Democrats stretch voter lead over GOP in Nevada

Monday, April 17, 2000 | 9:34 a.m.

The Nevada Democratic Party has increased its lead in numbers of registered voters over the state's Republican Party, according to the latest statistics released by Secretary of State Dean Heller.

Voter registration figures through the end of March show 379,650 Democrats to 376,755 Republicans, a difference of 2,895.

Through December 1999 there were 1,226 more registered Democrats than registered Republicans.

Overall the number of registered voters in the state was slightly down, dropping from 913,954 to 912,766.

Gibbons meetings

Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., is using the spring recess of Congress to host a series of town hall meetings beginning today in Pahrump.

The Pahrump meeting was scheduled 3 to 4 p.m. at the Bob Ruud Community Center. Gibbons will also make stops throughout the week in Las Vegas, Stead near Reno, Mesquite, Reno, Boulder City and Laughlin.

Gibbons will be at the Rainbow Library in Las Vegas beginning at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, and on Wednesday he'll be at the Community College of Southern Nevada's Boulder City campus at 2 p.m. He will be at the Clark County Regional Government Center in Laughlin at 7 p.m.

Russo not running

Aaron Russo, a former film producer who finished second in the 1998 Republican gubernatorial primary to Kenny Guinn, says he will not be a factor this political season.

The Sun's daily e-mail newsletter, Flash.vegas.com, written by longtime local political analyst Jon Ralston, said in Thursday's edition: "Russo plans to sit out this cycle and form an exploratory committee next year for another run at the Governor's Mansion."

That means he won't jump into the congressional races where former Rep. John Ensign, a Republican, will face Democrat attorney Ed Bernstein, and Rep. Shelly Berkley, a Democrat, will seek re-election against GOP state Sen. Jon Porter.

Ralston wrote Thursday: "Any Democrats who hoped Aaron Russo might be a factor this year -- I'm talking to you, Ed Bernstein and Shelley Berkley -- should give up their thoughts."

Family Court candidate

Attorney Gayle Nathan has announced her candidacy for judge of Family Court Department J.

Nathan, an alternate hearing master in child support court, has practiced family, civil, criminal and bankruptcy law over the last 12 years. She has also filed more than 275 cases in Family Court over the last four years and is a former special education teacher with a master's degree from Long Island University.

Nathan has also chaired an educational program on shaken baby syndrome and has acted as trustee for University United Methodist Church.