Nolan still has shot at Clark County GOP endorsement

Erin Neff

Thursday, Oct. 25, 2001 | 9:57 a.m.

The Republican Senate Caucus may have angered Las Vegas Assemblyman Dennis Nolan by endorsing a political outsider for an open seat in next year's elections.

But Nolan has a shot at an endorsement from the Clark County Republican Party, based on that group's recent decision about contested primary elections.

Steve Wark, chairman of the Clark County Republicans, said the executive committee recently instituted a rule regarding primaries in which two or more Republicans are squaring off.

Any candidate can make presentations to the executive committee and central committee of the party seeking endorsement. The endorsement will go to the candidate who garners two-thirds of the committees' vote.

Nolan, R-Las Vegas, said he almost backed out of his bid for state Senate District 9 after learning Senate Republicans were endorsing Las Vegas businessman Bill Brady, an assemblyman who last served during the 1983 session.

Several Republicans told the Sun they did not think it was wise to endorse one candidate over another in a contested primary.

"It's best to stay neutral until the general election," one Republican state senator said.

Neutrality is mandated by the Nevada Democratic Party in contested primaries, executive director Liz Carrasco said.

Other Democratic organizations, however, can and do make endorsements. Carrasco cited the Democratic Assembly and Senate caucuses, which normally endorse the incumbent legislator.

What Senate Republicans have done by tapping Brady for the open seat is essentially ignore that philosophy. Nolan is a four-session Assembly veteran whose district largely overlaps the state Senate district.

And although he isn't technically an incumbent, several Assembly members interviewed by the Sun said Nolan is the closest thing to an incumbent in that district now that state Sen. Bill O'Donnell, R-Las Vegas, has decided not to seek re-election to the seat.

Nolan could not be reached Wednesday as to whether he would seek local Republican endorsements.