Editorial: Our choices for Congress

Friday, Oct. 15, 2004 | 5:08 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION: October 17, 2004

Harry Reid, a moderate Democrat, has been an outstanding U.S. senator for Nevada since he was first elected in 1986. He has championed the needs of working people, and if it hadn't been for Reid's unwavering opposition to burying nuclear waste in Nevada, the Yucca Mountain project very likely would have been a done deal by now. Instead, Reid's influence has given our state a fighting chance to stop Yucca Mountain. We can't afford to lose Reid, who is the assistant minority leader of the U.S. Senate and the most powerful Nevadan we've ever had in Congress. The Sun endorses Harry Reid.

In the most fiercely contested congressional race in Nevada, Democrat Tom Gallagher is trying to unseat Republican Jon Porter in Congressional District 3, which includes part of Southern Nevada. When Porter was elected in 2002 he said he would be an independent voice, but instead he has been a rubber stamp for Republican leaders, almost always voting with them. It's also disturbing that Porter, like so many other top Republicans in this state, says that there isn't any difference between John Kerry and George Bush on Yucca Mountain. Even a schoolchild would understand that Bush, a Republican, has put nuclear waste on a fast track to Yucca Mountain while Kerry, a Democrat, has fought the dump and would, if elected, do all that he could to stop it. For Porter, fealty to his party and the president have clouded his judgment on Yucca Mountain.

Gallagher has been a successful executive in the gaming industry and we're fortunate that he's willing to bring his expertise in problem-solving to Washington. He has sensible ideas, such as passing a real prescription drug benefit for seniors that doesn't benefit the insurance companies and drug makers. That stands in stark contrast to Porter, who supported the president's prescription drug plan, which actually makes it illegal for the federal government to buy drugs in bulk, resulting in seniors having to pay far more than they should. And on Yucca Mountain, the biggest federal issue facing this state, Gallagher clearly understands how important it is to do everything in his power to prevent it from happening. The Sun endorses Tom Gallagher.

Rep. Shelley Berkley, another moderate Democrat from Nevada, has been a great representative for Congressional District 1, which includes part of Southern Nevada. She has been an effective advocate on behalf of Las Vegas, working to get more funding for local schools and trying to find ways to lower health care costs. The Sun endorses Shelley Berkley.

Rep. Jim Gibbons, a conservative Republican, represents Congressional District 2, which includes all of Northern Nevada and a part of Southern Nevada. We don't always see eye-to-eye with Gibbons on the issues, but he has been effective in satisfying the needs of his constituents, especially those in rural areas who might otherwise go neglected. The Sun endorses Jim Gibbons.