Maxfield, Tarkanian step up TV ads

Adrienne Packer

Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2000 | 11:20 a.m.

The two candidates wrapped up in a tight race for Clark County Commission District C have been relatively quiet so far, but each camp says they plan to turn up the volume in the next two weeks.

Voters who haven't seen much of Democrat Lois Tarkanian or Republican Chip Maxfield on television will see their fair share leading up to Election Day.

Steve Forsythe, Tarkanian's campaign manager, said she spent $120,000 for television air time in the next two weeks; Maxfield has invested $62,000 for next week alone.

Tarkanian's camp switched gears after the primary race when her campaign team of Gary Gray and David Crowell left and Forsythe took over.

Forsythe said because Tarkanian had no strong opponent in the primary race and most attention was paid to the battle between Maxfield and incumbent Lance Malone, the real push for Tarkanian only started two weeks ago.

"The thing with Lois is getting back out there and reminding people who Lois Tarkanian is," Forsythe said. "We'll have a positive message out there, and we'll still be raising what we think are (Maxfield's) negatives."

Tarkanian has hammered Maxfield, a civil engineer, on his ties to developers. She has questioned whether he would have to abstain from votes because of his relationships in the construction community.

"Chip benefited in the primary because there was no negative campaign waged against him by Malone," Forsythe said. "We're just raising the issue that there is another side to this candidate."

Maxfield, on the other hand, has attacked the Clark County school board, which Tarkanian has been a member of for 12 years. He has emphasized the district's high dropout rate and its low test scores.

Maxfield's campaign manager Flora Jackson said the next two weeks will focus more on Maxfield and his platform. A new flier was mailed to 52,000 residents Monday night and a new television ad is expected to begin airing today.

"Our message is who is the better qualified candidate and who has a plan and whose plan is in writing," Jackson said. "We want people to realize he is the better choice."

Jackson said Maxfield's most effective message hasn't been about Tarkanian's record or issues but rather about who he is.

"People have responded to the fact that Chip is not a politician and he has experiences needed to fulfill the position as commissioner," Jackson said. "He has solutions to problems."

Maxfield has said he promoted development and growth but in a smart, well-planned manner.

"He owns his own company, and he's doing his job," Jackson said. "What's best for the community is always foremost in his decisions."

Tarkanian also will continue to defend her record on the school board. Forsythe said test scores are higher in Tarkanian's district, and she can't be held responsible for the entire district.

"Can you indict an entire school district and lay it on the back of one trustee?" Forsythe said. "That's absurd."