Candidates fail to show for county Democrat meeting

Erin Neff

Thursday, Feb. 11, 1999 | 10:58 a.m.

Although Wednesday's meeting of the Clark County Democratic Party was billed as a preview to the upcoming Las Vegas mayoral race, neither of the party's candidates showed to speak.

Mayor Jan Laverty Jones, who was to deliver the keynote speech to fellow Democrats gathered at the Carpenter's Union Hall, backed out, citing an illness in her family, according to county Democratic chairman Charlie Waterman.

"I know we all came here to hear Jan," Waterman said.

Instead, the party faithful listened to a three-minute fill-in speech from City Councilman Gary Reese and to Waterman's reading of Sen. Harry Reid's speech when he was named minority whip.

In a letter Waterman sent to party members to encourage attendance, he said Jones would likely talk about "her longtime nemesis" Steve Miller, a Republican also running for mayor.

The letter also promised Democrat Jay Bingham equal time to speak in response to Jones's address since both are running for mayor.

"The type of campaign that can be expected from Miller should provoke a lively talk by the mayor," Waterman's letter stated. "Put tough campaigner Bingham in the mix, and it should be livelier.

"You shouldn't miss this one!"

Although about 75 party members took his advice, neither Jones nor Bingham did.

Jones, 49, said she is seeking her third-term as mayor, but has not been actively campaigning -- leaving some to question whether her heart is in the race.

Bingham, 45, former chairman of the Clark County Commissioners, has also been quiet thus far.

Miller, who recently has been dialing thousands of city residents to encourage them to protest certain City Council actions, has been the most active publicly.

Former Henderson Mayor Cruz Olague, 64, also has announced he will seek Jones' seat.

The first date candidates can file their paper work for office is Feb. 23. The primary is May 4. If no candidate gets 50 percent of the vote, the top two vote-getters will square off in the June 8 general election.