Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki said Thursday he will seek a second term rather than challenge Harry Reid for the U.S. Senate.
With Nevada's need for economic diversification and rebuilding of the tourism industry, he said he can best serve the state as lieutenant governor, the position which heads those two state commissions. Krolicki pointed to the efforts to attract green energy companies and the modernize the state's power transmission system.
"Running for re-election as lieutenant governor is the most important thing I can do," he said in a telephone press conference.
He said a key factor was his late entry into the campaign, well after more than a dozen other Republicans put their name in to challenge Reid.
"A whole bunch of arrows needed to be pointed in the same direction at the same time if I were to move forward in the Senate race, which I officially call the Republican scrum," he said referring to the seemingly disorganized clash of bodies during play in a rugby game.
Krolicki said that, by the time an indictment charging he misused state money was dismissed by a Las Vegas judge, the team he has relied on in his past three political races was committed to other candidates.
"I believe I could have raised the seven figures needed to wage a vigorous campaign," he said.
Reno councilwoman Jessica Sferrazza, a Democrat and the other announced candidate for lieutenant governor, said his decision won't have any impact on her campaign.
"I stack my record of achievement against anyone else in this race," she said. "I have a proven track record of getting things done for my constituents."
Krolicki said he wouldn't endorse any of the GOP challengers at this point but that, "there are several candidates who can help Harry Reid to his retirement."
He named former GOP state chairman Sue Lowden, Danny Tarkanian and John Chachas as examples as well as Carson City state Sen. Mark Amodei.
Reid campaign manager Brandon Hall issued a statement saying Krolicki's decision leaves the Republicans "scrambling" to reaffirm their support for candidates they undercut by trying to recruit Krolicki.
He thanked Krolicki for highlighting the importance of clean energy transportation line made possible by a provision Reid inserted in the stimulus act.