Columnist Jon Ralston: How to resurrect the Democrats

Friday, Jan. 25, 2002 | 4:32 a.m.

YES, FILING is more than three months away. But it's time for the state's Democrats to face reality: They are wheezing their last breaths in this state, destined to pass away into irrelevance for many years.

No candidate for governor or lieutenant governor or attorney general or secretary of state -- all of which could be springboards to higher office.

The Republicans have done a much better job of recruiting in the Assembly and are likely to retain the Senate, although Minority Leader Dina Titus remains committed to making it interesting. And the Democrats' prized congressional candidate, County Commissioner Dario Herrera, just got smacked with an ethics complaint (the shape of things to come?), which surely helps his opponent (I can't remember the guy's name because he's never around, but I understand he serves in the Legislature).

Democratic Anointer-in-Chief Harry Reid, who moonlights with some federal government sinecure, has been tireless in trying to recruit candidates.

He has offered the gubernatorial slot to anyone with a seven-figure bank account and the attorney general's nomination to anyone with a law degree (and some -- hello Commissioner Erin Kenny -- who hope to have one soon).

And he has asked anyone with a pulse and an elected title to run for lieutenant governor.

All to no avail. So, out of a profound generosity of spirit and a desire to see a choice in all races for the good of the public I care so much about, I have decided to devote some of my valuable time (and space) to helping the expiring Democrats with three possibilities to revive their flagging hopes.

No thanks necessary, Sen. Reid.

Modest Proposal No. 1 -- Speaker Richard Perkins should run for governor and Assembly Majority Leader Barbara Buckley should seek Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa's job. This seems obvious. Perkins wants to be governor, but if he waits until '06, others (Henderson Mayor Jim Gibson, the preternaturally ambitious Kenny, GOP attorney general anointee Brian Sandoval) could get a leg up. He could use the power utility pummeling, the hospital-bashing spree and his cop persona as a scary synergy. As for Buckley, she could get a job that actually has some real power to do good over social issues she holds dear and could position her as the next governor (after Perkins, of course). What's more, the Democrats have 28 out of 42 Assembly seats, are in no danger of losing control and could easily insert replacements into those relatively safe districts. How can th ey pass it up?

Modest Proposal No. 2 -- If the Perkins-Buckley ticket doesn't materialize, why not have Rep. Shelley Berkley run for governor? She and Kenny Guinn already don't like each other, and Berkley could raise all kinds of national money for the race. The gamers also would have to hedge their bets because no one has worn their jersey better or played more minutes for the casino team on Capitol Hill than the Democratic congresswoman. Sure, some will say Berkley wouldn't sell in rural Nevada -- but she should just ignore the cows. And some might argue she would have a tough time up North, too -- but some of the Republicans up there are more liberal than some of the Democrats down here. Berkley also has a district even more fortified with a partisan advantage than in previous years, so someone else (Titus maybe) could be easily plugged in there. Why not?

Modest Proposal No. 3 -- Now this is the boldest one of all, Sen. Reid: Why not run for governor yourself? Yes, if you won, you'd give up that powerful majority whip post. But let's face it: They're going to jam nuclear waste down our throats whether you're there or not. You could match Guinn's money, you wouldn't be afraid to take him on and you are as ruthless as the governor's entire political team put together. And -- don't tell anyone this -- you could pull off a Machiavellian trick that might be better than any of your previous moves: You could intend to lose but keep Guinn occupied the whole race, weaken his standing in the state and still retain your place in the Club of 100. You must love that one, senator.

There are other possibilities -- Goodman for lieutenant governor (he could sell the city and state and have plenty of time for taking legal clients again), getting state Sen. Mark James to switch to the Democratic Party after the election if Titus is within one vote of a majority, or getting your son, Rory, the half-million-dollar man running for the County Commission, to run for governor instead.

But the other ideas are your best bets to resurrect the Democratic Party shortly after Easter and the filing begins. As I said before, no thanks necessary. Just trying to be helpful.com