Monday, March 15, 2004 | 9:42 a.m.
Former gaming executive Tom Gallagher said he will announce later this week whether he will challenge Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev.
But Gallagher sounded like a sure thing Saturday at the Clark County Democratic Convention, where he was listed in the program as a "candidate for the 3rd Congressional District" and introduced by Sen. Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, as "the next congressman" from the district.
About 1,000 people attended the convention at the Riviera, where Democratic leaders tried to rally their supporters to start grass-roots campaigning now.
Also on Saturday, the New Democrat Network, a Democratic advocacy group, debuted two commercials that will air in three cities targeted because of their Hispanic populations: Las Vegas, Albuquerque and Phoenix.
President Bush, who has been known to speak some Spanish on the campaign trail, will need to do more to reach out to Hispanic voters this year, said Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., who said the president has not followed up on promises he made to Hispanic voters.
"This is an administration that says one thing, and they say it in Spanish, but they do another thing, and they do it in English," she said.
Earlier in the morning, Gallagher gave a speech that won hearty applause. He criticized Porter, saying the freshman representative voted along with the Republican House majority leaders on most issues.
Porter's voting record was a top concern in his mind, Gallagher said, when he was deciding whether to run.
"The real question is, 'why not?' " Gallagher told the crowd. "The people of the 3rd Congressional District deserve a congressman who is willing to stand up and fight for them."
Afterward, Gallagher said his speech was a "hint of what is coming" this week, and he hopes Democrats will continue to give him a warm welcome.
"That's what's been really encouraging, is talking to people and getting the sense that this is what people want me to do," said Gallagher, the former CEO of Park Place Entertainment, who first floated his name as a candidate three weeks ago.
Gallagher said he hasn't conducted an official fund-raiser yet, but he said he won't have trouble putting on a serious challenge to Porter, who has raised about $1 million for his re-election.
"Raising money will not be a problem," he said.
His speech was one of several that got Democrats riled up Saturday, when the party tried to keep up the momentum that it had when an estimated 6,000 voters attended the Feb. 14 state Democratic caucus.
"We've got to show these Republicans that they should be afraid of us because we will remain united," state party Chairwoman Adriana Martinez told the crowd.
"Everything you do between today and Nov. 2 will make a difference," said Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif., who won an upset victory over a heavily favored Republican incumbent, Bob Dornan, in 1996 by knocking door-to-door for a year.
"It takes a lot of work, it takes a lot of stamina," Sanchez said. "It's a long time between now and Nov. 2."
Participants, many of whom sat through five hours of political speeches, said they realize they'll have to knock on many doors in the campaign if Sen. John Kerry is to beat Bush in Nevada this November.
Bush won the state in 2000 by less than a 5 percent margin.
Will Schmitz, a member of Ironworkers Local 433, said he and most others in the union are committed to walking neighborhoods for Kerry.
"That's how we're going to win," he said. "That's how the whole country is going to be won. We're going to see more people than ever. You wait and see."
There were several hot commodities at the convention, including about 100 black "Bush is an Idiot" buttons that sold out before lunch.
Another popular political button: "Regime Change 2004.'
Also on Saturday, some candidates who have not received as much media exposure tried to raise their profiles.
Democrat Rick DeVoe, a construction worker who also wants to challenge Porter, told the crowd it would be healthy for the party to have a primary and a good dialogue on the issues.
And supporters of presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich implored delegates to cast a vote for the Ohio congressman. They still hope the Democratic Party will incorporate some of Kucinich's platforms into the party platform.
Clark County Republicans will have the opportunity to rally their troops Saturday at the Clark County Republican Convention at Palace Station.
archive
