* The 2016 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best “Do-Gooder” Lobbyist goes to Emily Miller…

I just don’t know how you can not nominate Emily Miller. She’s dedicated to one thing and one thing only - doing what’s right for those without a voice. Though we don’t have a budget, she effectively went toe-to-toe with the Governor’s office and won every media contest. She called the gov out every time the office issued some bogus proclamation (after they proposed gutting funding for the very program the gov touted, of course) and was the engine behind the RBC. Class act and in it for all the right reasons.

Honorable mention to Jack Darin of the Sierra Club.

* The 2016 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Contract Lobbyist goes to Liz Brown Reeves…

Let’s face it, LBR is among the most aggressive advocates under the dome. She works a roll call like no one else and she has incredible energy. She can open virtually any door at the Capitol and operates well without being one of the “anointed” former staffers.

As a businesswoman, she’s among the most savvy…leaving the House some years ago, investing her time and interest in the Senate and the GOP, knowing that resting her hat in one caucus is a risky approach.

Liz has forged relationships with labor and business alike and often does a lot of pro-bono work for not-for-profits. If there’s anyone to credit for getting the rank-and-file on board of the recent energy bill, it’s her.

And while she’s not “new,” she’s young and will likely have a legacy of forging the path for a new generation of hired guns.

Lots of you nominated Mike McClain, but he got the Best Insider award today, so I decided to mix it up a bit.

Honorable mention to Dave Sullivan, a past winner.

* The 2016 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best CapitolFax.com commenter goes to Honeybear…

We agree about very little, but I read all of her posts. They are filled to the point of dripping with passion and emotion. At the same time, she is open to learning the views of others. She can be very quick to apologize, demonstrating the emotional concern for others feelings and pride. That might be a great lesson to other commenters who have been here a long time and don’t realize how easy it is to shoo away new people with snide-ness. If you care about this blog; you want new people to come here and participate!

HB is genuine all the time. As I stated in the beginning, we agree on almost nothing, but she always warrants my attention because she’s earned my respect with not just saying things, but also getting out and doing things. She has shared, without saying so, that even a losing effort can be a worthy one when you believe in it. We absolutely agree on that fundamental belief.

That comment was written by “A Guy,” who has had more than a couple dustups with Wordslinger and Oswego Willy over the years. But both of those commenters also nominated Honeybear, so I’ll let “A Guy” speak to that shocker…

I just got back and am so pleased to see so many people bleeding for the “Queen of bleeding Hearts”, Ms. Honey Bear!

If OW, Sling and I agree on anything, ever!!! This almost has to be called a Technical Knock Out and just end it here.

Why…it’s a Christmas Miracle! Merry Christmas to all of you! Wishing you the Happiest of all of the Holidays you celebrate. Hope a couple of you get a small dusting of coal dust, among a large dose of goodness-lol.

I also say thanks to Rich. It’s a lively place.

And, for that A Guy gets honorable mention.