Hunt, McKinney-James prepare for November

Wednesday, Sept. 2, 1998 | 1:52 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Clark County Commissioner Lorraine Hunt and Rose McKinney-James have 63 days to persuade voters of their individual qualifications for lieutenant governor.

Hunt easily captured the GOP nomination for lieutenant governor in a field of nine Tuesday.

And McKinney-James, seeking to be the first black person elected to a statewide office, rolled over two fellow Democrats for her party's nomination for the post that heads the tourism and the economic development commissions of the state.

Hunt, completing her first term as a county commissioner, said that because there's a proliferation of gaming among states, "We have to be aggressive in economic diversification."

Hunt says she would try to expand the international market for tourism by promoting more flights into Las Vegas. Her seven years on the state Tourism Commission gives her a leg up in promoting Nevada, she says.

There's great promise in the telecommunications industry, she says, adding that she would like to help expand that to Nevada. She said she would also like to see Las Vegas and Reno become international distribution centers in foreign trade.

McKinney-James, president and chief executive officer for the Corporation for Solar Technology and Renewable Resources, said, "Nevada is faced with a number of threats to the stability of its economy but there are tremendous opportunities." She supports Gov. Bob Miller's efforts to open additional international tourism markets.

On economic development, she favors attracting manufacturing and light industry. "One thing we must do is work with our universities and community colleges to ensure the work force is there to support these new industries," she said.

Her background in government in the city of Las Vegas and at the state, she said, has given her a keen understanding of the way business works and the know-how to develop projects.

Hunt, owner of the Bootlegger Restaurant in Las Vegas, raised $462,000 for the primary. She said she will probably have to collect another $300,000 for the general election.

McKinney-James, former director of the state Department of Business and Industry, raised $154,062 for the primary. She estimates she will need $300,000 more for the general election.

Joining the race in the general election are Independent American Daniel Hansen of Sparks and Libertarian Karen Savage of Incline Village.

Hunt defeated her closest rival, Dr. F. Fuller Royal of Las Vegas, in the primary election by 40 percent. Others outdistanced were Jessi Winchester of Virginia City, Ron West of Las Vegas, Michael and Mary Ann Amador of Las Vegas, Ann Demers of Sparks, Alan DiCicco of Henderson, and Stanleigh Lusak of Fallon.

McKinney-James easily triumphed over Ian Hirsch of Las Vegas and William Montgomery of Reno.