Raggio says there’s a ‘united effort’ by GOP to elect Nolan

Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2002 | 9:57 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, and Republican Senate hopeful Dennis Nolan of Las Vegas, who have exchanged heated words in the past, have buried the hatchet -- at least for the time being.

"(The GOP Senate leadership) needs me. They know that," Nolan said.

The only way to ensure a win is for the Republican Caucus and Nolan to work together, he said.

Raggio said the caucus is supporting Nolan.

"He is working 100 percent with us," Raggio said. Republicans control the Senate 12-9.

In the past, Nolan has suggested the majority leader's post should move to Southern Nevada. And the GOP caucus, headed by Raggio, endorsed Nolan's primary election opponent, Richard Bunker.

Nolan upset Bunker and faces Democrat Terry Lamuraglia in a key race in the general election.

Raggio said he expected Bunker to back Nolan in the general election. Nolan said he hasn't received any phone call from Bunker, but he said Bunker apparently took a vacation after his primary election defeat.

"I hope to hear from him," Nolan said.

Nolan said he spent about $65,000 in the primary, depleting his campaign funds, but he said Raggio promised the caucus would work quickly to help find him money.

Raggio said there would be a "united effort" to get the assemblyman elected.

The two talked over the weekend at the Nevada Mining Convention at Lake Tahoe.

Meanwhile, Raggio must also focus on the re-election campaign of Sen. Maurice Washington, R-Sparks, who is up for a third term. He is opposed by Democrat Joe Carter, a labor official.

Washington polled 64.8 percent in the primary election to defeat Wanda Wright and William Yacobozzi, Jr. But Washington, a minister, has been involved in controversy for filtering money from a charter school he founded to help his church obtain a bank loan.

Washington faces a Justice Court trial in November on a misdemeanor charge of failing to pay workers' compensation premiums for employees at his church. This is the second time he has been accused of not making industrial insurance payments for his workers.