N.M. governor seeks to own West

Michael J. Mishak

Thursday, Jan. 25, 2007 | 7:02 a.m.

While the two Democratic front-runners in the race for the White House - Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama - are planning trips to Iowa and New Hampshire, at least one dark horse is staking out ground in that other early contest state: Nevada.

One day after declaring his plans to run for president, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson announced that he has established a Silver State campaign team, led by Reynaldo Martinez, former chief of staff to Sen. Harry Reid.

As the only Westerner in the race, Richardson is moving swiftly to capitalize on what he sees as a natural edge in Nevada's Democratic caucus, one that will keep him competitive with his party's superstars .

Richardson is considered a long shot, despite a varied resume of public service that includes 15 years in Congress and stints as President Bill Clinton's ambassador to the United Nations and his energy secretary. Richardson's first task is to distinguish himself from the second tier of candidates.

And Nevada is open territory.

Of the eight Democrats who have either declared for the presidency or signaled their intentions to do so, only former Sen. John Edwards of South Carolina has come close to outworking Richardson in the Silver State. The two have been frequent visitors, and Edwards is expected to make his Nevada staff announcements next week.

Richardson logged five visits last year, mostly to stump for failed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dina Titus. Edwards was here a half-dozen times, including a swing through Reno last month on his presidential announcement tour. Both spoke at the convention of the Laborers International Union of North America in Las Vegas last year.

For the moment, Richardson is the only candidate with troops on the ground. Three staff members - all Nevada residents - have carved the state into three regions. Each will serve as a paid regional director.

Javier Trujillo, a Clark County mariachi teacher and Hispanic activist, will direct operations in the south. Theresa Navarro, a longtime Reno activist and former vice chairwoman of the Washoe County Democratic Party, will head up operations in the north. Michael Tassone, a longtime political operative with experience in Western campaigns, will be responsible for rural outreach.

A state director and communications director, both of whom will be headquartered in Las Vegas, are on the way as well, said Martinez, who is working as an unpaid volunteer.

The reason for Richardson's early focus on Nevada is clear: The state's contest, second only to the Iowa caucuses, is a must-win for the underdog candidate.

"Nevada is his shot to get into the top tier," said Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. "If he doesn't win in Nevada, he's out of the race."

The move also makes strategic sense. As governor of New Mexico, he will be tied up for the next few months with his state's legislative session. The close proximity to Nevada will allow quick visits. The son of a Hispanic mother and white father, Richardson also is expected to have an advantage with Nevada's large Hispanic population.

Richardson's campaign has already branded him the "Favorite Son of the West."

And with a Nevada win, he would be uniquely positioned to open up to Democrats the traditionally Republican states of the Intermountain West, Martinez said.

"He's the only (Democrat) running west of the Mississippi," Martinez said. "He understands our issues because he's worked with our issues."

As governor, Richardson has dealt with drought and rapid population growth, two central issues facing Nevadans. At the same time, he managed to cut taxes, raise teachers' salaries and promote renewable energy. Richardson has said that his efforts over the last four years helped create 84,000 jobs in his state, one of the poorest in the nation.

In November, he was elected to a second term with nearly 70 percent of the vote.

Besides the war in Iraq, Nevadans can expect to see water, land management and growth, among other Western issues, taking center stage as candidates travel the state over the next year.

What distinguishes Richardson on those policy issues, campaign manager Dave Contarino said, is experience. "He's got a real record of accomplishment," Contarino said. "He's actually doing things that other people just talk about."

The dance begins Saturday, when Richardson visits Northern Nevada as a guest speaker, along with retired Gen. Wesley Clark, at the Douglas County Democrats' annual fundraising dinner in Minden. "This is his back yard," Martinez said. "You have to win in your own back yard."