Columnist Erin Neff: Not on ballot, Reid’s ads show he has a lot at stake

Erin Neff

Friday, Sept. 27, 2002 | 6:07 a.m.

IT'S LITTLE WONDER Sen. Harry Reid began popping up on television last week stumping for Democratic candidates.

After all, as the state's leading Democrat, he's got more than just races to win on Nov. 5. He's got face to save thanks to his role in the direction of the party, and thus, must save his own political future.

But Reid, the Senate's assistant majority leader, will have an easier time passing a prescription drug bill in Washington than he will getting Democrats into the state's top six offices.

Reid is adept at raising funds to help Senate candidates around the country, such as Ron Kirk, a Democrat seeking a seat in Texas. But it's back home where Reid hits the most resistance.

In 1998 he squeaked by John Ensign by 401 votes. And his power didn't really come until he got back to Washington and was named to his whip position, making him the only Nevadan ever to serve in Congress holding such a powerful rank.

Reid's position doesn't have much say in Carson City, though. Republicans, who presently hold five of the six constitutional offices, are threatening a sweep with Brian Sandoval making a run for the attorney general's office being vacated by Democrat Frankie Sue Del Papa.

So Reid took to the airwaves last week, standing up for Sandoval's Democratic opponent, John Hunt.

"I need to talk to you about something of great importance to the state of Nevada," Reid says next to a wall of law books in Hunt's downtown office.

John Hunt, he says, is "brilliant, honest and hard-working," and apparently not to blame for accepting $160,000 from donors associated with Vestin Mortgage, a company that has faced allegations of wrong-doing.

"His opponent is engaging in political mudslinging and simply trying to ruin John's reputation," Reid says. "I urge you not to believe these distortions and join with me in proudly supporting John Hunt for attorney general."

With no race for governor (the Democratic Party is not supporting state Sen. Joe Neal) and the secretary of state and treasurer without serious challengers, attorney general has become the marquee race.

Lieutenant governor is seen as the next long shot for Democrats, which is why Reid also appears in an ad for Erin Kenny, saying: "Erin Kenny took on the big utility companies and fought to stop the gouging. Erin Kenny is one courageous leader."

Courage is a matter of perspective since Reid technically has more at stake than Hunt or Kenny.

If Hunt loses, he returns to his successful law practice with a bit more experience for 2006. If Kenny loses, the recent law school graduate could land anywhere -- but the wise money's on Kummer, Kaempfer, Bonner and Renshaw, the law firm that represents most of the developers that come before the county commission.

But if both of them lose, Democrats -- save for the possible upset of Controller Kathy Augustine by Assemblyman John Lee -- will be shut out of Carson City's executive branch.

And while those seats won't be on the ballot when Reid is up for re-election in 2004, they will be in position to act as a unified endorsement of whichever Republican (possibly Rep. Jim Gibbons) runs for Reid's Senate seat.

Reid didn't go from Searchlight to majority whip without being politically savvy. That's why his Searchlight Leadership PAC has donated the maximum allowed -- $10,000 -- to Hunt, Kenny and Lee.

The more Democrats there are at the top of the ticket, the easier it will be in future years to farm new talent and get the faithful out to vote in legislative and congressional races.

Election strategy holds that parties need to get their bases to the polls. And the more candidates offering such an incentive to voters, the better the party will do.

Reid almost lost to Ensign four years ago because of the Democrats' traditional weak showing in the northern and rural counties. He won in Clark County by just enough votes to make up for it.

People, especially in Nevada, like a winner. And you can bet Republicans are already analyzing how the 401 votes can be overcome. Reid is working to widen that difference, but this November, the Republicans are the ones with the short odds.

The Kenny Guinn-Lorraine Hunt-Dean Heller-Brian Krolicki-Kathy Augustine-Brian Sandoval ticket is stumping for more Assembly seats, a constitutional office sweep, a Republican win in Nevada's newest congressional district and the state Senate's continued Republican leadership.

Democrats, including Reid's son Rory, are stuck down in Single-A ball vying for more Assembly seats, and in Rory Reid's case, to keep the Clark County Commission a Democratic majority.

The call from the big leagues is still a number of years away, but you can bet it'll be Skipper Reid calling the shots when his seat is up. And he's going to need a starting nine who can get the job done.