Gibbons and Wilson to battle for Vucanovich’s seat

Tuesday, Sept. 3, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Former Republican Assemblyman Jim Gibbons and former Democratic state Sen. Thomas "Spike" Wilson won their party nominations to succeed retiring Rep. Barbara Vucanovich in the 2nd Congressional District.

Gibbons, an airline pilot from Reno, defeated six other challengers, including Vucanovich's daughter, Patty Cafferata, and former Secretary of State Cheryl Lau.

Wilson, absent from politics for 10 years, staged a successful return, beating two other challengers, including former prostitute Jessi Winchester. He got the big names of the Democratic Party to support him, including U.S. Sens. Harry Reid and Dick Bryan and Gov. Bob Miller, even though he entered the race on the last day.

"This is encouraging," Wilson said. "We got in late and had to play catchup without a great deal of money."

Gibbons, 53, said there are "tremendous differences between the two of us," referring to Wilson, 61, a Reno lawyer. "I'm for less government and I'm for tax restraint. I'm not sure where Spike is in that camp (tax restraint)."

Wilson said the big issues will be the support of education, student loans, protection of the environment, health care, preserving Social Security and reducing the deficit.

Wilson said, "I'm not in favor of raising taxes." Asked if he voted for the Gibbons tax restraint constitutional amendment two years ago, Wilson said, "I think I probably did."

The tax restraint measure would require a two-thirds majority in the Legislature and local governments before any tax can be imposed or raised. Former Sen. Bob Dole, the GOP presidential nominee, said if elected he would push legislation that would require a 60 percent margin in Congress before taxes are increased.

Gibbons was the target of heavy criticism in the closing days of the election from Lau, 52, and Cafferata, 55, on taxes. They focused their advertisements on Gibbon's votes in the Legislature for taxes and for voting twice to increase legislative pensions.

Gibbons answered that he had voted against more than $300 million in tax proposals during this three sessions in the Assembly. And his victory, he said, shows the voters don't want negative campaigns. "We intend to stay focused on being positive," Gibbons said.

Wilson, asked if he would hit Gibbons on his past tax votes, said his campaign will be about the future. He said he wants a broad discussion on public policy "rather than reducing the campaign to 15-second sound bites and commercials."

Winchester, 53, who worked as a prostitute for five years in brothels in Storey and Lyon counties, refused to concede early in the evening, despite trailing Wilson 60-23 percent. "The cows haven't come in yet," she said, referring to rural Nevada where she felt her strength was.

But she said her seven-month campaign got her "past the brothel image." She said toward the end of the race, nobody was asking her questions about prostitution and were zeroing on the big issues.

Running third in the Democratic race was Mike Martin, 26, a security officer at a Reno casino who did little campaigning.

Gibbons said he wants to "touch base" with Cafferata and Lau. "I want to hear their ideas and together we can keep this seat Republican."

Since the district was created, the post has been occupied for seven terms by Vucanovich but her personal popularity could not carry the day for her daughter.

With 64 percent of the 767 precincts counted, Gibbons had 43 percent; Cafferata 25 percent; Lau, 24 percent; Pat McMillan 2 percent; Mike Schaefer and Bob Edwards, 1 percent each; and Hilary Milko, 0 percent. Treasurer Bob Seale, who dropped out of the race, had 4 percent.

Cafferata campaigned on her experience as a district attorney in Lincoln and Lander counties, stressing a tough-on-crime approach, opposition to tax increases and opposition to abortion.

Lau, who entered the race on the final day, spent the last 18 months in Washington, D.C., as counsel to the House of Representatives. She said she supposed the "Contract with America" of the GOP and pictured herself with Speaker Newt Gingrich.

On the Democratic side, Wilson gathered 60 percent, Winchester 23 percent and Martin 17 percent.

The Gibbons-Wilson race contains a number of variables. Latest registration figures show Republicans have a 40,000-voter registration lead over Democrats.

Wilson has never been in an election outside of Washoe and tiny Storey counties, while Gibbons has run unsuccessfully for governor.

Both are pro-choice on abortion.