Kenny Guinn becomes first GOP governor in 16 years

Robert Macy

Tuesday, Nov. 3, 1998 | 10:26 a.m.

LAS VEGAS - Kenny Guinn became Nevada's first Republican governor in 16 years Tuesday night, sweeping past Jan Jones in a costly, caustic campaign.

With 77 percent of the vote counted, Guinn had 188,786 votes, or 51 percent, to Jones' 158,044 votes, or 43 percent.

"I've never run an election campaign before, as opposed to my opponent who had run four races in less than seven years" Guinn told The Associated Press after returning here from Reno late Tuesday night. "I had to start at the grass roots level.

"You know you can build a reputation on television, but you can also have that reputation torn down on television. You have to hold on to the strength of your reputation."

Guinn said Nevada faced numerous problems in the coming year, from lower-than-projected revenues to the passage of Proposition 5, which would expand Indian casino gambling in California.

"It will have a direct negative impact on our revenue stream," Guinn said of the California initiative, which won voter approval.

Guinn, the casino industry's chosen candidate, watched a 15-point lead in the polls evaporate in the multimillion-dollar battle between two Las Vegans.

Pickup at dash