Congressman says he’ll seek re-election rather than Senate seat

Robert Macy

Tuesday, June 22, 1999 | 9:29 a.m.

Rep. Jim Gibbons said today he will seek a third term in Congress rather than vying for the U.S. Senate in what would have sparked a bitter battle with his friend and fellow Republican, John Ensign.

Gibbons, who had talked of running for the Senate, said he had been encouraged by the House leadership to seek re-election instead.

In a dinner meeting last week with House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., Gibbons said he was told that he would have more opportunities to help Nevada as a third term congressman than a first term senator.

"He said that Nevada, with only two members in the House, needs the seniority that I could bring," Gibbons said in a telephone interview from his Washington, D.C. office.

The Senate scramble started when Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., announced in February that he would not seek re-election. Ensign, a former Republican congressman who lost to Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev. in a close race last November, quickly announced he would run for the Senate again in 2000. Nevada Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa, a Democrat, has also announced for the Senate race.

Gibbons said the other issue convincing him to seek re-election was his family. His wife, Dawn, had decided she would not seek re-election to the Nevada Assembly but would focus on his campaign if he ran for the Senate.

"My wife has a very bright future in politics," he said. "She wants to help build the Republican majority in the Assembly. She can do that best by staying in the Assembly rather than being on the campaign trail with me."

Gibbons said his friendship with Ensign was part of his decision, but was not the overriding factor. He said he informed Ensign of his decision in a telephone call Monday night.