Las Vegas supporters celebrate Kerry win

Heather Rawlyk and Dan Kulin

Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2004 | 9:31 a.m.

Las Vegas supporters of Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., who won the Iowa caucuses last week, gathered at the Tap House on West Charleston Boulevard Tuesday night looking for a repeat.

They got what they came for. They threw their hands in the air in glee when Kerry claimed the top spot in the New Hampshire primary.

"I am so excited," Clarissa Sinagulia said. "(Kerry) has so many things going for him. He's two-for-two right now and we're cheering for him all the way."

Former Democratic Rep. Jim Bilbray, co-chairman of the Kerry campaign, said although he was pleased with Kerry's victory Tuesday night, the senator still has his work cut out.

"He's got a tough race ahead of him in South Carolina," he said. "But he's got Missouri. He definitely has Missouri."

University of Nevada, Las Vegas political science professor Ted Jelen agreed it's too soon to count on victory.

"I think obviously Kerry is in a strong position right now," he said. "But he's also kind of in a dilemma now because some of the other candidates are in a position to regroup. Edwards and Clark are going to focus on South Carolina. Dean will now focus on areas such as New Mexico, so Kerry will have a tough race."

Erin Bilbray, the former congressman's daughter and another Kerry supporter, said Kerry's oratorical skill will keep him in the lead.

"He is so powerful when he speaks, he just has the ability to draw people in," she said. "When he gets on a roll, he's unstoppable."

Sinagulia said Kerry can relate to people from all walks of life and is confident about his chances in the Nevada caucus on Feb. 14.

"I think this country has gotten in so deep with problems overseas in the past four years," she said. "Kerry is going to be able to pull it out, and that's something the whole country is involved in."

Clark County Commissioner Yvonne Atkinson Gates, who chairs Nevadans for Dean, said she was encouraged by Dean's second-place showing.

Kerry won New Hampshire with 39 percent of the vote, and Dean received 26 percent.

"After the scream -- his rally I call it -- everybody though he was dead but he isn't. He's back up," Atkinson Gates said.

She said Dean's post-Iowa caucus speech that has been widely lampooned has been blown out of proportion by the media.

"He had 3,500 people there expecting he would win. He was doing exactly what I would have done, getting the people up for New Hampshire," she said.

At Skinny Dugans Pub, supporters for retired Gen. Wesley Clark were happy to see their candidate take third place, with 13 percent.

"Considering he's only been in the race for five months, it's phenomenal to be in third," supporter Candace Young-Richey said.

Richey's husband, Don, said he believes Clark can make a comeback.

"Of course we think he can make a comeback," he said. "He's a Rhodes Scholar, and we're talking Clinton smart. He speaks four languages and is well-rounded and educated. Let him get in there and debate with Bush. That's what everybody wants to see."

Jelen said Clark may be eliminated next week.

"Either Clark or Edwards will be eliminated next week," he said, referring to Sen. John Edwards, N.C., who ran fourth Tuesday.

As for former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, Jelen says he still has a shot.

"Dean is still alive," he said. "But he needs to win something and he needs to win it quickly."