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StumbleNevada Dems aim to build on 2008 momentum, give Horsford help
Monday, Dec. 7, 2009 | 2 a.m.
Majority Leader Steven Horsford has taken on an unusually large workload in the state Senate.
Sun Coverage
As a rough political season approaches, Nevada Democrats long for the days of 2008.
Back then a tanking economy, anti-incumbent sentiment and the muscular campaign of Sen. Barack Obama combined to create the perfect storm, lifting two political neophytes to victory and giving Democrats control of the state Senate for the first time in 18 years.
But after a tough legislative session where Democrats often found themselves outmaneuvered by senior Republicans, the party is looking for more than warm bodies to put on the ballot next year. Recruiting has begun in earnest, and party operatives are pulling largely from a crop of experienced Assembly lawmakers.
The goal is to protect — and enlarge — the Democratic majority. Moreover, operatives want to cultivate a team of strong lieutenants to help Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford push the party’s agenda.
Some background:
Banking on a national wave, Horsford and his election team played it safe in 2008. Operatives limited media access to candidates Allison Copening and Shirley Breeden, who, in turn, ducked some debates. Interest groups and the Nevada Democratic Party filled the void, launching a series of attack mail pieces against Republican Sens. Joe Heck and Bob Beers.
Prominent Republicans decried the strategy, dismissing their Democratic rivals as paper candidates, placeholders on the popular party ticket.
Copening and Breeden eked out victories. But it was clear last session that Horsford became overextended. Not only was he the first Democrat to lead the Senate since 1991, but he also co-chaired the powerful Finance Committee, was the key senator on energy and job training legislation, decided to wade into the transportation funding debate, and was the key negotiator for Senate Democrats on the budget bill.
Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley and Senate Minority Leader Bill Raggio each had top lieutenants who were delegated many of those jobs.
Term limits have forced the caucus to deal with succession issues, as Sens. Bernice Matthews, Bob Coffin and Maggie Carlton step down. Assembly representatives Sheila Leslie, Ruben Kihuen and Mo Denis will vie for those seats. Assemblyman Mark Manendo and Assemblywoman Kathy McClain will face each other in the primary for Sen. Terry Care’s seat.
“Everyone is keenly sensitive about the term limit issue and paying a lot more attention to the recruitment issue,” said Billy Vassiliadis, the Democratic power broker. “You can’t afford to have someone who needs six, eight, 10 years to learn on the job. People elected last session are going to be chairs next session.”
Senate Democrats are promoting candidates such as Tammy Peterson. An attorney and former prosecutor in the Las Vegas Special Victims Unit, Peterson is challenging Republican Sen. Barbara Cegavske.
“In 2010 we believe that in order to do what we need to do for Nevada, we need to return to Carson City with a larger majority,” said Alisa Nave, the Senate Democratic caucus’ political director. “We are working hard to ensure the people we are endorsing are the kinds of leaders Nevada deserves.”
Nave added: “When you are a caucus of 12, losing four members, it’s in the best interests of your team — and in the best interests of Nevada — to be introspective and diligent.”
Former Gov. Bob List, a Republican national committeeman, said Republicans are also sizing up next year’s races and recruiting candidates. The big prize, he said, is reapportionment. The Legislature will redraw district lines after the 2010 Census.
List said Republicans are hoping for their own perfect storm next year.
“People are very interested in politics this year and a lot of that is being driven by the controversial activity in Washington from the White House and the Obama administration and what’s taking place on health care,” he said. “People are worried about the economy and they want to know what candidates will do to fix things.”
David McGrath Schwartz contributed to this report.
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Horsford also opened a boondoggle with his time and overhyped attention for the F Street mess. But, he made up for it by parking in handicap parking and dodging any and all questions. Does that sound like a politician? Yes, Leader? No.
I think its about time to either redistribute access to disabled parking or make it universally available to all comers. Afterall, shouldn't everyone be treated equally?
mikegino-you should read Orwell's "Animal Farm" and you would learn how people are all equal but some are more equal than others.
Isn't it scary. Breeden and Coening are two of the dumbest women on Earth and they are voting (as the party tells them no doubt) on laws that affect all the citizens of Nevada.
jlb101 sez "Breeden and Coening are two of the dumbest"
I don't think you need to attack someone's intelligence, but if you feel it is, at least be smart enough to spell their names right.
Democrats should be worried. They have royally screwed Las Vegas. They are on the endangered list for a reason.
Sorry maybevegas, those two simple minded fools do not merit the effort of looking up their names to spell them correctly. Dumb, dumb dumb.
Copening isn't dumb. She was smart - and smart enough to not talk. Unfortunately, she was installed for a purpose and did exactly what she was told. Breeden couldn't figure out how to bang two rocks together with a diagram - typical public employee. The fact that Breeden actually won after her debate with Heck just might give some credibility to the argument that people in Nevada are REALLY stupid. When people win elections by NOT debating, well we are in big trouble.
I wouldn't worry about Breeden running for reelection. After the beating she took and the snickers from other legislators about how stupid she is, even she can't take any more abuse I'm sure.
Copening? She's a hired hand. I don't think she has an agenda at all other than what she's paid to have.
But Horsford... ugh... now here is a scumbag. Nevermind the wasting of our money, and the handicapped parking scandal, and the late night ramming through of his tax package that ensured that Nevada would lose its most affluent visitors FOREVER, but now he also wants to stack a corporate tax on top of it.
Oh, and shall we even mention his last minute attempt to ram through "Real ID" ? - That's surprising because it looks like a George W. Bush move.
Horsface is DONE DONE DONE. He's out of there. He has done so much damage we may never recover. Don't worry though, I'm sure his union masters will take good care of him financially. Funny how his actions in the legislature have directly affected Nevada's economy - and thereby the Las Vegas Sun. It's like the Sun is endorsing this clown that has driven them to the edge of insolvency - certainly to fire a large portion of their staff.
This handicapped parking thing is just the latest, but probably not the last thing. He doesn't care about anyone BUT Horsford. If you look at his ideas on taxes for all of us, perhaps he deserves a "mentally disabled" parking space.
Horsford is another product of the affirmative action program whereby blacks and other minorities are placed in positions that amplify their incompetence and failings. How can this happen in a state like Nevada?