Brown, Bergstrom in constable showdown

Keith Paul

Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2002 | 9:29 a.m.

North Las Vegas Constable Herb Brown defeated Democratic challenger Pat Little in Tuesday's primary, setting up a second straight race in the general election with Republican Steven Bergstrom.

The incumbent constables in Las Vegas and Henderson did not face primary election challengers. The constable offices serve papers and enforce court notices and evictions.

Brown easily out-distanced Little, garnering about 61 percent. Bergstrom did not face a primary opponent.

Brown was appointed to the constable position by the City Council over Bergstrom in 1998, then defeated Bergstrom in the general election that year. Bergstrom filed and won an ethics complaint against Brown for distributing a flier that he said had false information about his opponent.

Last month the state Ethics Commission approved an out-of-court settlement with Brown, who had been fined $10,000 for distributing the flier just before the election. The commission accepted a compromise to impose a $500 penalty and let its opinion on the case stand.

Las Vegas Constable Robert "Bobby G" Gronauer, a Democrat, will face Republican Tom Savage, who won over two other challengers in the primary. Gronauer beat Savage in the 1998 election.

Savage, 64, snared about 44.5 percent of the vote to get by Barry R. Keller and Robert Douglas "Doug" Tharp.

Gronauer, 55, who won the Las Vegas constable election in 1994, is a retired Metro Police sergeant. The National Constable Association honored Gronauer as "Constable of the Year 2002" at a convention in Las Vegas.

Savage is a retired chief of federal police at Fort Ord, Calif.

Henderson Constable Earl T. Mitchell, 45, a Democrat, will face Republican John J. Cahill, 57, who beat Frank "Full Time" Mahoney, with about 65 percent of the vote.

Mitchell, who is seeking his third term, and Cahill may also have to contend with Independent American Nicholas Alexander Hansen, 20, in November.

District Judge Sally Loehrer ruled in June that Hansen was not qualified to run for the post, because he is not a peace officer -- police must be 21. The Supreme Court, however, is considering an appeal that would put him on the ballot.