election, Ashjian received three percent in a survey from Public Policy Polling
. Harry Reid won the race, and was reelected to the U.S. Senate.
Tea Party of Nevada
The Tea Party of Nevada is a minor political party in Nevada. It fielded Scott Ashjian in the United States Senate election in Nevada, 2010.-Organization:...
in the race for United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in the 2010 Nevada general election
United States Senate election in Nevada, 2010
-Tarkanian:-Angle:-Polling:Includes current candidates who have polled at least 2% in at least one poll.-Results:-Candidates:*Harry Reid , incumbent U.S...
. Ashjian was born in Fresno, California
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
; the oldest of eight children. After graduating from South Lake Tahoe High School in 1982, he started his own auto detailing
Auto detailing
Auto detailing , is the performance of an extremely thorough cleaning, polishing and waxing of an automobile, both inside and out, to produce a show-quality level of detail. Besides improving appearance, detailing helps to preserve resale value of a car.Today, the United States may have more than...
company in Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
, and grew it to include locations in Fresno, Bakersfield, and Visalia, California
Visalia, California
Visalia is a Central California city situated in the heart of California’s agricultural San Joaquin Valley, approximately southeast of San Francisco and north of Los Angeles...
. He is a Latter-day Saint
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
, and served on a mission for the LDS Church in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
from 1986 to 1988. Ashjian moved from California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
in 1995. He resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he works as a businessman, paving contractor, and real estate investor
Real estate investor
A real estate investor or a real estate entrepreneur to a lesser extent is someone who actively or passively invests in real estate. An active investor may buy a property, make repairs and/or improvements to the property, and sell it later for a profit. A passive investor might hire a firm to...
, and is owner of an asphalt
Asphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
company. With his wife, Bonnie, he has two sons and one daughter.
Ashjian was a member of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, and voted for the presidential candidacies of Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
, George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
. In 2010, Ashjian and his supporters created the Tea Party of Nevada, whose values espouse small government
Small government
A Small government is one which minimizes its own activities. It is a concept important to classical liberalism and libertarianism.-In Hong Kong:...
, freedom
Free will
"To make my own decisions whether I am successful or not due to uncontrollable forces" -Troy MorrisonA pragmatic definition of free willFree will is the ability of agents to make choices free from certain kinds of constraints. The existence of free will and its exact nature and definition have long...
, liberty
Liberty
Liberty is a moral and political principle, or Right, that identifies the condition in which human beings are able to govern themselves, to behave according to their own free will, and take responsibility for their actions...
, and decreasing the United States public debt
United States public debt
The United States public debt is the money borrowed by the federal government of the United States at any one time through the issue of securities by the Treasury and other federal government agencies...
. Ashjian filed his candidacy papers for the Tea Party, a registered minor party
Minor party
Minor party is a political party that play a smaller role than a major party in a country's politics and elections. The difference between minor and major parties can be so big that the membership total, donations, and the candidates that they are able to produce or attract are very distinct...
in Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, at Carson City on March 2, 2010. Ashjian's U.S. Senate candidacy was challenged in court in April 2010, and Carson City, Nevada
Carson City, Nevada
The Consolidated Municipality of Carson City is the capital of the state of Nevada. The words Consolidated Municipality refer to a series of changes in 1969 which abolished Ormsby County and merged all the settlements contained within its borders into Carson City. Since that time Carson City has...
district judge James Todd Russell ruled that he could stay on the ballot. This decision was appealed, and the Nevada Supreme Court ruled in a unanimous decision on October 6, 2010 that Ashjian would remain on the November 2010 ballot for U.S. Senate.
In media interviews, Ashjian emphasized his values included decreased power of government, and a strict interpretation of the United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
. He identified with the views of politicians including Ronald Reagan, Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
, and Ron Paul
Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...
