Last-minute entrant to vie for Henderson Municipal Court seat

Jeffrey Libby

Monday, Feb. 5, 2001 | 10:44 a.m.

A last-minute filing Friday afternoon for Municipal Court judge gave Henderson a race for the four-year position.

But challenger Robert Willis will have his work cut out for him. As a relative unknown, he will be hard-pressed to mount a serious challenge against two-term incumbent and longtime Henderson resident Ken Proctor.

Proctor, 55, has started programs for both victims and offenders in drunk driving and domestic abuse cases that focus city resources on rehabilitation more than traditional punishment.

Proctor is a Vietnam veteran and former police officer.

Attempts to reach Willis for his background and comment over the weekend were unsuccessful.

No candidates filed against Mayor Jim Gibson, an attorney, so he has been declared the unofficial winner of his second four-year term. He will be sworn in April 17 following primary elections.

In the race for City Council, Ward 3, two-term incumbent Jack Clark faces a challenge from political newcomer Jesse Horne.

Thirty-year-old Horne, a computer systems analyst, has done his homework. He has already made the rounds to such city pillars as banker Selma Bartlett and consultant Bob Campbell. Campbell's daughter, Robin Campbell-Ouchida, will head her first political campaign as Horne's manager.

Whether Horne is able to build a viable campaign remains to be seen, but last week he met Clark for lunch in Las Vegas at Clark's request.

Both candidates agreed to run honest, fair campaigns, Horne said.

Clark, 42, a Metro Police officer, won his seat in 1997 in a campaign against another cop, David Kallas, that devolved to negative assaults from both sides.

Paladin Advertising will run Clark's campaign. The Las Vegas consulting firm has run campaigns for Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, and Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman.