Turn Tahoe Blue - What? Why? Who? How?

For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated by politics. I have read about it in the paper, watched it on TV and recently interacted in the blogosphere. That said I have very seldomly become active myself.

Ten years ago I was an exchange student at George Whittell High School in Zephyr Cove, on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. Back then the Governor of Nevada, Bob Miller, as well as both Senators representing Nevada in the U.S. Congress, Harry Reid and Richard Bryant, were Democrats. Today there is only Harry Reid.

In California the situation is similar to ten years ago. The state is still represented in Congress by Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer and the Governor's office is again occupied by a Republican. Ten years ago it was Pete Wilson, today it's Arnold Schwarzenegger. There are Governor's races in both California and Nevada this year, with Nevada being an open seat. Also Republican Senator John Ensign, who won Richard Bryant's seat in 2000, is up for re-election and has a very good challenger in Jack Carter, son of former President Jimmy Carter.

In somewhat of a coincidence for the first time in years it could be possible that both the California and the Nevada site of Tahoe could see Democrats representing them in the House of Representatives after the midterms. Republican Jim Gibbons is retiring in the 2nd Congressional District of Nevada to run for Governor. Recent polls have shown that Democrat and Nevada native Jill Derby has a chance to win this seat. In California's 4th Congressional District incumbent Republican John Doolittle has viable competition both from within his own party and from Democratic candidates due to his ties to indicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

This site is trying to gear attention towards these and other very important political races and trying to help elect Democrats in the Lake Tahoe area. I will first focus on federal and state wide races and later also turn to local races. Since I am not a U.S. citizen and I do not live in the United States I won't be able to contribute to the efforts of Democrats in the Lake Tahoe area running for office this year. All I have is my laptop and this blog and I will do my best to Turn Tahoe Blue this election year.