Ensign may face tough Senate race

Friday, March 28, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

REP. John Ensign, R-Nev., may not have smooth sailing in his own party's primary if he runs next year for the Senate.

Retired publisher Bruce James, a wealthy Republican living at Lake Tahoe, says he's "testing the waters" for a primary challenge and then, if he's successful, a general election race against Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.

James says he has hired Eddie Mahe, who is "probably one of the best Republican strategists" in the country.

James, who moved to Incline Village four years ago from San Francisco, made the rounds this year at the party's Lincoln Day dinners in every Nevada county where the event was held.

He recently sold a law publishing business and reportedly has donated $100,000 to the state Republican Party.

Asked what he thinks about Ensign, James said, "John's a great guy."

But some Republicans who talked privately with James at the Lincoln Day dinners say he refers to Ensign as a "lightweight."

He is also said to have used that term to describe Reid.

Neither Reid nor Ensign has officially declared, but both are raising money.

Governor's race

Speaking of the 1998 election, Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa told a gathering at Lake Tahoe this week that she likely will run for governor.

The SUN already has reported that Del Papa is putting together a exploratory committee to determine whether she can raise enough money to defeat Republican Kenny Guinn, who supposedly has received $2 million in pledges.

The committee, which includes Las Vegas Mayor Jan Laverty Jones, apparently will not have political strategist Scott Craigie as a member.

Craigie, former chief of staff for Gov. Bob Miller and a lobbyist employed by R&R Advertising, has decided not to play a formal role in the campaign, as had been indicated.

Craigie says other R&R executives won't take official roles either, but that doesn't mean they won't become involved behind the scenes.

R&R President Billy Vassiliadis has indicated he would help Guinn.

No stinkin' badges

Because of casino lobbyist Harvey Whittemore's influence at the Legislature, some people refer to him as Governor Harvey.

But he's so recognizable that he doesn't have to wear a badge identifying him as a lobbyist.

Whittemore is one of several lobbyists who've been spotted in the past few days without the required blue name badge.

Lorne Malkiewich, director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau, said he will distribute a memo to lobbyists next week, warning them that they have to wear name tags.

"If someone is persistent in not wearing a name badge, we can revoke their privileges," Malkiewich said.

March madness

Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., toured rural Nevada this month to meet with constituents. One of his stops was Yerington, where he apparently has a political stronghold. In the November election, Gibbons beat Democratic opponent Spike Wilson by more than 2,600 votes in Lyon County.

Things might be different next time around, however, if Gibbons' staff doesn't learn how to spell the names of Nevada towns. On the mailer announcing the meetings, Yerington is spelled with two r's.