Embattled Christensen keeps seat

Stephen Curran

Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2004 | 8:21 a.m.

Incumbent Republican Chad Christensen overcame revelations of campaign finance violations in his bid to secure his District 13 seat against Democratic challenger Justin Jones and Libertarian Debra Caren Payne-Dedmon.

Christensen won with 25,203 votes or 55 percent, to 19,230 or 42 percent for Jones and 1,686 for Payne-Dedmon.

Christensen pointed out that his margin of victory was three times larger than the registration edge that Republicans hold in his district. He had been an assemblyman that many thought would be targeted because he voted against a tax plan last session.

But he said he thought his constituents respected him for it.

Christensen, who was first elected in 2002, was listed earlier this month as one of the "Mean Fifteen" by the largely gaming industry-funded group Legislative Watch for his opposition to a tax increase and a plan to create a gross receipts tax on business revenue. Both measures were supported by the gaming industry.

However, critics say his campaign was weakened after he faced a $4,500 fine in April from the secretary of state's office for campaign finance violations. The investigators found Christensen, 34, failed to detail campaign loans, expenses and contributions.

District 13 covers a wide swath from the outer edge of Summerlin to Mount Charleston. Of its 55,000 voters, 45 percent are Republican and 38 percent are Democrat.

Christensen is an independent consultant who ran on a platform of improving education, creating economic growth, making health care affordable and accessible and controlling government spending.

Jones, a 29-year-old attorney who specializes in business litigation, ran on a platform of "fight(ing) for a better education for our children, quality affordable health care for working families and a smarter, more accountable government that puts Nevada residents' interests first."