Editorial: GOP scores some big victories

Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2002 | 9:11 a.m.

President Bush, in the days leading up to the mid-term election, urged votes for Republicans so he could have more "allies" in Congress to push his agenda, including the fight against terrorism and a possible war with Iraq. The president's plea paid off as the Republicans retook the Senate and even picked up seats in the GOP-controlled House, no small feat since the party that holds the White House usually loses seats in mid-term elections. The Senate's partisan change in leadership is discouraging news for Nevadans for at least one important reason: Our state will lose some clout since Democratic Sen. Harry Reid no longer will be the assistant majority leader.

Of course, Bush steered clear of Nevada in his recent political barnstorming across the nation. That wasn't too surprising since Bush signed off on the plan to send 77,000 tons of high-level nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain, a decision universally condemned in this state. If Bush had come here, it would have been a jarring reminder of his decision, and it could have spilled over and hurt fellow Republicans running for House seats. Now that the House and Senate are in Republican control, a renewed effort might be made to store high-level nuclear waste here temporarily while the Nuclear Regulatory Commission reviews the Energy Department's application to build a dump at Yucca Mountain.

Here in Nevada, Republicans did well in the House races: Rep. Jim Gibbons had only token opposition, and won easily, and Jon Porter had a convincing victory. In the Democrats' lone bright spot of the three House contests, Rep. Shelley Berkley coasted to victory. Republicans also made it a clean sweep of the statewide constitutional offices, winning the races for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer and controller. In the Legislature, the conservative bent continued as Republicans kept control of the Senate. While the Assembly remained in Democratic hands, the Democrats 27-15 margin was reduced significantly, down to a 23-19 edge. A more Republican -- and more conservative -- Legislature means that Gov. Kenny Guinn, a moderate Republican who reasonably has acknowledged that the state needs to raise revenues, will ha ve a much more difficult time getting the two-thirds supermajority vote needed to raise taxes in order to shore up our lagg! ing educational system and other key state programs.

The most interesting Nevada races turned out to be those without candidates -- the ballot questions. Voters sensibly rejected Question 9, which would have legalized marijuana and made us a laughingstock in the nation. On Question 14, voters did the right thing when they approved an initiative that urges the Legislature to remove a legal roadblock that prevents a government-run agency from taking over Nevada Power. On the ballot questions involving more government spending, it was a mixed bag. Voters statewide approved an initiative that authorizes the Legislature to spend up to $200 million for conservation projects. And Clark County voters narrowly favored the advisory question that asks the Legislature to give Clark County the power to raise taxes to pay for $2.7 billion in needed transportation improvements. But voters rejected separate initiatives that would have raised more money for other important programs: homeless projects in Clark County, a Henderson ballot quest! ion that would have brought in more money for a strapped library system and a statewide ballot question that would have allowed for the state debt limit to be exempted for the building of public schools.

In the end, there is one thing that conservatives, moderates and liberals all can agree on: Now that the election is over, we mercifully will no longer have to endure the obnoxious negative television advertising that was an incessant irritation this campaign season.