Boggs McDonald prevails

Diana Sahagun

Wednesday, April 4, 2001 | 11:16 a.m.

In the most bitterly fought race during the Las Vegas Valley's municipal primary elections, Lynette Boggs McDonald had to fend off accusations of being a "career bureaucrat" and allegations that she may have acted unethically in flying to a Notre Dame football game.

The charges did not in the end hurt her election chances. She earned a little more than 70 percent of the vote Tuesday night in her primary race, easily capturing the Ward 2 seat to which she had been appointed in 1999.

But she has not emerged unscathed, as she still must face three ethics complaints filed by friends of her chief primary opponent, Mark Solomon. One complaint was filed with the city ethics board, one with the state Ethics Commission and one with the secretary of state's election division.

The complaints were filed over a football trip she took last year that was paid for by Station Casinos. At issue is whether Boggs McDonald should have disclosed the trip when voting on items related to Station.

Boggs McDonald came out fighting and uncovered reports that alleged Solomon had taken free golf trips while on the city's Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Commission.

That fighting spirit is what led Mayor Oscar Goodman to present her with boxing gloves Tuesday night at her election party. It's the same spirit she says she will bring to the next four years as she works with the mayor to build on Las Vegas' global reputation.

"This is a great time," Boggs McDonald said, holding a microphone between her boxing gloves. "There is no other government I would rather serve in than right here and right now, and with Oscar Goodman leading the way.

"We are going to accomplish great things for the city."

Reflecting on his one-sided loss, Solomon said he was put at a disadvantage at the start because he filed on the last day of candidacy and faced Boggs McDonald's $371,855 war chest. He also complained that the mayor's endorsements of the incumbent council members scared off contributors.

"It was a difficult thing to overcome with the limited funds we were able to raise," said Solomon, who raised $52,495 that included $4,000 of his own money. "The mayor chose to endorse incumbents in all races and that had a chilling effect on campaign supporters."

Las Vegas City Council's other incumbents, Michael Mack and Lawrence Weekly, did not need boxing gloves to win their races.

Mack celebrated Tuesday night with about 100 supporters at his headquarters in a northwest Las Vegas strip mall. He said he was thrilled the night belonged to the incumbents.

"It's exciting because people have been saying that an appointed incumbent has never won re-election, and now it looks like all three of us have done it," said Mack, who was appointed to fill the Ward 6 seat in January 2000.

Mack, who said he raised nearly $600,000, including over $28,000 from Station Casinos properties, had a spread laid out and served by chefs from the Santa Fe Station. Bartenders from the casino kept glasses full with free alcohol and soft drinks.

Mack's main opponent, Louise Helton, said she began her campaign when she filed for candidacy in early February. She said she'll continue her work in the community and may run for office again.

Mack, who took 64 percent of the vote, said he will continue to improve the quality of life in the ward.

"I'm looking forward to improving the quality of life in my ward," Mack said.

The biggest surprise of the night was Weekly's huge win, beating former City Councilman Bob Nolen with 77.02 percent of the vote. Some had speculated that the race would head to the June election, which it would have if he had not won more than 50 percent of the vote.

"I only prayed for 50 percent plus one. I had a lot of people who told me I was going to a general election, but I felt I could win it in the primary," said Weekly, who was appointed to the Ward 5 seat in January 2000. "It's wonderful to be considered an elected official rather than an appointed official."

Weekly, who raised $249,848, said he had trouble finding financial support because he was an appointed official. He said his fellow appointees, Mack and Boggs McDonald, assisted him as much as they could.

City Councilman Michael McDonald attended Weekly's election night party at the Las Vegas Municipal Golf Course, and Weekly said now that McDonald's ethics troubles are behind him, the council will go back to being a cohesive board.

"This will bring us back together so we can get past the foolishness and get on with the business of the city," Weekly said.

In the Las Vegas Municipal Court Department 2 judge race, Betsy Kolkoski, who was appointed in June, earned 57.34 percent of the vote to beat Bill Henderson. Las Vegas candidates who were declared as winners before the primary election because they faced no opposition were: City Councilman Larry Brown, Ward 4; Michelle Leavitt-Fitzpatrick, Municipal Judge Department 3; CedricKerns, Municipal Judge Department 5; and Jessie Elizabeth Walsh, Municipal Judge Ward 6.