Nolan Senate bid causes rift in GOP ranks

Erin Neff

Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2001 | 9:57 a.m.

During state Assemblyman Dennis Nolan's four sessions in Carson City, the only controversy surrounding him was some light-hearted ribbing after he unknowingly passed along a pornographic computer virus to his colleagues' e-mail.

Nolan, R-Las Vegas, is well respected by the GOP in the Assembly and was a finalist this year for a top Bush administration position with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

So when state Sen. Bill O'Donnell, R-Las Vegas, decided this summer not to seek re-election, Nolan thought it made sense to try to move up. But the response he has gotten from Senate Republicans has him stunned.

Sen. Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, said the Republican Senate Caucus will instead endorse Bill Brady, a former assemblyman who has been largely out of politics since 1983.

"He told me he had a unanimous decision from the Senate Caucus on that," Nolan said. "But the ones I talked to said they'd rather not see an endorsement in the primary. I don't think it was a unanimous decision."

Endorsing one Republican over another for a primary is uncommon, and leads some GOP faithful to quietly worry about Democrats sneaking a win in a district that has been solid Republican ground for years.

"I think it's best to stay out of the primary and wait until voters decide to make a commitment," said one Republican state senator.

Raggio's blessing, coming as it does from the highest-ranking Republican in the Legislature and a powerful attorney, can sway an election and open the door to donors and grass-roots support.

Now as rumors fly about why Raggio anointed Brady, the Democrats salivate at a potential GOP bloodbath in the primary, with likely candidate and former FBI agent George Togliatti waiting in the wings.

Raggio says the endorsement decision was unanimous.

"We interviewed and reviewed all the candidates that were interested," Raggio said. "In our judgment, Bill Brady was the best candidate."

Another GOP source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the deal to support Brady was actually hatched before the Legislature finished redistricting this spring. Raggio, the source said, was constantly angered by O'Donnell, who had publicly questioned his leadership and proved somewhat of a rogue senator for the party with his legislation, votes and comments.

The source said Brady approached Raggio and said he would put $250,000 of his own money into a bid to unseat O'Donnell.

Brady, president and owner of janitorial supply company Brady Industries, said he only decided to enter the race when O'Donnell bowed out.

"Why would I run against O'Donnell?" Brady asked. "Bill O'Donnell had wanted to run for the Assembly years ago. I supported him to take my seat when I chose not to run again. I've supported him ever since."

Brady said he has put $250,000 of his own money into the race and has a total purse of $300,000. He said he will need between $500,000 and $600,000 to win.

Raggio said part of the reason the caucus endorsed Brady was a survey that showed Brady had higher name recognition in the district than did Nolan or Assemblywoman Barbara Cegavske, who had considered running for the seat.

"Of all the potential candidates, he had the highest name recognition," Raggio said, but he could not recall the name of the company who conducted the survey.

"It's a highly regarded firm used by the Republicans," Raggio said.

Nolan is surprised by those results, since he considers himself the incumbent in that district. About 75 percent of his former Assembly district is now within the Senate district, and he notes that Brady has been out of politics for 18 years.

When Nolan was initially told he would not get the endorsement, he considered backing out of the race. But, he said he has recently received $80,000 in donations from people upset with the caucus' decision.

"I will raise exactly what I need to win this race," Nolan said, admitting that his fund-raising will be hampered by the lack of endorsement. "You don't need $250,000 to win a primary.

"I'm very disappointed in Bill's (Raggio's) decision, but I'm now more determined than ever to run," he added.

With the two Republicans vowing a spending battle, state Democratic Chairman Terry Care -- also a state senator -- said the District 9 seat is something his party is watching closely.

"I'm sure with Raggio, that's probably a relationship that goes back pretty far," Care said, referring to Brady. "But (the endorsement) is a surprise. After all, Nolan's been up there eight years and four sessions."

Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, said she considers the district, which has a Republican voter registration edge, to be winnable and to help Democrats draw closer to the Republican majority that stands at 12-9.

"I think Nolan feels slighted, and rightly so," Titus said. "But while they beat themselves up in the primary, we'll be walking precincts and introducing ourselves."

Togliatti, she said, is 90 percent committed to run. Titus said she thinks Togliatti would win, in part, because he would get law enforcement endorsements and present an alternative to moderate female voters.

Brady, a Mormon, described his political views as conservative, especially on financial issues.

"My business experience will be a real asset," Brady said. "One of the reasons (Raggio) gave me their support is that I've been reading financial statements for 20 years. That's what I do."

Brady, 55, said he believes in strong family values and fiscal restraint by government -- traits he thinks play well in the district.

He said he does not consider Nolan the incumbent and instead asks: "Why he would want to turn against me."

The budding primary dogfight could hamper the GOP winner against the Democratic candidate in what Raggio calls "a key race to maintaining the majority."

"I would hope that wouldn't happen," he said.

A Republican state senator, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it's better not to endorse a candidate in a primary.

"I just think that sets us up for a fall either way," the senator said. "If the Republican candidate wins but isn't the one we've endorsed, then that creates tension in the Legislature. The other possibility is that the Republican ends up losing."

Nolan, 40, who is national director of safety and loss prevention for public transit systems, said that if he beats the party's chosen candidate, "it won't affect my ability at all to be a good legislator."