Nolan making bid for Senate

Friday, Sept. 14, 2001 | 9:25 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Four-term Assemblyman Dennis Nolan, R-Las Vegas, is going to try to move over to the Senate to replace fellow Republican Bill O'Donnell, who is not seeking re-election.

And if he wins, he would actually represent fewer people than he does now.

Nolan said Thursday he will run for the GOP nomination next year. By looking at the maps of the newly reshaped Senate District 9, Nolan said he represents 80 percent of those people in his Assembly District 13 now.

The Senate district takes in most of the southwest portion of Las Vegas Valley and stretches northwest.

He said it doesn't make any sense for him not to try for the Senate seat. His present Assembly district, before reapportionment, represented about 160,000 people. That was one of the most heavily populated Assembly districts in the Legislature.

The new Senate district has a population of about 96,665, according to the 2000 census.

There are about 48,000 registered voters with Republicans at 44 percent, Democrats at 38.5 percent and nonpartisan at 14 percent. Republicans outnumber Democrats by slightly more than 2,200 voters. Nolan said that's about the same edge he has now in his Assembly District, which has 66,000 registered voters.

Also mentioned as possible GOP candidates are former Assemblyman Bill Brady and Assemblywoman Barbara Cegavske, R-Las Vegas.

Nolan said Cegavske would have to move into the district to run. He said he talked with her and showed her the maps that show she has represented only about 5 percent of the Senate district from her present Assembly district.

Asked about Brady, Nolan said, "I've taken on Republican challengers before. He's not going to deter me."

Former FBI Agent George Togliatti is mentioned as a possible Democrat for the seat.

Official filing for the seats doesn't open until next May. But political candidates are already out raising money.

O'Donnell served 16 years in the Legislature but called it quits in August, lacing his announcement with complaints about the Republican leadership under Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno. O'Donnell said the leadership of Senate Republicans should be in Southern Nevada.