Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Political notebook: Campaign fliers become family affairs

Politicians routinely use their families in campaign ads.

Now they have moved on to trot out their illnesses -- and their pets.

Earlier this year, Sandra Tiffany -- running for the state Senate District 5 seat being vacated by Jon Porter -- had a life-and-death battle with infectious sepsis.

Her recovery is undeniably an inspirational story. But some other pols think that making it the theme of a recent campaign mailer smacks of bad taste.

Reads one of Tiffany's recent glossy fliers: "Death sneaks up on you like a windshield sneaks up on a bug."

Few, however, would go on the record regarding her disease -- except for her opponent, John Hawk, a regional trainer for the Clark County School District and a UNLV math instructor.

"I clearly think this is a ploy to get a sympathy vote," Hawk said.

Tiffany shot back: "It was a life-changing moment. It is not often do you get snatched from the jaws of death.

"If I chose to share my history with people and one life is saved, then it was the right thing to do."

A mailer promoting Judge Sobel has his picture on the back (but his first name, Jeff, is nowhere to be found on the brochure.)

The main images, on the front, are of his wife, Susan, and two of their 12 "rescued cats, having obtained a special cat fancier license."

Meanwhile, a mailer for Kristen Hansen, a candidate for state Senate District 8, features her grandkids and her dogs.

One, a Pomeranian, is named Teddy Roosevelt.

The other, a Shih Tzu, is named Hillary Rodham.

She also has a Dalmatian named Mr. President.

Weekend in Vegas

Imagine you're in Palmdale, Calif., and someone offers you an all-expenses paid weekend to Las Vegas.

All you have to do is drop off some literature for a guy named Jon Porter and some gal named Lynette Boggs McDonald.

This weekend, just like last, 160 Southern Californians will arrive on four different buses, courtesy of Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon, R-Calif., and thanks to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, and the National Republican Congressional Committee.

"Our campaign was asked by Congressman DeLay to put together a team of volunteers to go to Las Vegas and work on behalf of Jon Porter and Lynette Boggs McDonald," said Matt Zurcher, McKeon's campaign coordinator. "They're volunteering, but we provide lodging, transportation and meals."

Porter's campaign consultant, Mike Slanker, said it's hard to find enough people in Las Vegas who are interested in walking door-to-door for candidates. And he welcomed the help, thanking DeLay.

"Congressman DeLay is helping candidates by sending them people to walk and work on the campaign," Porter said.

Zurcher said McKeon doesn't have any serious competition this cycle, so he was happy to help out two Republicans next door.

Dot-com nightmare

State Controller Kathy Augustine forgot one of today's necessary campaign steps -- buy your domain name on the Internet.

By not dotting her i's, Augustine now has to fear her name dot-com.

Gray and Associates, Democrat John Lee's campaign consultants, purchased www.kathy augustine.com and has posted The Kathy Augustine Watch complete with a smell-o-meter to rank Augustine's missteps, from travel on the clock to audits about her office.

But neither Gary Gray nor Lee is taking credit for the attack on the incumbent Republican.

"This site was developed independently and without consultation with John Lee or others in his campaign," the disclaimer reads.

Porter power play

Republican congressional candidate Jon Porter has been saying throughout his campaign against Dario Herrera that he would love to serve on the House Transportation Committee if he's elected.

During an event Monday at Hoover Dam, House Transportation Committee Chairman Don Young, R-Alaska, told Porter he is assured a seat on his committee if elected.

Porter then trumped the news in a press release. But Democrats would like to think that House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, D-Mo., has a shot at speaker and handing committee chair gavels to fellow donkeys.

The Democrats need to pick up six seats on Nov. 5 to make that happen.

Berkley's ways and means

Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., is still eyeing a seat on the House Ways and Means Committee.

The Hill, a newspaper widely distributed on Capitol Hill, this week reported that eight Democrats are lobbying Gephardt for a spot expected to open on the panel next year. But Gephardt has promised the seat to Berkley, the newspaper reported, "as a concession to the gaming industry."

Berkley would not confirm that, nor would a Gephardt spokesman. But Berkley acknowledges that she has long been lobbying Gephardt, and other Democratic leaders who have Gephardt's ear, for a seat on the committee.

She reminds them, when they visit Las Vegas, that she wants the spot, she said.

"(Gephardt) is very cognizant of the fact that this is important to me and the people I represent," she told the Sun.

The panel sets tax policy, including tax increases and cuts. Berkley called it the most powerful committee in the House because its work setting important fiscal policy transcends the work of all the other committees.

For the record

Sun reporter

Benjamin Grove contributed to this report.

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