A deep recession, a restless, angry public and deep political divisions have set the table for a political season like few we've seen before.

Filings for office in Nevada closed Friday completing the cast in a number of races. None will get the attention afforded to the U-S Senate race where Senator Harry Reid is in the fght of his life.

Reid has often faced tight races in his career. He's won most.
Now, however, he's the national face of his party, at least in the Senate--a precarious position for someone from a swing state.

It's also a year when history dictates the political winds are shifting away from the party in power. The parallels to North Dakota's Tom Daschle are often stated. We all know what happened to him.

That he has a target on his back is no surprise, but the size of the army of pretenders is.

There are no less than 24 candidates, counting Reid, in this race. Thirteen Republicans, 5 Democrats, 4 Independents, one Independent American and one Tea Party candidate.

Call it a rugby scrum or a cavalry charge. We've never seen anything quite like this before. Former state archivist Guy Rocha says the only parallel was the 30 candidate field for seats on the state Board of Education in 1970 and that was a non-partisan race, the top seven vote getters being elected.

There's one other wild card. We're going to have a first ever June primary. Low turnout a distintive possibility So things could get very interesting among those 13 Republicans.

Former state senator Sue Lowden is the assumed front runner in the national party's view and she's acting like it. Some even say Senator Reid is acting like it. His campaign taking a shot at her recently for her record on labor issues. For all her natura advantages, however, Lowden is no shoe in.

Former secretary of state candidate Danny Tarkanian was in early and running hard. Banker John Chachas has money of his own to spend and no one should count out former Assemblywoman Sharron Angle

Angle won't have the money those other three will, but she has enough to start running ads next week and she has a dedicated following, the experience of a congressional run and a tireless campaign work ethic.

With Lowden, Tarkanian, late entries like Assemblymen Chad Christensen and former Assemblyman Garn Mabey divvying up the southern Nevada Republican vote, Angle could surprise, especially in a low turnout primary.

The other statewide race which will hold our interest is the governor's race. The Republican primary pits former Attorney General Brian Sandoval against Governor Gibbons.

Months ago a lot of people would have bet the governor wouldn't seek another term. But he is and guess what, he thinks he can win..

Much of the establishment has lined up behind Sandoval, but the governor showed some leadership during the special session. There may be some argument whether he's kept his "no new taxes" pledge, but he will certainly claim he has. And the last polls show him narrowing Sandoval's lead.

Again, the possibilty of a low turnout in that June primary. It's likely more of those folks will be from the arch conservative ranks of the GOP. Could the governor win a chance at re-election?

It's hardly impossible. We'll see shortly if he can raise some campaign cash. That will be an early indicator of his viability.

And the legislative races?

Democrats hold both houses. That's may not change, but it is certain there will be a lot of movement. Longtime lawmakers termed out, assemblymembers running for the Senate.

Longtime State Senator Bill Raggio's name will not be on the ballot, but he will be on many peoples' thoughts anyway.

He has one more legislative session before term limits retire him and some of those assembly members running for senate are of a more conservative makeup.

There's a whispered fear out there that enough new conservatives in the Senate could mount a challenge to his leadership. A sign of the times and the struggle for the soul of the Republican party perhaps, but fighting off challenges from within his own party would be a sad end to a distinguished career and a worrying development for the state at this particular time.

The 2011 session is going to be very challenging--serious budget issues, reapportionment stirring up north-south sentiments and a lot of new faces in both houses.

The state, especially the north, will miss the maturity and reason of lawmakers like Raggio soon enough. Term limits have seen to that. Sailing into the 2010 session with his role diminished makes a train wreck all the more likely.