Miller shuns Senate bid

Monday, March 15, 1999 | 11:28 a.m.

Former Gov. Bob Miller, indicating he had no desire to move to Washington, said today he won't run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Richard Bryan, D-Nev.

The announcement sent Democrats scurrying to find a candidate in his place to challenge former Rep. John Ensign, a Republican who entered the race Feb. 19. That was the day after Bryan stunned political observers by deciding not to seek re-election to a third term in 2000. Ensign is coming off a close election loss to Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev. last year.

Miller, who retired as governor in January after 10 years at the helm of the state, said family considerations weighed heavily in his decision to bow out of the Senate race.

"It's not something that after a lengthy discussion with my family that I want to do," Miller told the Sun this morning. "We like living in Nevada. I've also enjoyed the opportunity to spend more time with my family, my wife, my 9-year-old daughter Megan and my other older children."

Miller said, however, that he agonized over the decision.

"With the amount of support that was offered and the fact that I've always considered it a privilege to represent the citizens of Nevada, it was a very difficult decision," he said.

Miller said he telephoned President Clinton, who comes to Las Vegas for a Democratic Party fund-raiser in two weeks, on Sunday night to inform him that he had decided against running.

"He said that he would have preferred that I ran, but that he understood that you've got to make those decisions," Miller said.

Miller said he told the president that the Democratic Party has several other strong candidates who could give the Republican nominee a race. He mentioned attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa, Las Vegas Mayor Jan Laverty Jones, Assembly Speaker Joe Dini of Yerington, Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus of Las Vegas and Assembly Majority Leader Richard Perkins of Henderson.

Miller also mentioned former Nevada Ethics Commission Chairman Thomas "Spike" Wilson and Las Vegas Sun Editor Brian Greenspun, who's a Republican but a close Clinton friend.

"We've got 20 months until the election, and I think the Democrats have plenty to offer," Miller said. "This race isn't over."

The former governor said he expected a backlash to develop against the Republican Party, which he described has having become "mean-spirited."

Republicans, meanwhile, said they were elated today to hear that Miller won't be in the race.

"It sure helps our chances of winning the seat," Dan Burdish, outgoing executive director of the Nevada GOP, said. "The only other viable choice I can see on the Democratic side is Frankie Sue Del Papa, and we believe she's highly vulnerable."

Though Ensign is the only announced Republican in the race and already has been endorsed by the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee in Washington, another strong GOP candidate is considering a bid. Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., has said he will decided later this spring whether to run in a primary against Ensign.

Many top Democrats had been predicting Miller would not enter the race. He recently accepted positions on the boards of two companies.