As Dems woo Titus for run against Porter, GOP begins attack

Wednesday, April 30, 2008 | 2 a.m.

Back when he was a congressional candidate — say, last week — Robert Daskas painted himself as a centrist. He spoke out against universal health care, proclaimed the need to fix the nation’s borders before considering paths to citizenship for illegal immigrants and said he would not endorse a timetable for withdrawing troops from Iraq.

Titus

Porter

To Dems’ dismay, Daskas drops out (4-29-2008)
Daskas pulls out of race against Porter (4-28-2008)
OK, he was fourth on the list, but he’s taking on Porter (9-19-2007)

But with state Sen. Dina Titus considering a run against Rep. Jon Porter, the progressive wing of the state’s Democratic Party has a chance to prove it can win a major race in the state.

Instantly, the dynamics of the 3rd Congressional District race changed, from Porter’s facing a prosecutor without a record to his possibly facing a well-known candidate with impressive credentials but also baggage from her unsuccessful 2006 race for governor.

Democrats are trying to woo Titus into the race and praising her abilities as a candidate. Though she did not return calls from the Sun on Tuesday, in an e-mail to supporters, Titus said she has received calls from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Shelley Berkley and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid urging her to enter the race.

“There’s no question, Dina Titus is an aggressive and effective campaigner,” said Dan Hart, a Democratic consultant not working for Titus. “Jon Porter has run against a lot of people. He has never run against anyone like Dina Titus, nobody from whom you can expect the aggressive challenge Dina will present if she runs.”

Even though she is not yet in the race, and may decide to keep it that way, Republicans already have sent out missives against Titus. In so doing, the GOP has sketched the broad outline of how a Porter-Titus race might shape up.

“Dina Titus should think long and hard before launching a second long-shot campaign. Two losses in a row would be career-ending for her,” National Republican Congressional Committee spokeswoman Julie Shutley said in a news release.

“Nevada voters rejected Dina Titus in 2006 because of her liberal record for hiking taxes and giving benefits to illegal immigrants. She should think twice before launching another campaign that will surely end in defeat once again.”

(Of course, if Titus’ candidacy would “surely end in defeat,” wouldn’t Republicans welcome her into the race?)

Hewing to the party line, Republican Sen. John Ensign, chairman of the committee trying to reclaim the U.S. Senate for his party this fall, said Daskas’ withdrawal was “good news for Jon Porter.”

“We saw what kind of candidate she was for governor,” Ensign said of a potential Titus congressional candidacy.

But though she lost that 2006 race to Republican Jim Gibbons, she carried the 3rd District by 2 percentage points, or 5,000 votes, at a time when the Democrats held a slim voter registration advantage of 1,907. Today the Democrats’ edge in the district is more than 22,500.

Yet the 2006 race — particularly the primary — shows why some see Titus as vulnerable.

In the Democratic primary, much of the Democratic establishment lined up behind moderate Henderson Mayor Jim Gibson, with some believing Titus could not win a statewide race. Titus ultimately defeated Gibson but had to empty her treasury in the primary, and entered the general election campaign without money.

Many Democratic activists say the dynamics that cost Titus the general election — an inability to connect with rural voters or to avoid being painted as a tax-and-spender — don’t apply here. As one observer put it: “Ely and Elko aren’t in CD03.”

With Democrats desperate for Titus to enter the race, she likely would have the establishment’s backing, an asset in raising money.

Richard Perkins, the former Assembly speaker who also was approached about running against Porter, said he thought Titus would do well.

“Dina beat Gov. Gibbons by a couple of points in that district,” he said. “So her perceived liberal leanings didn’t hurt her at all.”

Robert Uithoven, a Republican consultant who ran Gibbons’ campaign for governor against Titus, said Titus’ lengthy legislative record would make it easier for her opponents to map out a strategy this fall.

Asked how he would run against her, Uithoven said he would emphasize her legislative record on taxes and other core conservative policy issues.

“The easier it is to define differences, the easier it is to win a campaign,” Uithoven said.

Sun reporter Lisa Mascaro contributed to this story.