. His political campaign was run as a grass-roots movement, and he served as his own communications director. He explained his decision to manage a minimalist and inexpensive campaign came from a desire to avoid a disconnect between politics and the people he wished to represent. Ashjian asserted he was confident his campaign would beat opponents from the two major political parties, Democrat Harry Reid
Harry Reid
Harry Mason Reid is the senior United States Senator from Nevada, serving since 1987. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been the Senate Majority Leader since January 2007, having previously served as Minority Leader and Minority and Majority Whip.Previously, Reid was a member of the U.S...
and Republican Sharron Angle
Sharron Angle
Sharron Elaine Angle is an American politician who served as a Republican member of the Nevada Assembly from 1999 to 2007. She ran unsuccessfully as the 2010 Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate seat in Nevada, garnering 45 percent of the vote...
. In October 2010, Ashjian released an audio-tape to the media of a recorded conversation with Angle, in which she asked him to drop out of the U.S. Senate race. Angle told him she did not believe she could beat U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, if Ashjian remained on the ballot. Ashjian said he would stay in the race, and criticized both the major parties as inadequate choices in the election that would further the status quo
Status quo
Statu quo, a commonly used form of the original Latin "statu quo" – literally "the state in which" – is a Latin term meaning the current or existing state of affairs. To maintain the status quo is to keep the things the way they presently are...
. Harry Reid won the 2010 race and was reelected to the U.S. Senate.
Early life and family
Scott Ashjian was born in Fresno, CaliforniaFresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
in 1964; the oldest of eight children. His grandfather, John M. Ashjian, worked in law enforcement
Law enforcement agency
In North American English, a law enforcement agency is a government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws.Outside North America, such organizations are called police services. In North America, some of these services are called police while others have other names In North American...
and was appointed by the Board of County Supervisors of Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
as Chief Probation Officer. Ashjian graduated from South Lake Tahoe High School in 1982, where he was a wrestler. As a teenager, Ashjian gained experience managing businesses. Ashjian started an auto detailing
Auto detailing
Auto detailing , is the performance of an extremely thorough cleaning, polishing and waxing of an automobile, both inside and out, to produce a show-quality level of detail. Besides improving appearance, detailing helps to preserve resale value of a car.Today, the United States may have more than...
company in Bakersfield, California in 1982. He grew this business to include facilities in Fresno, Bakersfield and Visalia, California
Visalia, California
Visalia is a Central California city situated in the heart of California’s agricultural San Joaquin Valley, approximately southeast of San Francisco and north of Los Angeles...
. Ashjian is a Latter-day Saint
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
. He served a mission for the LDS Church in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
from 1986 to 1988. After completing his mission in Argentina, Ashjian returned to California and married his wife, Bonnie. Ashjian moved from California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
in 1995. Ashjian and his wife have two sons and a daughter. His son Brogan served in 2010 on a religious mission in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Ashjian's daughter Bostyn participates in dance competitions, and his son Bronson wrestles in his high school. In 2010, Ashjian resided in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, where he worked as a businessman and paving contractor. Ashjian is a real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
investor, and is the owner of an asphalt
Asphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
company, A&A Asphalt. He is involved with California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
based agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
ventures.
Political career
Prior to his political aspirations for the U.S. Senate, Ashjian was a member of the Republican PartyRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, and voted for the presidential candidacies of Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
, George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
. Ashjian filed his candidacy on March 2, 2010, and became the candidate of the Tea Party of Nevada
Tea Party of Nevada
The Tea Party of Nevada is a minor political party in Nevada. It fielded Scott Ashjian in the United States Senate election in Nevada, 2010.-Organization:...
for United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in the 2010 Nevada general election
United States Senate election in Nevada, 2010
-Tarkanian:-Angle:-Polling:Includes current candidates who have polled at least 2% in at least one poll.-Results:-Candidates:*Harry Reid , incumbent U.S...
. Early polling the week Ashjian filed his candidacy, showed him drawing double-digit support. Ashjian's candidacy is the only one which appears as the "Tea Party" on the November 2010 ballot. It is his first entrance into an election for political office. The Tea Party of Nevada qualified as a minor political party with the Nevada Secretary of State on January 27, 2010. Ashjian's supporters created the party, by successfully filing more than the 250 signatures needed. The Tea Party of Nevada's stated goals include striving to "promote this nation's founding principles of freedom, liberty and a small representative government." The party stated in its preamble
Preamble
A preamble is an introductory and expressionary statement in a document that explains the document's purpose and underlying philosophy. When applied to the opening paragraphs of a statute, it may recite historical facts pertinent to the subject of the statute...
