Collins joins County Commission field

Kirsten Searer

Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2004 | 9:31 a.m.

The field of Democrats challenging embattled Clark County Commissioner Mary Kincaid-Chauncey is growing.

Assemblyman Tom Collins, D-North Las Vegas, announced Tuesday he will run for the Clark County Commission B seat. And Stephanie Smith, a North Las Vegas city councilwoman who made a failed bid against Kincaid-Chauncey in her last race, said Tuesday she still is considering a run for the seat.

While Kincaid-Chauncey said she hopes to clear her name of the federal political corruption charges levied against her before this fall's elections, some observers said they're not surprised that elected officials are lining up to try to replace her on one of the most powerful elected bodies in the state.

Collins, a five-term assemblyman, is the second Democratic state lawmaker to say he wants the seat. Vonne Chowning, D-North Las Vegas, announced last month that she plans to run.

On Tuesday Republican Shari Buck, a North Las Vegas city councilwoman, confirmed that she plans to enter the race.

Collins said for him it is part of his long-term goals. "I've always planned to go back to local government and this was the right time," he said. "It's basically an open seat."

It remains to be seen whether Kincaid-Chauncey, a longtime political veteran, is vulnerable, political consultant Billy Vassiliadis said. "She's been on that ballot an awful lot," Vassiliadis said. "She's got a lot of friends and there are a lot of older parts of that city in the district."

Still, Vassiliadis said these high-profile Democratic candidates wouldn't make a run unless they thought Kincaid-Chauncey faced major political hurdles.

"That primary I think is going to be very, very, very competitive," he said. "And I hate to guess who is going to win. I think all three candidates have a core constituency."

Smith said she was considering another run for the seat long before Kincaid-Chauncey was charged in a federal corruption probe. Authorities allege Kincaid-Chauncey and former commissioners Dario Herrera, Lance Malone and Erin Kenny accepted payments from strip club owner Michael Galardi in exchange for favorable votes. Galardi and Kenny have pleaded guilty to reduced charges. The others have pleaded not guilty.

While Smith said Kincaid-Chauncey is innocent until proven guilty of the charges, the scandal will make it difficult for her to win, she said.

"I don't know if I see it as an open seat, but I think the dynamics have certainly changed," she said. Collins, a 53-year-old electrical contractor and small-business owner, served on the North Las Vegas Planning Commission for nearly seven years.

He said he and his wife, Kathy, are friendly with several of the candidates, and he won't focus on Kincaid-Chauncey's legal troubles or on attacking his opponents.

"I intend to be their friend and I expect them to be my friends every day of this campaign and after the election is over," he said.