Guinn, Augustine rally party leaders to get behind Bush

Friday, April 30, 2004 | 10:40 a.m.

RENO -- Republican Gov. Kenny Guinn planned today to call on state party members to back President Bush, who he says has not buckled under to the threat of terrorism.

Guinn, in remarks before he gave his noon speech to the state GOP Convention, said that, under Bush, the economy of the nation and the state is being rebuilt.

He said he'll do everything in his power to elect Republicans in the upcoming election, including raising campaign money for many of the state's GOP candidates.

And he is looking further into the future.

In 2006, four of the five incumbent GOP state office holders, including Guinn, will be constitutionally barred from running for re-election due to term limits. The others are Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, Secretary of State Dean Heller, Treasurer Brian Krolicki and Controller Kathy Augustine.

Only Attorney General Brian Sandoval will be a holdover in 2006.

The governor is expected to tell the convention they must start developing candidates for the 2006 election to keep the GOP in power.

And he plans to tell the convention that he wants to see the GOP take over control of the Assembly from the Democrats and to retain control of the state Senate.

Loyalty to the party's national leader was also a theme today for Augustine, who said the economy of Nevada and the nation has rebounded after President Bush signed a "bold jobs and growth plan" nearly a year ago.

Augustine addressed a breakfast of GOP party delegates before they opened their state convention in the Peppermill hotel-casino.

In her prepared remarks Augustine said, "Job growth and the overall economy in our state exceeds that of the nation as a whole." Job gains have averaged 1.7 percent, and the unemployment rate in 2003 was 5.3 percent, compared with 5.5 percent in the previous years, she said.

There have been increases in taxable sales, gaming and income in Nevada, said Augustine, who urged the GOP to unite behind President Bush.

Last fiscal year, she said, 40 million passengers arrived and departed from Nevada's airports, a 3.8 percent gain. Taxable sales, the state's largest tax revenue source, grew 6.3 percent last fiscal year, compared with only a 0.8 percent increase in the previous year.

She urged the party regulars to help President Bush by contributing money, volunteering, walking precincts, writing letters to newspapers or calling into talk radio shows.

"You can help President Bush remain our nation's leader," she said. "Let us all remain united in victory in 2004."