Local Kerry backers celebrate victories

Heather Rawlyk and Dan Kulin

Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2004 | 11:18 a.m.

Local supporters of Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., celebrated their candidate's victories in five of the seven Democratic contests Tuesday as Kerry solidified his status as the front-runner for his party's nomination.

Kerry supporters packed the Tap House on West Charleston Boulevard to watch the results Tuesday night, screaming and cheering as Kerry won Arizona, Delaware and Missouri primaries and the North Dakota and New Mexico caucuses.

Although voters in South Carolina and Oklahoma kept Kerry from winning all the primaries, his supporters said they were still pleased with his showing in both states.

Kerry took 30 percent of the vote to finish second in South Carolina behind Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina who won with 45 percent.

In Oklahoma, Kerry placed third with 27 percent. Retired Gen. Wesley Clark barely took the top spot in that contest, beating Edwards by about 1,300 votes, as both Clark and Edwards took about 30 percent of the city.

"We kind of expected to lose South Carolina," said Kerry supporter Erin Bilbray, daughter of former congressman Jim Bilbray. "But look how well we did there. We are still happy about it."

Justin Gilbert, president of the Young Democrats of Nevada and the Edwards' campaign local organizer, said his candidate "is looking good to this point."

"I think we're very happy," Gilbert said. "He set out from the start to win South Carolina and did by double digits."

Edwards also ran a strong second in Oklahoma and Missouri, both of which Gilbert said bode well for the candidate.

University of Nevada, Las Vegas political science professor Ted Jelen said that while Kerry obviously had the best night, he thinks Edwards and Clark are still very much in the race, while former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean is probably nearing the end of his candidacy.

"It's a good night for Kerry, and Edwards and Clark have lived to fight another day," Jelen said. "But I would tend to think Dean is out."

Clark County Commissioner Yvonne Atkinson Gates, who chairs Nevadans for Dean, did not return telephone messages seeking comment Tuesday night and could not be reached for comment this morning.

However, local attorney Richard Segerblom, a Dean supporter, said today that Tuesday's results were not surprising for the Dean campaign because after losing in Iowa and New Hampshire, Dean stepped back and set his goals on Saturday and beyond.

"I guess the results show that Nevada is more important than ever," Segerblom said, referring to the Nevada caucus on Feb. 14. "And that is good for Nevada because a high-energy caucus will get the people out."

Clark supporters also are staying optimistic.

Wayne Smith, Clark's designated delegate to the Nevada caucuses, said: "We're real happy about this. We're cookin' right along."

Smith said the campaign has been buoyed by the win in Oklahoma and strong second-place finishes in three other states.

"We had to have a win somewhere," Smith said. "And I think we'll be really strong in Nevada."