Adamsen gains most from rival’s withdrawal

Tuesday, March 9, 1999 | 11:19 a.m.

City Councilman Arnie Adamsen is seen as benefiting the most from Jay Bingham's sudden withdrawal from the mayor's race.

Several leading political consultants backing Bingham -- Sig Rogich, Billy Vassiliadis and Kent Oram -- now are said to be leaning toward supporting Adamsen.

All three have given political advice to Adamsen in the past.

Oram, who was Bingham's campaign manager, said today he has agreed to meet with Adamsen later this week to discuss joining his campaign. Oram has run Adamsen's previous three City Council races.

"Obviously everybody's chances improved when Jay got out," Oram said. "But Arnie Adamsen has a base. He's got a group of people who are used to voting for him."

Oram said Adamsen's grassroots support will give him the edge going into the May 4 primary, which is likely to attract a small voter turnout.

But Mark Fine, a politically connected businessman making his first run for office, also is working to lure Bingham backers into his campaign.

"We're going to do everything we can to reach out to Bingham's supporters," Fine's campaign manager, Dan Hart, said. "This gives a definite boost to our campaign."

Fine added: "It's still a hard race. We're going to go after everybody who's available to see if we can get their support. We'll leave no stone unturned."

Both Adamsen and Fine have been working the phones since Bingham's stunning withdrawal Monday afternoon, trying to beat each other to his supporters.

Also up for grabs is financial backing from such Strip power brokers as Mirage Resorts Chairman Steve Wynn and MGM Grand Inc. Chairman Terry Lanni, who were behind Bingham, the perceived front-runner in the race.

The third leading candidate, criminal defense attorney Oscar Goodman, said Bingham's withdrawal has not altered his campaign strategy.

"It doesn't make any difference to me," Goodman said. "All I'm going to do is charge forward."

Goodman, who filed on Friday, said he raised $200,000 in campaign contributions from friends over the weekend.

Even as Bingham got out of the race upon the advice of his physician, campaign mailers promoting his candidacy were arriving in mailboxes across Las Vegas. He also had signs up throughout the city.

His departure to seek treatment for a rapid heartbeat shocked his campaign workers, many of whom didn't know of the development until Bingham distributed a news release.

Bingham left town before he had a chance to go to the city clerk's office and formally withdraw from the race.

Secretary of State Dean Heller said Bingham has until 5 p.m. today to file the necessary paperwork in person.

If he doesn't, Heller, said, there's a good chance his name still will be on the ballot for the primary.

And that, according to observers, could further complicate the race.

Under that scenario, observers said, Bingham still could receive as much as 5 percent of the vote in the primary and have an impact on the way the field of nine candidates is narrowed to two for the June 8 general election.

The city attorney's office, Heller said, has been asked to research the possibility of finding a way to take Bingham's name off the ballot without forcing him to do it in person today. Bingham is said to be in Utah.

Rogich said it was too early to tell how Bingham's votes will be spread among the other candidates. But he called Adamsen the clear favorite now.

Hart said Bingham's withdrawal "changes the dynamics of the race and makes everyone reconsider where they are."

In a statement announcing he was bowing out, Bingham said he didn't intend to endorse anyone.

Oram, meanwhile, said he planned to spend much of Monday dismantling Bingham's high-powered campaign.

"I've never had to do this before," Oram said. "This is really weird."

Among those working for Bingham were Terry Murphy, who ran Gov. Kenny Guinn's Southern Nevada campaign office last year, and Steve Wark, who organized the governor's grassroots support.

Many of Bingham's campaign workers were dedicated to his candidacy only and were unlikely to join other mayoral campaigns, Oram said.