Reid cautions race for nomination not over

Suzanne Struglinski

Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2003 | 10:45 a.m.

WASHINGTON --- Al Gore's support for former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean set him ahead of other presidential hopefuls, but it doesn't mean the race for the Democratic presidential nomination is over, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev, said.

"There's no question he's the front-runner, but that doesn't mean the others can't catch up on him," Reid said today.

Gore, the former vice president who also won the popular vote in the 2000 presidential race but did not gain enough electoral votes to move into the White House, endorsed Dean Tuesday, slighting his former vice presidential running mate Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn.

Reid said he is hearing from other Democrats who have talked to Gore that Gore wanted to call Lieberman and the other candidates before making the endorsement official "but the story broke before he could call."

"Al Gore has been treated unfairly by a lot of people on this, especially the press," Reid said.

Dean and eight other Democrats want to run against President Bush next year, but the field is expected to narrow in the coming months. The Iowa caucuses are Jan. 19 and the New Hampshire primary is Jan. 27.

Nevada does not have a primary presidential election. This will be the first presidential election it has five electoral votes with the newly added 3rd Congressional District.

The Nevada Democratic Caucuses are Feb. 14 and the Republican Caucuses are set for Feb. 10, according to the respective parties.

Reid, the second-highest ranking Democrat in the Senate, said he will not endorse a candidate since he has too many colleagues in the running. He served in the House with candidate Missouri Rep. Richard Gephardt and now serves with Lieberman and other Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass. and Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C.

"I have to be hands-off on this. It's hard for me to take sides," Reid said.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio and former Illinois Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, Gen. Wesley Clark, and the Rev. Al Sharpton are all also vying for the nomination.

Nevada Democrat Rep. Shelley Berkley has not endorsed a candidate yet and spokesman David Cherry said he was not sure when she would.

Meanwhile, Nevada Attorney General Brian Sandoval is serving as chairman of the state effort to re-elect Bush. Gov. Kenny Guinn, Sen. John Ensign and Reps. Jim Gibbons and Jon Porter are honorary co-chairmen for the Bush-Cheney campaign in Nevada.