Columnist Jeff German: Anti-Gibbons crowd scrambling for other options

Saturday, Oct. 1, 2005 | 9:53 a.m.

In his 32 years as a political consultant here, Kent Oram says he's never seen anything like the 2006 race for governor.

"Right now it's like a three-ring circus," he says. "You don't know what's going to happen next."

Much of this is occurring because of a concerted effort on the part of the powerbrokers, led by Gaming Inc., to make sure that the well-financed Republican front-runner, Rep. Jim Gibbons, doesn't win the race.

"There's a feeling that he's not the real deal," says one political operative with casino ties. "There's a strong sense of uncertainty about him."

Gibbons, however, remains a formidable candidate, primarily because he got out front and has already raised nearly $2 million in the race, far more than anyone else. He also has the consulting services of Sig Rogich, a former presidential adviser and longtime Nevada kingmaker.

Lately the anti-Gibbons crowd has been looking once more to university system Chancellor Jim Rogers, a vocal Gibbons basher, to save them from the Republican front-runner.

Last week Rogers, a wealthy television mogul who flirted with the idea of running for governor himself, followed up on his promise to create a political action committee to keep education issues alive during the governor's race.

He tells me that he opened a bank account for the PAC with a few hundred dollars on Wednesday and is prepared to contribute up to $1 million of his own money.

As Rogers puts it, he's ready to use the PAC to "protect his investment" in the university system. Rogers and his wife, Beverly, have pledged $65 million to UNLV alone.

"We're going to watch this thing like a hawk," he says. "We're going to go after anybody who doesn't support education as I think it should be supported."

The Gibbons detractors believe "anybody" will turn out to be the congressman, whose anti-spending philosophy is seen by Rogers as a threat to education.

Oram, who doesn't have a candidate in the race, says Rogers can be a real spoiler.

"I think he's more of a wild card now than when he was thinking about running," Oram says. "Where and when he spends his money is going to be important."

If Rogers runs television ads criticizing Gibbons during the primary, Oram says, it could sway voters toward the other leading candidates, moderate Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt or conservative state Sen. Bob Beers.

Rogers also could be a factor in the general election if Gibbons ends up winning the primary, Oram says.

His media campaign could level the playing field for the likely Democratic nominee, Henderson Mayor Jim Gibson or state Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, both of whom aren't likely to raise as much money as Gibbons.

At the moment, however, seasoned political operatives are having a hard time figuring out who's in the best position to win the race.

"There's a very confusing array of disparate candidates out there," says gaming attorney Frank Schreck, a longtime political fundraiser. "We're not going to have a clear picture until the primary's over."

And until the circus leaves town -- if it ever does.

Jeff German can be reached at 259-4067 or german@lasvegassun.com. His column runs on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.