Berkley only incumbent to attend UNLV debate

Dan Kulin

Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2004 | 10:48 a.m.

What was slated as a night of three debates that would have included another meeting of the candidates in Nevada's most acrimonious congressional race instead turned out to be a civil affair that drew only one incumbent candidate and less than two dozen interested voters.

Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., a former student body president at UNLV, was the only incumbent to attend the Tuesday night debate held at her alma mater. Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., and Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., were invited but did not attend the event.

In squaring off with her challengers, Republican Russ Mickelson and Libertarian Jim Duensing, Berkley spoke of her hope to continue working to bring federal money for road projects to Southern Nevada.

She also said it is important to provide youth with a quality education and that while the Bush administration's No Child Left Behind legislation was a good idea, it hasn't been adequately funded.

Mickelson said there should be less federal taxation and warned that raising taxes could hurt the economy.

He also said the United States should increase the size of its military.

Duensing said the government should eliminate regulations and lower taxes.

The three were also asked about the abortion issue. Mickelson said he favors abortion in cases of rape, incest or if the health of the mother is in danger.

Duensing said he considers abortion murder, but if it is going to happen it should be a decision made by the mother and father of the unborn child.

Berkley is pro-choice.

Berkley said there were probably a few reasons for the low turnout of candidates at the debate. For her fellow incumbents, Berkley said it is conventional wisdom that if you are leading in your race, you don't need to debate your opponents.

On the low public attendance, Berkley said perhaps some people have already cast their ballot through early voting and have turned off the remaining days of the election. Perhaps others are just tired of a long campaign season, she said.

UNLV student Ryan Tobler came to the debate to hear the candidates and said he was most impressed with Berkley's opinions and knowledge of the issues. Tobler said he wasn't surprised by the lack of turnout because many UNLV students work.

Ben Duchek, executive director of Las Vegas World Affairs Council and a UNLV political science graduate student who moderated the debates, said they were hoping about 100 people would attend the event. He said maybe some people didn't attend because they feel the featured races aren't close.

Duchek also said that if the group organizes another debate in the future, the debate would be held before early voting starts.

Although Reid did not attend, his challengers, Republican Richard Ziser and Libertarian Tom Hurst, did.

The two candidates were on opposite sides of some issues, but close on others.

For example, Ziser said it was important for the United State to fight terrorism by hunting terrorists down around the world.

"We should go out and weed them out wherever they may be," he said.

Hurst said the U.S. should remove its troops from the 100 or so countries they are stationed in, including Iraq, and bring them home.

Both candidates agreed there is too much government regulation in the health care industry.

In addition to Porter, his Democratic challenger Tom Gallagher did not show for the debate. The two candidates have been waging strong negative campaigns against each other and have traded sharp criticisms in recent debates.

Duchek said Gallagher came to the event but left before it was his turn to speak.