Republicans open drive for Nevada Assembly

Tuesday, May 2, 2000 | 11:07 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Republicans are banking on the Mormons and businessmen to propel them into the driver's seat of the Nevada Assembly in the 2001 Legislature.

Most GOP Assembly Republicans and some handpicked challengers filed for election Monday on the official opening day of the political season. It was an effort to show unity in the party that was in the minority 14-28 in the Assembly in the last Legislature.

Assembly Minority Leader Lynn Hettrick, R-Minden, said two things fall in the favor of the GOP this election in state races. There's the initiative petition to ban marriages of the same sex and the petition to impose a 4 percent net profits tax on business.

Hettrick said the gay marriage petition will draw Mormon voters to the polls. And although the profits tax won't be on the ballot, business people will be energized to support candidates who oppose the plan.

"These will bring the conservatives out of the woodwork to the polls," Hettrick said.

Three Democratic incumbents, who are public schoolteachers, will be put in the uncomfortable position of answering questions about the education tax -- whether they support or oppose it. These are Las Vegas Assembly members Chris Giunchigliani and Doug Bache and Bonnie Parnell of Carson City. He suggested they may have to "waffle" on the tax, which their union supports.

Hettrick was buoyed by the decision by former Assemblyman Jack Close of Las Vegas to run for the seat again in District 15 now held by Democrat Kathy McClain. He said Republican businessman Jack McClary has been campaigning for a month to succeed Democrat Kelly Thomas, who decided not to run for re-election in District 16. And he touted Republican Dave Brown to challenge Democratic Assemblywoman Gene Segerblom, D-Boulder City, in District 22.

Republicans have not been in sole control of the Assembly since 1985. The GOP shared power in 1995 when there were 21 members from each party.

Hettrick, 56, filed for his fifth term on Monday to represent District 39, which includes Douglas County and part of Carson City. He immediately drew opposition from Democrat Willie Edwards, the former chief of tobacco education for the state.

Hettrick said one of the major issues of the 2001 Legislature will be reapportionment. He favors enlarging both houses to allow the rural counties to keep the present numbers while giving Clark County additional seats. He suggested that the Assembly might expand from the present 42 members to 47, giving the five extra seats to Southern Nevada, while allowing Washoe and the rural counties to keep their numbers.

Edwards, 49, is making his first attempt at public office and decided to run when he "saw how powerful lobbyists were able to get their special interest legislation passed into law despite objections by local communities."

Also Monday, state Sen. Valerie Wiener, D-Las Vegas, filed for re-election as a way to honor her late father, Louis J. Wiener Jr., a prominent Las Vegas attorney for 55 years.

Four years ago Wiener officially filed on Law Day, May 1, to honor her father and now it has become a tradition since she won that election, she said.

Wiener has served on the Nevada commission on aging, the Nevada drug commission and chaired the legislative commission on school safety and juvenile violence.

The filing period is open through 5 p.m. on May 15. Those running for U.S. Senate or Congress, judgeships, state Senate and Assembly, the Board of Regents and State Board of Education must file.

Other first-day filers included Martha L. Washington for State Board of Education and Beth Wachsman for Family Court Department K.

Wachsman has practiced family law as an attorney in Las Vegas since 1995, and also serves as a fee dispute arbitrator for the State Bar of Nevada.

Sun reporter Jace Radke contributed to this story.