Discussion: 8 comments so far…

By justjoe

4/30/08 at 7:09 a.m.

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My family has been in this area for over 100 years and I can't think of anyone else but Dina Titus, who has been here for about 30 years, who would do a better job representing CD3. George "Joe" Ullom.
By jfnance32

4/30/08 at 8:03 a.m.

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I will give money for her campaign.

Bring it on, Ms. Taxus.
By HelenWeils

4/30/08 at 8:04 a.m.

Comment removed by staff.
By HelenWiels

4/30/08 at 8:54 a.m.

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All the morons who voted for Gibbons in CD03 owe her a sympathy vote.

That being said, in a year that will have record Democratic turnout, in a district that has 20k more Ds than Rs, Porter doesn't stand a chance.

While he's accomplished little as part of NV's congressional delegation, he was successful at one thing: being Bush's lap dog. Daddy Bush said jump, and little Porter's tail wagged as his paws left the floor.

Blindly supporting torture and the endless occupation of Iraq, I wonder... was George offering Porter a milkbone in return?
By NVMakz

4/30/08 at 9:17 a.m.

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Porter is a towering paragon of political gravitas compared to the wanna-be-ANYTHING-in-politics Titus.

Titus is good at mainly one thing, carrying on the tradition of negative, demeaning and trashtalking politics of the current DemocRAT party (small p). Her tinier-than-he-was presence running against Gibbons, who still seems smaller than Titus, said and says it all.

As the national liberal-socialist party tears itself apart in Denver, alienating either blacks or women in time for November = perhaps Titus should run. Her defeat (again) might just wash her out of Nevada politics for good.

Like Hillary, her voice is like robo-fingernails running across the political "blackboard". Staged, primped and well-indoctrinated = we all have had enough of that.........
By sfiver

4/30/08 at 11:26 a.m.

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Listen, anybody but Mr. Porter would be a better representative in congress. I would vote for Ms. Titus as I believe she is one of the few honest politicians in Las Vegas. Her liberal views mean all will be represented, not just the minorities that cater to the republicans. They have Mr. Bush in the WH for the past 8 years - we all need a break. However, who will replace her in the Nevada State Senate? She has been a strong voice in that assembly and I fear we would not have an equal to replace her. We are all very sorry that she did not win over Mrs. Gibbons (currently in residence in the governor's mansion - and unelected at that!). I guess we have the liberal-thinkers of northern Nevada to give thanks to that fiasco. Go, Ms. Titus, GO!!!
By jfnance32

4/30/08 at 5:44 p.m.

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Counter argument to Helenwis:

1. Ms Taxus is way left to the avg reg. voter in the district.

2. Ms Taxus is pro-tax.

3. The top of the ticket will be a person who thinks the reg. voters in the district are bitter gun carrying Bible reading idiots. That will be a drag on Ms. Taxus.

4. The top of the ticket will have a bunch of other crap "discovered" about him.

5. The Congressional distict overlaps with Bob Beers district. There will be a battle there and it will help Beers that Ms. Taxus is running for congress and conversely it will hurt Ms. Taxus because Beers will probably runs ads against his opponent tying her to the tax crazed Ms. Taxus.
By Johnathan_Abbinett

5/4/08 at 1:14 a.m.

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Is someone paying "NVKakz" to write this delusional dribble?

Porter has voted AGAINST pay raises for OUR Troops, AGAINST bonuses for OUR Troops in combat, AGAINST much needed equipment for OUR Troops (like important BODY ARMOR gear), AGAINST increases for our Military Families, AGAINST fully funding the V.A. and our Disabled Veterans, time and time again!

Those are FACTS anyone can easily look up on Porter by simply going to the Congressional Record - FACTS, FACTS & MORE FACTS!

There are 22,500 more registered Democrats AND some 30,000 Vets in C.D. #3 - and the FACTS are going to be out front and center this time around!

Porter has only one easy way out - announce that he won't be running for re-election, then cash out, take the money and cut run back to Boulder City (or Iowa) - I'm sure he'd do well as a used car salesman and returning to scamming and selling trash insurance policies.