The tighter the race, the more likely the mudslinging

Erin Neff

Friday, Oct. 25, 2002 | 5:02 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION: Oct. 27, 2002

The airwaves first darkened on Labor Day as Democrats tried to introduce Republican congressional candidate Jon Porter to voters.

Porter's campaign considered the spot -- about Porter's ties to the insurance industry -- an attack, and had Republicans fire back about Democratic opponent Dario Herrera's ethical troubles.

The two have been at it ever since. Social Security, prescription drugs and Nevada Power Co. have each generated an attack and a responding attack quoting the original commercial.

The back-and-forth only stopped when the Democrats pulled TV ads from Herrera's campaign to spend money elsewhere in the nation, and Herrera announced he was "going positive." Porter's negative ads are still airing.

The closer the race, the more likely it is for both opponents to fire negative salvos onto your television screen.

The attorney general's race has emerged as a negative fest, producing some of the nastiest pieces on the screen.

"Meet John Hunt" bellows the announcer as brooding music fills the background and the Democratic candidate appears -- very close up with shifting eyes and strange mouth movements.

Republican Brian Sandoval's campaign goes on to discuss Hunt's acceptance of nearly $160,000 in campaign contributions from a single company. The ad also mentions Hunt's past legal representation of a company shut down for fraudulent practices.

Hunt's campaign had taken $158,000 from Vestin Mortgage and its related entities and employees -- an issue that led Sandoval's campaign to file a complaint with the state.

The "Meet John Hunt" ad came in response to one fired off to show Sandoval's ties to Nevada Power through campaign contributions and his past representation of a shareholders group.

Sandoval represented the Utility Shareholders of Nevada in past rate cases before the Public Utilities Commission. Sandoval was not the attorney involved during Nevada Power's $922 million rate case. He accepted $3,000 in contributions from the company's executives for this campaign.

Hunt came back with an ad in which a Reno couple accuses Sandoval of "almost ruining our family" because of his representation of an adoption service agency in the couple's adoption of a newborn.

Sandoval represented Catholic Services, not the couple, and was asked to find the biological father of the baby in question. Sandoval located the man in another state two months after the baby was born. The man initially expressed interest in his parental rights, but shortly thereafter relinquished them.

Sandoval's next ad was a classic contrast negative ad. On the right side of the screen a smiling Sandoval is touted for being tough on crime and an honest public servant while on the left side of the screen a goofy shot of Hunt is used to describe him as a divorce attorney with no major police endorsements.

Hunt has handled divorces in his practice, but also serves as prosecutor for the State Dental Board and represents civil clients such as Whittlesea Bell and Union Pacific Railroad.

With early voting in full force, Hunt last week launched an ad referencing comments in a newspaper column in which Sandoval pledged to enforce all laws, even one that would require Jews to wear Stars of David on their clothes.

Sandoval was readying a response late last week -- one that references the adoption ad and again questions Hunt's integrity.