Gerhardt turns back Bandiero’s charge

Stephen Curran

Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2004 | 11:33 a.m.

A retired Metro Police corrections officer defeated a teacher for the Assembly District 29 seat vacated by Republican Josh Griffin, who left office after one term.

Democrat Susan Gerhardt, 46, who retired in June after eight years as a corrections officer, came into the race after a 92 percent victory in the primary. She ran on a platform of focusing on education, health care and public safety.

She faced Republican Anthony Bandiero, 28, a science and life skills teacher at the Summit View Correctional Center near Nellis Air Force Base. Bandiero said his priorities were education, water issues and fighting tax increases. He also vowed to protect the health care credit for employers and to streamline doctor licensing.

Gerhardt defeated Bandiero by almost 1,500 votes or 11,094 to 9,480. That was a split of 53.4 percent to 46.1 percent.

The race for Griffin's former seat was considered one of the closest of the election. Griffin said low pay for legislators was a major factor in his decision not to seek re-election.

Neither candidate had an edge going into Tuesday's election. District 29, which is in Henderson west of U.S. 95 and north of Interstate 215, is home to about 12,900 Republicans and about 12,800 Democrats.

The race was the first run for public office for both candidates, although Bandiero spent time in the last Legislature as a registered lobbyist for the Mechanical Contractors Association of Nevada, the National Electrical Contractors Association, the Nevada Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Assocaiation, Nevada Rental Association, Rental Industry Association and the Western Petroleum Marketers Association.

Bandiero was endorsed by the Nevada Association of Independent Businesses, the Las Vegas Metro Police Managers and Supervisors Association, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Civilian Employees Association, the Retail Association of Nevada and Subcontractors Association of Nevada.

He won the primary by less than 200 votes, receiving just under 45 percent.

Gerhardt was endorsed by the Police Protective Association, the Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs, the Nevada State Education Association, the Southern Nevada Central Labor Council, the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters, the Nevada Alliance for Retired Americans, the Professional Fire Fighters of Nevada and Culinary Local 226.