Hansen: Endorsements may hurt Douglas

Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2004 | 10:51 a.m.

Nevada Supreme Court candidate Joel Hansen said the high-level endorsements his opponent, Michael Douglas, received Monday may actually hurt Douglas.

Douglas, the incumbent, received bipartisan support from Republican Gov. Kenny Guinn and several Democrats, Sen. Harry Reid, former Sen. Richard Bryan, Rep. Shelley Berkley and former Gov. Bob Miller in a statement send out by the Rogich Communications Group.

"I think that the endorsement by the obvious group of pro-tax, establishment politicians will help me, because it just clarifies that Mr. Douglas is on their side of the aisle," said Hansen, a member of the anti-tax Independent American Party.

Hansen has based his campaign for the seat on the Nevada Supreme Court's controversial decision during the 2003 Legislature to temporarily put aside the state constitution's requirement for two-thirds of the Legislature to approve a tax increase.

An avid proponent of both the U.S. and Nevada constitutions, Hansen was one of the attorneys trying to get an "axe the tax" measure on the November ballot. The initiative fell 1,600 signatures short, Hansen said.

Douglas was appointed to the seat by Guinn in March 2004 following the death of Justice Myron Leavitt.