Democrats buck rumors of demise

Erin Neff

Monday, May 13, 2002 | 9:50 a.m.

One by one the state's Democratic leaders Saturday reminded their faithful that the demise of the party is greatly exaggerated by the press.

Yet signs of party strength -- while touted in speeches from several candidates -- were few and far between at the Nevada State Democratic Convention held this weekend at Bally's.

With the first week of filing already over, not one Democrat with party backing had signed up to run for any of the state's six constitutional offices.

"Come 2006 those prognosticators will be saying, 'What happened to the Republicans?' " County Commissioner Erin Kenny said to about 75 delegates and candidates on hand for Saturday morning's session.

The more immediate question is what about 2002? So far no Democrats have filed for statewide office for this election.

The convention-goers focused attention on congressional hopeful Dario Herrera and Attorney General candidate John Hunt. Leaders also hyped Assemblyman John Lee for state controller.

Matthew Dushoff, a deputy attorney general from Henderson, has said he will run for governor, but the only Democrat to even mention him in a speech was U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, who followed the reference saying, "but you know filing hasn't closed yet."

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman has been hyped as the party's best chance to beat Republican incumbent Kenny Guinn this November. But during his remarks Saturday to the delegates, Goodman didn't even hint that he was interested in reneging on an earlier statement that he wouldn't run.

After her speech Kenny said she is not running for anything other than re-election to the County Commission, and Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa has no immediate designs on a different office after stepping down at the end of this year.

For now Dushoff is the party's standard bearer in the governor's race, even though he said he would withdraw if a serious candidate emerged before the end of filing May 20.

He wasn't cowed by the lack of support from his party's leaders, and took to the stage condemning the notion that viable candidates are ones with big wallets.

"Imagine if I was a millionaire ... I'd be the most viable candidate," Dushoff said, citing his prosecutorial experiences with labor and state issues and his community service.

On Saturday Dushoff attacked Guinn for refusing to discuss the state's tax structure until after the election, for making election year promises about education funding and for proposing what he called an "ill-conceived short-term idea" to fix the medical malpractice crisis by making obstetricians state employees paid $1 a year in exchange for a $50,000 cap on damages in lawsuits.

"If there are viable medical malpractice cases out there, you can't do anything with $50,000," he said.

Dushoff offered his own ideas about the crisis, about Nevada Power and about Yucca Mountain before closing with the humble: "I'm Matt Dushoff. I'm running for governor for you."

Tierney Cahill, a Democrat running against Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., in the largely Republican 2nd Congressional District, said she believes her party has to nurture young candidates, not isolate them.

"We need some Miracle-Gro," she acknowledged during her speech to about 40 delegates right before the lunch break.

When U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley arrived with Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, after lunch the convention floor had more spirit and people.

The convention attendance was announced at 291 delegates and 18 guests. The room had about 150 delegates and candidates at the height of the afternoon session.

Former U.S. Sen. Richard Bryan said Democrats are currently in a political ebb tide that favors the Republicans.

"Our party is in a part of a rebuilding time," Bryan said.