Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Top congressional hopefuls eye easy Nevada primary

Two incumbent Republican congressmen and their anointed Democratic challengers were expected to coast to victories Tuesday in a primary election with so little competition that officials were predicting record low turnout.

In Nevada's other congressional district, five-term Democrat Shelley Berkley was favored to easily advance to the general election.

U.S. Rep. Jon Porter faced only token opposition from within his own party in his race for a fourth term representing Nevada's 3rd Congressional District, a sprawling suburban district expected to be among the most contested battlegrounds in the nation in November.

Among the little-known candidates challenging Porter on the ballot was Carl Bunce, a follower of former Republican presidential candidate U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas. Paul supporters mounted challenges in all three of Nevada's congressional districts as part of an effort they describe as returning the Republican Party to its more libertarian roots.

Porter's likely opponent, Democratic state Sen. Dina Titus, also faced no stiff opposition for her party's nod. Titus, a well-known college professor and failed candidate for governor, jumped in the race in May _ at the strong urging of Democratic leadership _ after Clark County prosecutor Robert Daskas dropped his bid abruptly.

In northern Nevada, U.S. Rep. Dean Heller was seeking his second term in the 2nd Congressional District with solid party support. Heller faced opposition from another Paul-backer, Sparks pawn shop owner James Smack. Like his fellow Paul candidates, Smack describes his opponent as too closely in line with the Bush administration. However, Smack lacked funding to mount a full scale campaign.

The Democratic party coalesced early around its favorite challenger in that race. Former state party chairwoman and university regent Jill Derby is set for a rematch of the 2006 election. Derby lost to Heller two years ago, but showed surprising strength in a district that covers all of rural Nevada and Washoe County, historically Republican territory.

Derby has no primary opposition.

In Nevada's 1st Congressional District, largely encompassing urban Las Vegas, Berkley was breezing toward the nomination with only token opposition in the safe district. She shares the ballot with Democrat Mark Budetich Jr.

Republican Kenneth Wegner, a disabled war veteran and two-time candidate, was seeking a rematch against Berkley. Wegner won just 31 percent of the vote in his 2006 bid for the seat. He'll face Chris Dyer, a Paul supporter, among other little-known candidates.

The lack of competition in races up and down the ballot promised to make for a sleepy primary. Voters only trickled into the polls during the two-week early voting period. Only about 7 percent of registered voters cast ballots in Clark County _ home to two-thirds the states voters. That left election officials predicting a record low 15 percent of registered voters casting ballots.

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