Republicans defend effort to recruit candidates

Monday, May 22, 2000 | 12:02 p.m.

"I don't think they (Democrats) have mounted any stronger challenges against us than we have against them," said Assembly Minority Leader Lynn Hettrick, R-Gardnerville.

"We filled 33 seats with Republicans. I think they started at 28 and fielded five or six more," Hettrick said, adding that Gov. Kenny Guinn and Senate candidate John Ensign helped with recruitment.

"It's difficult to recruit good candidates," Hettrick said. "Why take the slings and arrows and get paid next to nothing and have to spend time away from your home and business? It's hard to get people to sacrifice."

Republicans had said earlier that because of reapportionment issues during the 2001 Legislature, 2000 was the year the GOP would do its best recruitment in a serious effort to take control of the Assembly. Democrats held a 28-14 edge in the 1999 session.

Hettrick wasn't reacting just to Democratic gloating: GOP activist Chuck Muth said the Republican's recruiting wasn't as good as it should have been.

Muth noted there was either token GOP opposition or no opposition to Democratic Assembly members Tom Collins, John Lee, Marcia de Braga, Harry Mortenson and Sheila Leslie.