that both major political parties were responsible for a "massive national debt" in the United States, and that the "great conservative majority in America" should not believe that the Democrats and Republicans would support their views. In April 2010, Ashjian faced a legal challenge which attempted to remove his name from the ballot, as he had been a registered Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
shortly before he submitted his candidacy. Carson City, Nevada
Carson City, Nevada
The Consolidated Municipality of Carson City is the capital of the state of Nevada. The words Consolidated Municipality refer to a series of changes in 1969 which abolished Ormsby County and merged all the settlements contained within its borders into Carson City. Since that time Carson City has...
district judge James Todd Russell heard arguments on whether Ashjian could remain on the ballot starting on April 14. Judge Russell ultimately ruled that Ashjian complied with the intent of the law and he could remain on the ballot. The American Independent Party
American Independent Party
The American Independent Party is a right-wing political party of the United States that was established in 1967 by Bill and Eileen Shearer. In 1968, the American Independent Party nominated George C. Wallace as its presidential candidate and retired Air Force General Curtis E. LeMay as the vice...
, which brought the suit against Ashjian, filed an appeal of the case to the Nevada Supreme Court. Ashjian commented on attempts to remove him from the ballot, "They are doing the bidding for the Republican Party. They should welcome the ability of minor parties to field candidates when the two major political parties have failed us so badly." On October 6, 2010, the Nevada Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling that Ashjian's candidacy would remain on the November 2010 ballot.
Describing his political views, Ashjian stated to the Las Vegas Review-Journal
Las Vegas Review-Journal
The Las Vegas Review-Journal is published in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. It is the largest circulating daily newspaper in Nevada, and one of two daily newspapers in Las Vegas . It is the flagship publication of Stephens Media LLC...
that he espouses Tea Party views including limiting the role of government, and a strict interpretation of the United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
. Ashjian aligns himself with the conservative views of politicians Ronald Reagan, Ron Paul
Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...
and Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
. He said in April 2010 that he was "100 percent sure" he would win the election and beat opponents Harry Reid
Harry Reid
Harry Mason Reid is the senior United States Senator from Nevada, serving since 1987. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been the Senate Majority Leader since January 2007, having previously served as Minority Leader and Minority and Majority Whip.Previously, Reid was a member of the U.S...
and Sharron Angle
Sharron Angle
Sharron Elaine Angle is an American politician who served as a Republican member of the Nevada Assembly from 1999 to 2007. She ran unsuccessfully as the 2010 Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate seat in Nevada, garnering 45 percent of the vote...
in the November 2010 general election, "by a large margin". He explained that he filed to run for U.S. Senate, because individuals in Nevada who identified with Tea Party values had been "duped by the Republican Party". Ashjian noted, "The GOP is trying to co-opt the Tea Party. That is one of the reasons I did what I did. I don't see a difference between Democrats and Republicans." Ashjian stated he did not think Sharron Angle would be able to win the U.S. Senate race against Harry Reid, and stated "Republican attack committees are running the (national) Tea Party show." In May 2010 Ashjian asserted to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, "I will pick up a large percentage of votes on both sides (Republican and Democrat) and those in the middle."
Ashjian's political campaign was structured as a grass-roots movement. The candidate served as his own communications director, and relied on his family and friends for assistance. His campaign website contained the declaration, "I am running because I love my country and Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama are ruining it. It is time to take our country back and I am asking you to join me in this fight." Ashjian stated in an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, "I'm a frustrated patriot. I'm not a politician. I'm not savvy with radio and TV. But I believe I can make a change, and that's what I'm here for. I'm here to give people a third choice." When asked to characterize the Tea Party of Nevada, Ashjian responded, "We're not Republican or Democrat. We won't fold into one party or the other. We're a tax-paying party that can make a difference and a party of normal people who want change. Bigger government and higher taxes is not working. Right now we're at a real crossroads to make change, and the bottom line is there's never been so much disdain for politicians." He explained why he chose to run a minimalist campaign, "The political race is for the rich. Why would (politicians) want to spend X millions of dollars on a campaign? It has to be for political gain. That disconnect is why I'm running for office." Ashjian asserted that results for voters would be similar with both major party candidates as opposed to a third option, "I'm here to say there is a choice. If you want to stick to the status quo, pick the Republicans or Democrats, but don't complain. Nobody can do a better job than I can." Regarding overtures from the Republican Party asking Ashjian to acquiesce to the two-party-system, Ashjian said, "By them saying I should fall in line is an insult. I'm not asking for an invitation. I think they should get behind me, not fall in line like sheep. They're so paranoid, it makes me think they have weak candidates and they're afraid. The more they attack, the more they show their hand, and I mean that across party lines. It's not politics as usual. We're running a different campaign, and they're scared to death."
