Election ‘99: McDonald wins easily; Reese faces Stupak’s son

Erin Neff

Wednesday, May 5, 1999 | 9:59 a.m.

Although both Las Vegas City Council incumbents won their primaries, the races couldn't have been more different.

Michael McDonald cruised to easy re-election in Ward 1 despite a vocal campaign from nearest opponent Steve Miller, while in Ward 3, incumbent Gary Reese was forced into the general election by political upstart Nevada Stupak, who didn't so much as hang a campaign sign.

"I want to thank the people of Las Vegas for having the courage to vote for me," said Stupak, the 23-year-old son of casino developer and professional gambler Bob Stupak. "With all that we had done, and being up against strong odds, we were able to pull it off."

Reese, 57, who is seeking his second term, received 45.5 percent to Stupak's 28 percent, according to unofficial totals.

"I haven't ever talked to him," Reese said about Stupak. "He filed for office about 10 minutes to five on the last day."

Reese said he will now focus on which precincts he fared well in during the primary and will try to parlay that into success on June 8.

"I'm very upbeat," Reese, who owns a downtown barber shop, said. "This is called campaigning. In a campaign anything can happen.

"Now we're going to go back out there and tell people what we've done and what we'll continue to do."

Although both men vow to run a grass-roots campaign in the general election, Reese has received support from gaming and developers on his way to raising $323,000 to Stupak's $11,000.

Stupak received the most support from his recognizable name and from the respect he gained at age 19 when he served as his father's spokesman after a 1995 motorcycle accident in which both Nevada and Bob Stupak were seriously injured.

Stupak's sister Nicole failed in her bid for City Council in 1991 and their father has run and lost a race for mayor.

"Nobody knows the definition of grass roots better than me," Nevada Stupak said. He spent Tuesday shaking hands and trying to meet voters with his campaign team -- his girlfriend and two close friends.

"I would love to know who these people are who voted for me," Stupak said. "Now I'm going to try to get to meet as many people as possible."

Stupak works at his father's Thunderbird Hotel and also receives income from a vending machine operation, according to reports filed with the city clerk's office. Little else is known about his ideas or issues, yet.

In Ward 1, McDonald, 34, rode a crest of diverse support and fund-raising -- with $535,551 in his campaign coffers compared to challenger Steve Miller's $18,150 -- to win the election outright.

"We did so much work in the neighborhoods," McDonald said, sipping champagne and smoking a cigar during a party at his campaign headquarters after receiving nearly 63 percent of the vote. "This election was a report card and the senior citizens said A plus."

Since McDonald earned more than the necessary 50 percent plus one vote of all cast, he was declared the winner.

Miller, 55, used his website and a campaign mailer to question McDonald's decisions and actions as a councilman -- but drew little support from the ward McDonald has called home his entire life.

"I did the best I could under the circumstances," Miller, who received 22.6 percent of the vote, said. "I look at it this way -- I spent $10 on each of the votes and McDonald spent more than $100."

McDonald, who resigned his job as a Metro Police officer last month to devote more time to his constituents, said the amount of money he raised played no role in the outcome.

"Last time I ran I had nothing," McDonald said, pointing to a framed photo of his surprising 1995 victory over then-City Councilman Frank Hawkins, who had spent $500,000 that year. "It's about your message and your actions."

Elected officials and city staff stopped by McDonald's Decatur Boulevard campaign headquarters to offer congratulations, eat sushi and sip beer while Miller spent the night at his home with family.

"The playing field wasn't level," Miller said. "There were seven debates and seven no-shows (by McDonald). I think the public didn't get the information they needed."

McDonald had considered running for mayor before Mayor Jan Laverty Jones decided to run, but then said he couldn't run against his political friend. Jones later changed her mind, and McDonald turned the start of his mayoral campaign into a bid for re-election to council.

Rounding out the Ward 1 race, former city employee Linda Gray received 10.4 percent of votes, community activist Chris Christoff received 2.4 percent and shoe store owner Paul Holder got 1.55 percent.

In Ward 3, teacher Harvey Munford received 13.4 percent of votes, boxing trainer Charles "Doc" Broadus got 5.6 percent, casino worker Lionel Fleming got 3.4 percent, garbage man Carlo Poliak got 1.8 percent and newsletter publisher Bradley Smith got 2 percent.