Assemblyman Hardy keeps his seat in BC

By Cassie Tomlin (contact)

Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2008 | 12:44 a.m.

Joe Hardy, R-Boulder City, will keep his seat in Assembly District 20 after winning 66 percent of the vote.

He was one of only six Republican candidates to win among 29 Assembly seats in Clark County.

Hardy beat out Democrat Dan Briggs and Independent American Richard Wayne O'Dell to keep the legislative post he's held since 2003.

"The beauty is, I serve at the will of the people, and the majority of the people feel comfortable with me," he said. "I've been blessed to be in a district that appreciates what I do and my philosophy, which is the same shared districtwide."

Hardy, a family doctor, lives in Boulder City. His district includes Boulder City and other rural areas.

He said he will continue to push bills and secure funding for the Boulder City Bypass, the proposed southern route around town once the Hoover Dam Bypass that will again allow truck traffic to travel on U.S. 93 through Boulder City.

Securing the funding will be difficult in a time of a, "faltering economy when revenue is continuing to drop," he said.

"It's hard to get people to put more money into investments and projects when we are all kind of waiting while we see what shoe is going to drop next," he said. "One of the things have to do is invite other sources of revenue into the state in public-private partnerships. We don't have enough money in the state overall."

He said he'll work to gain more funding "without stifling the growth of businesses in the manufacturing, real estate, gaming and mining markets."

"We've got to tighten the proverbial belt and try to figure out how to get through this period of time without unduly, irreparably hurting the economy," he said.

Briggs, who lives in Henderson, campaigned in Boulder City on Election Day, greeting voters outside Elton Garrett Middle School until after 5 p.m.

Briggs started his day at 3 a.m., when he left for Laughlin, and traveled to Overton and Mesquite before ending up in Boulder City at noon.

He said starting with his "back up against the wall," in Hardy's territory was difficult.

"People have been nothing but kind," he said. "Some of them I talked to for 10 minutes, and they said 'I like you, but I've got to vote for Joe.' Other people told me I'd convinced them to vote for me."

Boulder City resident Val Olsen lost her race for State Board of Education District 7 to Chris Wallace.

She gained 39 percent of the vote.

Cassie Tomlin can be reached at 948-2073 or cassie.tomlin@hbcpub.com.