Jon Ralston on how Bob Beers will make himself heard in this race

Friday, March 24, 2006 | 7:18 a.m.

Of cheap Beers, amazing brazenness, surprising appearances and a gubernatorial tussle:

Beers' campaign this week is touting a new Web ad that looks more to be a commercial for Tax and Spending Control for Nevada, the initiative he laid the groundwork for in Carson City. It depicts a special interest celebratory party in honor of Gibbons opposing TASC and at the end tells us what the spot is all about: "Stop the Madness. Bob Beers. The only interest group he's fighting for is Nevada."

It's really not that funny. But it's at least cute. And the ever-media savvy Beers, who is short on campaign funds compared to the seven-figure-rich Gibbons, knows that the media will love to talk about it - as I am now. (I'll even tell you where to find it - www.beers4nevada.org/newsroom/tv/)

It's a cost-effective way to get attention, albeit not as effective as a 1,000-gross-ratings-point-a-week TV buy, which Gibbons will start sometime soon.

The ad also indicates Beers' willingness to execute a two-pronged strategy to get in contention.

First, ignore Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, another Republican who also opposes TASC. He wants a straight-up fight with Gibbons and thinks he does well by contrast. And Beers knows it will still be very difficult for Hunt to sneak through the primary.

Second, run on TASC, talk about TASC, morph his campaign into the TASC campaign. He knows that TASC is off the charts with GOP voters, so Beers will pound Gibbons on it from now until August.

The Gibbons folks quickly responded with a statement about how voters "find it disingenuous that Mr. Beers helped pass the largest taxpayer-funded spending spree in our state's history, and now attempts to lecture us over his outrage of the spending he helped create."

Beers has to reap what he sowed by voting for the 2005 legislative budget, which Gibbons will brandish all campaign long. And that vote may be the equivalent of TASCmaster Ann O'Connell once signing on to a billion-dollar tax increase - not at all indicative of the actual voting record but cleverly used as a false synecdoche to hurt him politically.

If, indeed, Gibbons needs to hurt him politically.

So my eyes glazed over Thursday when Rep. Jon Porter released a Government Accountability Office report lambasting the Energy Department's quality assurance program. I was prepared to let my eyes also remain glazed as I scanned a subsequent release from ex-Gov. Bob List touting checks and balances and the Energy Department correcting its problems - List represents the nuclear industry - when I came across this line that made my eyes focus: "As this massive project moves steadily forward, all Nevadans should be appreciative that our families and our environment will be protected, while America's energy independence is being secured."

So Yucca Mountain will help protect the environment and help us reduce our addiction to oil? As a Nevadan, I know I am appreciative.

Porter may just be exercising his politician-given right to try to get easy headlines. But List deserves an award for taking the Yucca Mountain hyperbole to a new high - or low.

But methinks he may be running after I saw him Wednesday at the Spring Mountain Republican Women's Club. These ladies are quite nice, but no regular human being goes to a meeting like that unless he is seeking public office.