Del Papa: No truth to rumors about her quitting

Tuesday, Aug. 3, 1999 | 11:05 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa says she's still in the race for the Senate, despite a flurry of rumors she is considering withdrawing.

"Nothing has changed," she said Monday when asked if she might pull out as the front-running Democratic candidate.

The attorney general met last week in Reno with officials of the Communications Workers Union about her candidacy. And things may not have gone well. She concedes she told union representatives that if they could find a better candidate, they were welcome to try.

But she said Monday she expected the support of the communications workers. She speculated that reports of that meeting reached Washington, D.C. And in second- and third-hand recounting of the meeting, the rumors may have been started that she is considering backing down.

"I'm surprised so much attention is being focused on this," Del Papa said.

But her past record helps fuel this speculation. She applied to be considered as chancellor of the University and Community College System of Nevada and then pulled out. She formed an exploratory committee for governor last year and than decided instead to seek a third term as attorney general.

Del Papa concedes there have been frustrating moments in the fledgling campaign so far. She badly trails Republican front-runner John Ensign in raising money.

In her report filed Friday, she listed $252,000 in receipts with about 20 percent coming from casinos, which are among the largest contributors in the state to political campaigns. Ensign reported $1.1 million so far with about 35 percent being collected from the gaming industry.

She said Monday she doesn't know if she will receive the support of the Culinary Union in Southern Nevada, the largest labor group in the state.

Danny Thompson, executive secretary-treasurer of the Nevada AFL-CIO, said he heard reports about the Del Papa meeting with the communications workers. But he said he talked with communication union representatives and they are supporting Del Papa. "They liked her answers to their questions," Thompson said.

Thompson said the political action committee of the AFL-CIO will meet early next year to make its endorsement. In the last election, it backed Republican Scott Scherer in his unsuccessful bid against Del Papa for attorney general.

Thompson said, however, that Del Papa "is making a lot of ground with a lot of our affiliates."

Del Papa, when she entered the race, trailed Ensign in one political poll by 45 percent.