Congressional District 3

Thursday, Aug. 15, 2002 | 8:47 a.m.

One of the most closely watched races will be for the newly created 3rd Congressional District.

Front-runners Jon Porter, a Republican, and Dario Herrera, a Democrat, have been campaigning against each other for months, but before they can face off in November, they must run a gantlet of challengers in the primary.

The Republican contenders include Barry Bilbray, whose cousin Jim Bilbray is the former Democratic congressman from Nevada, Bob Daily and Susan Kiger.

Herrera faces Mark Budetich Jr., a merchant mariner who has spent the past three months at sea.

Porter, 47, a former state senator, served as chairman of the Legislative Affairs and Operations Committee. He is a district manager for Farmers Insurance.

Barry Bilbray, 49, owns Laughlin Towing and supports negotiating for benefits for Yucca Mountain.

Bilbray decided to run after Porter's campaign sent him a letter seeking a $250 donation and mentioning Porter's pledged fight against Yucca Mountain.

Daily, 52, has worked in the gaming industry for 30 years.

His campaign platform is to redirect the power of government back to the states, revitalize the military and stop the nuclear waste dump at Yucca Mountain.

Kiger, 51, an administrative assistant for the Nevada Contractors Board, believes all taxes and earning limits on Social Security should be abolished.

In the Democratic primary, Herrera, 29, said he wants to pass a "real patient's bill of rights," lower the cost of prescription drugs and fight for greater corporate accountability.

Elected to the County Commission in 1999, Herrera has served on a number of public boards. He is also a former state assemblyman.

Budetich, 40, calls himself "a working class guy who has had enough of the status quo running the show and leaving the public in harm's way."

Budetich wants to secure Social Security, ban taxes on the Internet and get the Primm Valley airport project back on track.

Winners of the primary races will face three other candidates in November.

Pete O'Neil, 38, has waged an aggressive race as an independent. A commissioner of the Professional Bicycle League and small-business owner, O'Neil backs compensation and protection of Nevada on the issue of nuclear waste storage at Yucca Mountain.

Neil Scott, 36, is running an a Libertarian. An accountant, he backs an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would prohibit taxes on labor or business income, establish a national bank, and tax religion and imports from non-democratic countries.

Richard Wayne Odell is running as an Independent American. Requests for information were not answered.