Political notebook: James’ decision prompts flood of new candidates

Erin Neff

Friday, March 22, 2002 | 9:39 a.m.

State Sen. Mark James' decision last week not to seek re-election is bringing candidates out of the woodwork and is even leading to another change for James.

James has now joined the law firm of Kummer, Kaempfer, Bonner and Renshaw as a senior attorney specializing in environmental law and litigation. KKB&R's Michael Jabara said James will help strengthen the firm in the areas of water, natural resources and environmental law.

Meanwhile, the jockeying continues to replace him and to replace the official seeking to replace him.

Assemblywoman Barbara Cegavske, R-Las Vegas, is vacating her District 5 seat to run for James' Senate District 8 seat. Attorney Tom Christensen is also vying for the Republican nomination in Senate District 8.

With Cegavske out of the picture, two Republicans have leapt to the front to run where they once wouldn't challenge the incumbent.

Hispanic activist and utility executive David Griego and former congressional candidate Jim Blockey will both seek the Republican nomination.

But the Democrats aren't conceding the seat, which they tout as having just a 2 percent GOP registration advantage.

Dr. John Ellerton, an oncologist and chief of University Medical Center's medical staff, will run for the Democrats.

More candidates

Two Republicans have announced their bids for the Assembly. Jason Geddes, a Reno chemist, will run against Democratic incumbent Vivian Freeman in Assembly District 24.

Jonathan Galaviz will run in Assembly District 13, which is being vacated by Dennis Nolan, who is running for state Senate. In announcing his candidacy, Galaviz became the first candidate stating his opposition to any new state taxes.

Gates honored by DNC

Clark County Commissioner Yvonne Atkinson Gates was one of six women honored Tuesday by the Democratic National Committee's Democratic Women Making History awards.

Atkinson Gates, who chairs the DNC's Black Caucus, won one of six Eleanor Roosevelt Awards for Leadership.

Other honorees include House Democratic Whip Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Linda Chavez Thompson.

The award was presented by the DNC's Women's Vote Center and Women's Leadership Forum in honor of Women's History Month.

Herrera converts

Dario Herrera, chairman of the Clark County Commission and a Democratic candidate for Nevada's 3rd Congressional District, will be baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints next week.

He said the move is strictly a personal matter and one that he has considered for several years since marrying his Mormon wife.

Because this is politics, skeptics will certainly challenge the move as a means to improve his image in courting the formidable LDS vote.

But the pro-choice Democrat will have a challenge to woo conservatives, especially in light of Jon Porter's fixture in that community and the wave of Mormons seeking office from the bottom of the Republican ticket to the top.

For the record

The Clark County Green Party will hold its next meeting March 26 at 6:30 p.m. in the PLAN office, Suite 113 of Winchester Plaza, 1700 E. Desert Inn Road. The meeting will offer information about Green candidates running for local, state and federal office. For information, call 597-3306.