Thursday, April 30, 1998 | 10:09 a.m.
District Judge Don Chairez is on the verge of ending months of speculation about his future by announcing next week that he will be running for Congress.
Chairez, however, left open a crack in the door that would let him choose another path although he admitted "the ground work is in place to do this (Congressional) thing."
"If everything falls into place, I'm prepared to announce next week and prepared to leave my judgship," he said. Nevada's Cannons of Ethics requires that judges resign upon making an announcement about their candidacy for a non-judicial office.
Chairez is a Republican, having switched parties late last year -- a move that launched speculation he would leave the judiciary and seek the seat being vacated by Rep. John Ensign, R-Nev., who is seeking to unseat Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.
Although Chairez's main Democratic challenger -- University Regent Shelly Berkley -- has been fund-raising and campaigning for months, the judge said he doesn't believe he is in a hole.
In fact, Chairez flashed a poll showing he is 8-9 percentage points in the lead, although he discounts the poll as showing anything other than name recognition.
"We haven't begun to campaign yet," he said. "I believe the voters are not paying attention at this point."
Chairez said he doesn't expect party affiliation -- or his last-minute party hopping -- to be an issue in the campaign.
"It boils down to ideas and leadership ability ... and who runs a better campaign," he said, describing himself as a "Richard Lugar moderate" who will appeal to moderates and conservatives in both parties.
The party switching, he said, will be an issue with only 7 percent of Democrats and "those were not people who would support me anyway."
While he vowed he would run an issue-oriented campaign free of the negative advertisements that have been the norm in recent elections, he couldn't help labeling Berkley as a big government, big tax Democrat who has been talking lately about less government and lower taxes.
"It sounds like she is joining the Republican Party, too," the judge said.
Chairez said he is confident he will be able to raise as much money as his opponent. He said his total war chest could reach between $1 million and $2 million although he feels he can run "a Cadillac campaign" on $720,000.
He already has hired a campaign manager -- Californian Carlos Rodriguez, who ran Mary Bono's recent special election to replace her husband, Sonny Bono, in Congress. Bob Dole's pollster Tony Fabrizio also is on the payroll.
Chairez said a trip last week to Washington, D.C., resulted in promises of support from 25 Republican congressmen and commitments from 10 or 15 to come to Las Vegas. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich already has planned a trip next month to recruit Hispanic Republicans.
Chairez said the congressional job became his prime focus rather than a run for the Nevada Supreme Court because Ensign's departure left the seat without an incumbent.
"An open congressional seat doesn't come along that often. If I don't go now, I fear there won't be another chance," he said. "You have to ask yourself where can you do the greater service for the state, in the Supreme Court or Congress?"
But he said it is difficult to leave the judicial position he has held since being appointed by Gov. Bob Miller in 1994.
"The courts are the last place people go to protect their rights," he said. "On the bench I feel I've made a difference in people's lives.
"I've been accused of judicial activism but I've just stood up and done what was right."
Chairez explained that one of the things delaying his decision about his political future was the pending trial of Jeremy Strohmeyer on charges he murdered a 7-year-old California girl in a casino restroom in Primm, 45 miles southwest of Las Vegas.
That trial had been scheduled for April 20 and had it stayed on schedule Chairez said he felt an obligation to preside over it. But the trial has been postponed until August and that will give another judge time to get up to speed on the case, he said.
If elected to Congress, Chairez said he would focus on preventing federal intervention into the state's gaming interests, ensuring an expanded flow of water into Southern Nevada and securing funds to widen Interstate 15 from Southern California to Las Vegas.
He added that he would join with Nevada's other leaders to continue the fight against the nuclear waste dump at Yucca Mountain.
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