Costly U.S. Senate race tops Nevada ballot

Martin Griffith

Monday, Nov. 2, 1998 | 9:04 a.m.

RENO, Nev. - Candidates mounted an 11th-hour push for votes today as Nevadans prepared to decide tight races for the U.S. Senate, U.S. House and governor.

The race for U.S. senator between incumbent Democrat Harry Reid and Rep. John Ensign, R-Nev., tops a long ballot Tuesday and will help shape the direction of the next Congress.

Their $7 million-plus race is the most expensive in Nevada history and is regarded as one of seven seriously competitive U.S. Senate races across the country.

Reid has been touting his seniority and Ensign his status as a member of the majority party in Congress. The two have been going after each other's jugulars in television ads.

The races for governor between Republican Kenny Guinn and Democrat Jan Jones, and for House District 1 between Democrat Shelley Berkley and Republican Don Chairez, also were too close to call.

All three races were in dead heats in the waning days of the campaign, according to the latest statewide polls by the Las Vegas Review-Journal and KTNV-TV.

Guinn and Jones were polite during four debates, but have attacked each other in television ads. Berkley and Chairez also have blasted one another.

Nine other statewide races, from lieutenant governor to Supreme Court justice, also are on the ballot, and both major parties are fighting for control of the Legislature in local Senate and Assembly contests.

Voters also will decide the fate of 10 statewide ballot measures, including ones concerning medical marijuana, shorter legislative sessions and term limits for congressional members.

Secretary of State Dean Heller predicts that 58-62 percent of Nevada's 897,865 registered voters will go to the polls because of high interest and quality candidates.

He said his projection is average for an off-presidential year. In presidential years, the turnout is in the 80 percent range.

Both Democrats and Republicans are working hard to get voters to the polls, because of the number of races in which turnout could be the key.

Nevada State Democratic Party Chairman Paul Henry said Sunday that his party will monitor polling places Tuesday in an effort to prevent voter intimidation.

He said his party is concerned about such tactics as warning that immigration documents are required to vote or maintaining large number of poll watchers in minority communities.

Voters on Tuesday also will choose city and county leaders, and decide various local bond issues.