Democrats pick up three seats

Stephen Curran

Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2004 | 11:24 a.m.

All but one of Southern Nevada's incumbent Assembly members successfully defended their seats, and coupled with statewide successes in which Democrats picked up three seats, Democrats expanded their lead to a 26-15 majority.

Among those new to the race were four challengers who squared off for the District 6 seat last held by Democrat Wendell Williams, who faced a series of ethical woes, including being paid for his Las Vegas Neighborhood Services job while he was in Carson City, which cost him his city job.

Retired high school teacher and Democrat Harvey Munford, who lost to Williams in a 2-to-1 margin in that party's primary four years ago but beat him in this year's primary, won a clear majority Tuesday with 74 percent of the vote, or 7,364 votes.

Democrats have held the seat in every election since the district was created in 1973. Munford ran on a platform of bringing well-paying jobs to the area and improving education in the district.

Munford faced Republican physician Cornell Clark, who grew up in the district. Clark, 48, won 21 percent, or 2,126 votes. Independent American Party candidate Robert Peterson, 65, received 2 percent, or 201 votes.

Libertarian Charles Schneider received 2.8 percent, or 281 votes.

Two men sought unsuccessfully to unseat District 7 Assemblyman Morse Arberry, the Democratic incumbent who had been the subject of an investigation into a potentially damaging double-dipping controversy. The investigation showed Arberry, 51, had received regular and sick pay at his county job for days he served in the Legislature.

Arberry faced Republican challenger Gary Seward, a local retiree, and Stan Vaughan, a 48-year-old Internet entrepreneur, author and artist, who ran as an independent. Arberry received 70 percent of the votes cast; Seward, 44, received 23 percent and Vaughan received 6 percent.

Three men competed for the District 10 seat last held by David Goldwater, who gave up the seat to run for Clark County Commission. This election was the first time the seat was open in almost a decade.

Democrat Joseph Hogan won the seat, with 55 percent. Republican Rex Wilhoite and Independent American Party candidate Glenn Brown, a retiree, received 41 percent and 4 percent, respecitvely.

In other races: