Poll news bad for Malone, good for Kincaid

Adrienne Packer

Wednesday, July 12, 2000 | 11:01 a.m.

Some government watchdogs say Clark County Commissioner Lance Malone will overcome a series of controversial decisions and comments to win his bid for re-election, but a recent political poll predicts trouble.

Meanwhile, Malone's colleague, Mary Kincaid, is coasting in her campaign to serve another four years in District B, according to the poll taken by Harrah's hotel-casino.

The polls were conducted between June 21 and 24; 89 percent of the respondents said they were likely to vote, and 11 percent said they were somewhat likely to vote during the September primary and November general election.

Of the 500 registered Republicans surveyed in Malone's northwest District C, 36 percent supported Democratic opponent Lois Tarkanian and 35 percent backed the incumbent, the poll said.

"The fact that Lois Tarkanian is so strong among Republicans is dangerous for Lance," said Jan Laverty Jones, vice president of communications for Harrah's.

In Malone's district, which includes the Sun City retirement community, Republicans have just over a 2,000-voter edge on Democrats. According to the county Election Department, 45,404 active Democrats live in District C compared to 47,681 Republicans.

The poll shows that in the September primaries Malone has a clear advantage over Republican challenger Chip Maxfield, vice president of Southwest Engineering. In a head-to-head race, 40 percent of District C residents would vote for Malone and 24 percent would support Maxfield, a late arrival to the race.

Tarkanian's campaign manager, Gary Gray, said Tuesday that he is not surprised his candidate has the edge among Republicans. For 12 years Tarkanian has represented the northwest on the Clark County School Board, a nonpartisan body.

"People recognize she has been a straight-shooter; she will ask the tough questions and stand up for what she believes," Gray said. "She appeals to a wide range of people."

While Malone has served the northwest county for four years, he might not have the same name recognition advantage as his opponent. Tarkanian's husband, Jerry, coached the UNLV Rebels basketball team for many years and led them to a national championship in 1990.

Gray said Tarkanian's camp isn't about to distance itself from UNLV's successful years, but he emphasized that Lois Tarkanian has accomplishments of her own.

"It belittles Lois to say this is only a product of Jerry," Gray said. "They're both well known in their own rights for their own accomplishments."

Malone is responsible for new parks and expediting the Las Vegas Beltway in the northwest, but some of his recent comments have drawn criticism.

In January, Malone assured Station Casinos he would vote against a competing neighborhood casino, then announced he would go back on his word and support the project. Last month, he infuriated Las Vegas City Council members when he blamed them for the delay of a school project in the northwest.

Malone could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Kincaid leads Smith

Just across the northwest border in District B, Kincaid is far ahead of her Democratic opponent, North Las Vegas City Councilwoman Stephanie Smith.

Harrah's poll says of the 500 Democrats polled, 58 percent of voters in the northeast district support Kincaid and 9 percent back Smith. Jones said 83 percent of the residents polled did not recognize Smith's name.

Smith supporters took after Kincaid early, sending a flier questioning the incumbent's commitment to children.

The flier, which showed photographs of sick and wounded children, was mailed after Kincaid voted to delay authorizing an $80 million bond issue for a free-standing children's hospital. Kincaid and the majority of the board asked that a task force first determine whether a need exists for a hospital.

Earlier this year, Smith wrested the culinary union's support away from Kincaid, who upset members when she voted against an ordinance that would have prohibited the non-union Wal-Mart from opening its Supercenters in the valley.

Jones said pollsters asked residents about union endorsements. Some 39 percent of the voters said they would likely support a candidate who had the culinary union's endorsement. However, 47 percent of the residents said they likely would vote for the candidate who was supported by the police union.

The Metro and North Las Vegas police officers associations endorsed Kincaid early in the race.

Jones said Harrah's has contributed to Kincaid's campaign, but it has yet to decide who to support in the District C race. Harrah's has also contributed to incumbents Yvonne Atkinson Gates and Bruce Woodbury, neither of whom have viable opponents in the primary or general elections.