State senate incumbents score easy victories

Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2000 | 10:56 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- All the incumbents in the state Senate except one scored lopsided victories in the primary election Tuesday, suggesting that voters are satisfied with their performances.

Only Sen. Joe Neal, D-Las Vegas, had a close race but nevertheless edged fellow Democrat Uri Clinton.

Republicans Sens. Ann O'Connell and Ray Rawson, both of Las Vegas, and Dean Rhoads of Tuscarora breezed to victory. And Sen. Ray Shaffer, D-North Las Vegas, rolled over his opponent. All compiled more than 60 percent of the vote.

District 2: Shaffer said he feels "pretty comfortable" going into the general election against Republican Richard Gardner. The district has 10,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans.

"If we have a pretty good turnout in the president's race, I should do fairly well," said Shaffer, 67, who easily defeated businessman Harold Giron, who has unsuccessfully run twice before for elective office. Shaffer polled 4,924 to 1,675 for Giron.

Gardner, 60, an instructor at the Freeman Institute of Constitutional Studies, beat Tino Mendoza, an attendance officer for the Clark County School District, 2,807 to 1,288.

District 5: O'Connell, first elected in 1984, said her big challenge in the general election will be the same as in the primary -- telling the voters who she is.

"One third of the district is brand new," she said of the population growth since she ran four years ago. "I'm working on trying to get name identification all over again."

Apparently it worked Tuesday. O'Connell won handily over Frank Mathews, the vice chairman of the state Board of Education. The vote was 8,928 to 3,741.

O'Connell will face Charles Hawk, who beat Ronald Moers for the Democratic nomination 5,474 to 3,059. Hawk said, "People say if I beat Ann O'Connell, it will be a Cinderella story." He called O'Connell "very dedicated" and he promised not to "sling mud" in the campaign. But he said she has voted against many bills except those of "big money." And he said he thinks Nevada should explore setting up a lottery to help finance education and other programs.

Also in the general election are John Lusk, a member of the Independent American Party, and Mark Warden, a Libertarian.

District 6: Rawson, after his runaway 73.6 percent to 26.4 percent victory over fellow Republican Brit Merson, faces Democrat Terri Stanfill, who is making her first run for public office.

Republicans outnumber Democrats by about 2,000 voters in this district, which also has 9,000 independents.

Stanfill and her volunteers have been going door-to-door, even though she didn't have any opposition in the primary election. And the issues will be prescription drugs for seniors, long-term health care and education. Stanfill runs a consulting service.

Rawson, 59, was first elected in 1984 and has emerged as one of the leaders in the Senate.

Also in the general election are Duncan Dodge of the Citizens First Party and Jess Howe, Independent American Party.