Hammargren thinking about run for governor

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Tuesday, April 7, 1998 | 10 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The growing dogfight between Kenny Guinn and Aaron Russo for the Republican nomination for governor has prompted Lt. Gov. Lonnie Hammargren to take another look at the gubernatorial race.

"I was strongly leaning to the congressional race," Hammargren said today. But now he says there is a 50-50 chance he will run for governor.

After the melee at the Clark County Republican convention between the forces of Russo and Guinn, Hammargren said people from across the state have been calling him, urging him to run for governor.

"Neither candidate looked gubernatorial," at the convention in Las Vegas, he said. But the first-term lieutenant governor says he won't make any announcement before the state GOP Convention, which begins April 23 in Las Vegas.

Several months ago, Hammargren said he was strongly leaning toward running for Congress to succeed Rep. John Ensign, R-Las Vegas, in District 1, which includes the core of Las Vegas and Henderson.

Asked if he could beat Guinn, considered the front-runner for the nomination, Hammargren replied, "My gut feeling says I can."