Thursday, April 30, 1998 | 10:09 a.m.
Democrat Shelley Berkley chose the campus of UNLV, where she once was elected student body president, to formally announce her candidacy Wednesday for the District 1 congressional seat.
Rep. John Ensign, R-Nev., is giving up that position in the House of Representatives to challenge incumbent democratic Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.
"Nevada needs a strong voice in the House -- a partner with Sen. Reid and Sen. (Richard) Bryan (D-Nev.)," said Berkley, standing on a platform shared by a gathering of family, friends and political allies at Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall.
Reid and Bryan, in a written statement, expressed their support for Berkley.
Gov. Bob Miller introduced Berkley to the enthusiastic crowd of supporters who attended the noon announcement ceremony at which the candidate vowed to fight against Nevada becoming a nuclear waste dump and for better education, lower taxes and smaller government, among other things.
"For me, there could be no greater challenge -- and no greater honor -- than to be our community's advocate in Washington," said Berkley, a university system regent since 1990 and a member of the state assembly 1982-1984.
Berkley, who has a long history of community service, worked her way through UNLV and law school at a variety of jobs, including cocktail waitress and keno runner.
"During those years I learned a lot about scraping by," said the mother of two sons. "I know what it's like to worry whether your pay check is going to stretch to the next one, whether you can pay all the bills and still have something left over. And I know what it's like to be laid off."
She said she wants to ensure the state has plenty of good jobs that will help newcomers put down roots; to keep the environment clean; and to protect Social Security and Medicare so the elderly will have a secure retirement.
Berkley also sees responsibility to military veterans, elderly and child abuse and health care as major issues facing Congress.
"Medical decisions should be made by patients and their doctors, not bureaucrats and clerks," she said.
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