Second Berkley-Chairez debate shows candidates’ similarities

Martin Kuz

Monday, Oct. 19, 1998 | 11:37 a.m.

For two opponents who have turned mudslinging into performance art, Democrat Shelley Berkley and Republican Don Chairez can appear downright agreeable when discussing issues.

Their similarities on matters of substance crystallized Friday night during the second -- and last -- televised debate between the candidates vying for the District 1 congressional seat being vacated by Rep. John Ensign, who is challenging Sen. Harry Reid.

Both Berkley and Chairez said they oppose the storing of nuclear waste in Nevada and federal regulation of gaming. Each vowed to secure more federal funding for the state's schools and preserve Medicare coverage for the elderly. Chairez said he favors a national flat tax, a proposal Berkley said she would consider if elected.

Their agreement on several of this election year's major issues may help explain why Berkley and Chairez, as they have since the Sept. 1 primary, once again turned to character and their respective public-service resumes in an effort to define their differences.

Near the conclusion of Friday's half-hour debate broadcast on KLVX Channel 10, the candidates were allowed to lob questions at one another. Berkley asked Chairez why he twice has switched political parties, including in the mid-1980s when he sought congressional office in California and later when he moved to Nevada.

Chairez responded that he joined the Republicans when he became convinced that Democrats "have been lying to the American people."

The former prosecutor then asked Berkley why she voted on 18 occasions to raise assorted taxes and fees while she was a Nevada assemblywoman in 1982-84. She replied that in almost every instance, the measures passed by a unanimous or nearly unanimous margin, an indication of bipartisan support.

Tensions rose slightly when Chairez, whose two daughters attend public school, inquired why the younger of Berkley's two sons is enrolled in private school. She called his question an "insult to the people of Nevada" and chastised him for bringing her children into the campaign.

In expounding on their differences after the debate, Chairez cited ethics while Berkley touted her political experience.

"For me, the most important issue is trust and the willingness to tell the truth," said Chairez, who during the debate alluded to remarks Berkley made last year in which she suggested that money buys political favors. "My question is: Can you trust her?"

Berkley, a university regent, said her time in the Nevada Legislature gives her the edge over her Republican opponent.

"I've been in the legislative arena and I know how these things work. Consequently, I'll hit the ground running," she said.