Jeff German: Kincaid takes early lead in race to succeed Bingham

Thursday, March 21, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

AN EARLY GAMING industry poll gives North Las Vegas City Councilwoman Mary Kincaid a slight edge in the race to succeed County Commissioner Jay Bingham.

But with the election still months away, the results are somewhat skewed because a large number of voters still haven't made up their minds.

The telephone survey of 300 registered voters, conducted by a national pollster, was completed earlier this month. It has a 4 percent margin of error.

If the race were held today, according to the poll, Kincaid would best her two Democratic opponents, North Las Vegas Mayor James Seastrand and ex-Las Vegas Assemblyman Val Garner.

Kincaid drew 24 percent of those polled to 17 percent for Seastrand and 6 percent for Garner. But the majority surveyed, 53 percent, had not decided.

Kincaid and Seastrand bested their Republican opponent, former North Las Vegas Municipal Judge Gary Davis.

In a one-on-one race, 32 percent of those polled chose Kincaid over 29 percent for Davis. Another 39 percent were undecided.

Seastrand also bested Davis by a margin of 33 to 30 percent, with 38 percent not making up their minds.

Davis, the poll shows, was ahead of Garner by a 31-26 percent margin. Another 43 percent were undecided.

The survey also tested some key issues in the race likely to affect voter opinion of the four candidates.

In Kincaid's case, for example, those surveyed were asked how they would vote if they knew that she had promised not to run for the County Commission in mid-term.

A total of 42 percent indicated they were either less likely to vote for Kincaid or would definitely vote against her.

When told the Nevada Judicial Discipline Commission had removed Davis from the bench for misconduct, 57 percent said they were less likely or wouldn't vote for the former judge.

In Garner's case, the poll showed the 300 percent pension hike lawmakers voted for themselves in 1989 still weighs heavy on the minds of voters.

A total of 76 percent of those surveyed said they were less likely or wouldn't vote for Garner knowing he voted for the pension grab.

Seastrand appears to get off the lightest when his most recognizable negative is mentioned in the survey.

Only 21 percent of those polled said they were less likely or wouldn't vote for Seastrand knowing he has served as mayor of North Las Vegas for the past 16 years.

The largest block, 50 percent, said Seastrand's lengthy term in office would have no effect on their vote.

Stay tuned as more poll results surface.

* The tabloids already have gotten a hold of the story, which isn't good news for flamboyant boxing promoter Don King.

Rudy Gonzalez -- the former bodyguard and limousine driver for Mike Tyson who wrote a tell-all book about King's hold over the champ -- has filed a police report alleging that two of King's men threatened his life in an elevator at McCarran International Airport on March 11.

According to the report, Gonzalez says the two men, Anthony Pitts and Michael Faligan, grabbed him, pointed a .45-caliber handgun to his head and said, "You're a dead man."

The suspects then allegedly told Gonzalez the message was coming from King.

The report says Metro officers talked to Faligan, who admitted confronting Gonzalez in the elevator, but denied threatening his life.

Gonzalez has previously indicated he received threats after writing the Tyson book, which was published last year.