Columnist Jeff German: Demo boss says Clinton coattails to help party regain House

Thursday, Sept. 12, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL Committee Chairman Don Fowler expects his party to recapture the House this year with the help of President Clinton's coattails.

The president's popularity also could catapult Democratic candidates into office in two hotly contested Nevada congressional races, Fowler said Wednesday in Las Vegas.

He suggested that a 10-point victory for Clinton, now ahead of Republican challenger Bob Dole by as many as 20 points, could mean a 2- to 3-point lift for Democrats Bob Coffin and Spike Wilson, both highly touted by the national Democratic Party.

Some believe it could be the difference in the race.

Coffin released a poll this week that shows him three points ahead of Rep. John Ensign, R-Nev., in the 1st Congressional District. Ensign indicated a recent casino industry survey puts him 14 points in front of the Democratic challenger.

Wilson, a former state senator from Reno, is a dream candidate for the Democrats in the 2nd Congressional District held the past 14 years by retiring Rep. Barbara Vucanovich, R-Nev.

In a district with 40,000 more Republican voters, Wilson seems to appeal to members of both parties.

He's also playing well to the gaming industry, which is lining up behind him, as he squares off with Jim Gibbons, a former Republican assemblyman from Reno.

Several casino bigwigs bought tickets to a $1,000-a-couple fund-raiser Wednesday night for Wilson at the Spanish Trails home of gaming lawyer Frank Schreck. Key Ensign backers Dr. Elias Ghanem and Circus Circus Vice President Mike Sloan co-hosted the event with Schreck.

Mirage Resorts Chairman Steve Wynn and Harrah's Entertainment chief Phil Satre also are considering a fund-raiser for Wilson later this month.

Fowler, the guest of honor at Wednesday's reception, likes Wilson's chances.

The party boss also is high on Coffin, who's fighting an uphill battle raising campaign funds in his bid to unseat Ensign.

So far, Ensign has $700,000 in the bank to Coffin's $70,000.

Fowler said Coffin, getting strong labor and party support, doesn't need to match Ensign dollar for dollar.

"He has to have enough money to be competitive," said Fowler, who points out that Democrats have a 33,000-plus voter registration edge in the 1st Congressional District.

Fowler suggested Coffin needs $200,000 to out-duel Ensign.

A large chunk will come from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in Washington, which has made the race a priority, Fowler said.

While Coffin may benefit from the president's coattails, Fowler explained, Ensign could be harmed by his identification with House Speaker Newt Gingrich, portrayed by Democrats as an extremist on Capitol Hill.

Fowler insisted GOP programs that have led to cuts in health care, education and school lunches are "out of step" with the voters.

"That's just dumb politics," Fowler said, adding he believes the majority of Nevadans "don't appreciate" the Republican way of doing things.

But Dan Burdish, executive director of the Nevada Republican Party, disagreed.

"If the Republican members of Congress are extreme, then the American populous is extreme," Burdish said. "If you look at (Gingrich's) Contract with America, it still has a 75 percent-plus approval rating.

"Everything we did -- the balanced budget, the line-item veto -- has been popular with the electorate."

Burdish also believes Ensign will prevail in November.

"He has the confidence of the voters," Burdish said. "He's well liked for what he's doing."

As for any coattail effect from the president, Burdish discounts that, too.

Republicans expect the presidential race to narrow in the next seven weeks.

"It's just a matter of getting out the troops," Burdish explained. "We need to counter the lies that have been said."

Fowler, however, subscribes to the theory that the "lies" are coming from the Republicans.