In October 2010, Ashjian released a tape to the media of a recorded conversation he had with Sharron Angle where she asked him to drop out of the race. In the tape, Angle says that she cannot defeat Harry Reid with Ashjian on the ballot. Ashjian commented about the meeting, in an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, "She asked that I support her, and I said, 'Why would I go and do that?'". He stated he would never entertain the notion of dropping out of the race, "She said, 'I can't win without you getting out of the race.' But I said I couldn't. I'm going to beat Harry Reid." He emphasized that he would not drop out of the race, "I call the shots. ... I fought too hard to be on the ballot to get off." Ashjian remarked of the pressure involved in running for office, "I've had personal threats against me and my family. I've had my phone tapped, and I've been followed." He commented that Angle was too close with the Republican Party, and therefore not a true outsider candidate. Ashjian sent a letter to Nevada Secretary of State Ross Miller in October 2010, asking that party abbreviations on ballots be removed.
On October 28, 2010, a second ruling by the Nevada Supreme Court again affirmed Ashjian's ability to stand as a candidate in the 2010 Nevada election for U.S. Senate. In the case, the office of the Secretary of State of Nevada had asserted that the effort to appeal the case to the Nevada Supreme Court was without merit, because voters had already received absentee ballots and a removal of the candidate's entry would have the impact of therefore disenfranchising voters. In its unanimous decision, the Nevada Supreme Court ruled, "(The) appellant's unexplained delay in prosecuting this appeal militates against disrupting the election process, which is already underway." One day before the U.S. Senate election, Ashjian received three percent in a survey from Public Policy Polling
Public Policy Polling
Public Policy Polling is an American Democratic Party-affiliated polling firm based in Raleigh, North Carolina. PPP was founded in 2001 by businessman and Democratic pollster Dean Debnam, the firm's current president and chief executive officer...
. Harry Reid won the race, and was reelected to the U.S. Senate.
See also
- Opinion polling for the 2010 United States Senate elections, Nevada
- List of Tea Party protests, 2010
- Tea Party ExpressTea Party ExpressThe Tea Party Express is a California-based group founded in the summer of 2009 to support the Tea Party movement. Founded as a national bus tour to rally Tea Party activists, the group's leadership also endorses and promotes conservative candidates running for state and federal offices...
- Tea Party movementTea Party movementThe Tea Party movement is an American populist political movement that is generally recognized as conservative and libertarian, and has sponsored protests and supported political candidates since 2009...
- Tea Party NationTea Party NationTea Party Nation Corporation is a Conservative American political organization considered part of the tea party movement. Their official website describes them as "group of like-minded people who desire our God given Individual Freedoms which were written out by the Founding Fathers...
- Tea Party PatriotsTea Party PatriotsTea Party Patriots is an American political organization that promotes "fiscally responsible" activism as part of the Tea Party movement. It claims to have over 1,000 local chapters...
- Tea Party protests
- United States Senate election in Nevada, 2010United States Senate election in Nevada, 2010-Tarkanian:-Angle:-Polling:Includes current candidates who have polled at least 2% in at least one poll.-Results:-Candidates:*Harry Reid , incumbent U.S...
External links
- Scott Ashjian for the U.S. Senate, official website
- Scott Ashjian, at Project Vote SmartProject Vote SmartProject Vote Smart is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States...
- Constitution and Bylaws of the Tea Party of Nevada, Office of the Nevada Secretary of State. Retrieved July 29, 2010.