Beers announces he will run for governor

Kirsten Searer and Cy Ryan

Wednesday, July 6, 2005 | 11:08 a.m.

Sen. Bob Beers, R-Las Vegas, one of the state's most vocal critics of higher taxes and government spending, said today that he will run for governor in 2006.

At a press conference this morning in Reno, Beers said he was getting into the governor's race in an attempt "to stop the hyper-growth of government." He said that he spent four sessions of the Legislature trying to reduce the rate of growth and has been unsuccessful. "The place to be (effective) is in the governor's mansion," Beers said.

"We need to control government general spending so we can focus resources on the real priorities of Nevada's families -- cutting taxes, improving education, slowing the growth of government, and addressing our transportation problems," Beers said.

He said he would like to see the state's largest school districts -- Washoe and Clark -- broken up into smaller districts with their own school boards governing them.

He said one of the biggest issues for him is "the public schools failing our kids and families."

Beers, a 45-year-old computer computer accounting consultant, served three terms in the Assembly before winning a seat in the Nevada Senate last year. He trounced longtime incumbent Ray Rawson in the Republican primary election.

As for the GOP gubernatorial nomination, however, public opinion polls previously indicated Beers was third behind U.S. Rep. Jim Gibbons and Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt.

This morning Beers said, "I was flattered to be included in the polls when I was not even running. Perhaps that (order) will now change."

Beers estimated he would have to raise $3 million to $5 dollars for his campaign.

Democrats on Tuesday issued a press release criticizing Beers.

Jon Summers, communications director for the state Democratic Party, said "Gibbons and Beers are two peas in a right-wing extremist pod." Summers said the announcement by Beers "makes it clear that there is no room for moderation in the Nevada Republican Party."

Beers, who has a bachelor's degree in business administration from UNLV, represents Senate District 6, which encompasses the northwest Las Vegas. During the 2005 Legislature, he was vice chairman ofthe Senate Finance Committee and a member of the Legislative Operations and Elections Committee and the Natural Resources Committee.

Beers scored an earnest following after the 2003 legislative session, when, as an assemblyman, he was a vocal opponent of the $833 million tax increase, the largest in state history.

This year in the Senate he pushed a Nevada equivalent of the Taxpayers Bill of Rights, a law in Colorado that limits government growth to the rate of population growth plus inflation.

When the bill died, Beers vowed to push it as an initiative in 2006.

Beers also was the first to publicly propose a rebate on each registered vehicle when tax revenues came in far over what had been predicted. Republican Gov. Kenny Guinn then came in with his own plan that was modified and gained approval for rebates ranging from $75 to $275.

Under state law, Beers would not have to resign his senate post to run for governor. His Senate seat is up in 2008.

While Gibbons has positioned himself for a run in recent months, several Republicans, including Guinn, have openly encouraged other members of their party to enter the race.

Republican Lt. Gov. Hunt has said she is seeking the GOP gubernatorial nomination, while university system Chancellor Jim Rogers and Reno Mayor Robert Cashell have said they too might enter the Republican primary.

Gibbons and Guinn have been at odds at times, particularly after Gibbons criticized Guinn's budget proposal during a 2003 visit to Carson City.

But Guinn spokesman Greg Bortolin said Guinn's work to recruit new candidates is not sour grapes, and Guinn will support the winner of the Republican primary.

"He's been trying to encourage as many people as possible to run," Bortolin said. "He has not endorsed anybody and he feels that a competitive primary will be better for everyone."

Guinn did visit Cashell last week to talk to him about the office, though Cashell said he won't make a decision for a few weeks.

The Reno mayor said several gaming executives have also approached him to talk about the job.

Cashell said he's tempted by the opportunity to "get people to work together to make some progressive changes, make some things happen." But he said he hasn't decided if he wants to leave the mayor's post, which he won in 2002.

Rogers is on a vacation cruise and was unavailable for comment.

Gibbons has not officially announced his candidacy yet, but he has been working with a steering committee headed by powerful Republican consultant Sig Rogich.

Steve Wark, a longtime Republican consultant who has done some work with the Gibbons' campaign, said Gibbons is far ahead of any potential Republican entrant into the race.

"Jim Gibbons has been setting the table very well for his run for governor," Wark said. "It really leaves very little room for challengers in the Republican primary if they expect to capture the core Republican vote."

Democrats in the race are likely to include Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, and Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas.

Perkins said Tuesday that a competitive Republican primary could help the Democratic nominee, who will likely emerge from a tough primary.

"That's the obvious benefit," Perkins said.