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StumbleHighest number of candidates ever file to run in Nevada
Tuesday, March 16, 2010 | 2 a.m.
Reader poll
Sun Coverage
Nevada voters can’t claim they don’t have choices this election season.
A record number of candidates, reflecting populist discontent, turned out over the past two weeks to put their names on the ballot, longtime Nevada election observers say.
In Clark County, 379 candidates filed with the office of Registrar of Voters Larry Lomax. Additionally, Nevada’s secretary of state’s office received 108 candidates. The office was still tallying figures from Nevada’s other counties.
Lomax said in 2006 and 2008, between 300 and 350 candidates in total filed.
“I don’t think there’s any question that this is the most candidates we’ve had in the 12 years I’ve been here,” Lomax said.
Deputy Secretary of State Matt Griffin said, “We’re going to have a very full ballot.”
Fred Lokken, professor of political science at Truckee Meadows Community College, said the ballot is a reflection of the unpredictable and unsatisfied mood in the country.
“It’s kind of like the people on watch seemed to have screwed up,” he said. “A lot of people think they would’ve done a better job, they could do a better job.”
Candidate filing closed Friday. While some candidates can still withdraw, the outlines of June’s primaries appear set.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, left, introduces President Barack Obama at a town hall meeting Feb. 19 at Green Valley High School in Henderson.
Senate candidate Sue Lowden talks with Leslie Beach after a Lincoln Day dinner in Fallon Saturday, February 20, 2010.
Danny Tarkanian
Sharron Angle
Senate candidate John Chachas makes a phone call outside of the Hide-A-Way Steak House in Battle Mountain during a swing through Northern Nevada on the Lincoln Day dinner circuit Saturday, Feb. 20, 2010.
U.S. Senate
No race typifies the high-volume, raucous contests expected this election season better than the Republican primary showdown for the right to face Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in the general election.
The previous record for names on a Nevada U.S. Senate primary ballot was set the last time Reid faced re-election, six year ago, according to the book “Political History of Nevada.”
Six Republicans were on the 2004 primary ballot. This year, there are 13.
This creates an unpredictable jumble in which a winner could emerge by capturing a fraction of Republican primary votes.
The candidates will be forced to spend money to stand out from the pack. And dark horse candidates with strong bases, such as former Reno Assemblywoman Sharron Angle, have a potential path to victory.
This is all good news for Reid’s re-election hopes even though the reason so many are eager to take on the most powerful Democrat in Congress is he’s vulnerable.
While Reid will have no problem winning his party’s nomination, he does face four Democratic challengers, a reflection of his unpopularity, even among some Democrats.
Even after June’s primary there will be more than a binary Democratic/Republican choice for U.S. Senate. Four nonpartisan candidates, including a candidate from the newly formed Tea Party of Nevada and conservative Independent American Party, will be on the ballot.
Ryan Erwin, a GOP political consultant who’s working for investment banker and U.S. Senate candidate John Chachas, pointed to Reid’s low poll numbers. “They’ve been there for years. He has spent a lot of money and not moved the numbers. That’s encouraging to anyone who thinks they can do a better job.”
Sue Lowden, Danny Tarkanian, Angle, Chachas and even Assemblyman Chad Christensen could all clear a path to victory, he said.
Tarkanian spokesman Jamie Fisfis said that while he believes a small number of candidates will have the resources to run competitive campaigns, the crowded field creates opportunities for lesser-known hopefuls to pick off parts of the electorate and shape the debate.
In other words, the long-shots can create headaches for the more traditional, well-financed campaigns.
Texas Congressman Ron Paul, for example, courted the libertarian vote in the Republican presidential primary in 2008, peeling off considerable support from party nominee John McCain in Nevada.
“It definitely increases the opportunity for the unexpected,” Fisfis said. “When I hear there are more candidates getting in, I think, ‘That’s just more information that I need to get.’ Lesser-known candidates can be wild cards. They can lob a charge at you in a debate and you have to respond.”
Robert Uithoven, campaign manager for Lowden, considered by many to be the front-runner, tried to put a good face on the crowded primary.
“I don’t think there’ll be a problem unifying around a nominee,” Uithoven said. “People are so energized, like never before in this state, to finally retire Harry Reid from the Senate. Frankly, it’s not so surprising that so many people filed against Harry Reid.”
Gov. Jim Gibbons speaks to the media after what he described as a "cordial" meeting with Republican leaders to discuss differences during Day 3 of the special legislative session Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010, in Carson City.
Brian Sandoval
Michael Montandon
Clark County Commission Chairman Rory Reid speaks at a news conference detailing his cost cutting proposals for the county Monday, January 4, 2010.
Governor’s race
Gov. Jim Gibbons is in despite his low approval rating and a tough primary opponent in former federal judge Brian Sandoval, who has attracted many of Gibbons’ previous financial backers.
This will pit Gibbons, who has run as an anti-tax conservative, against Sandoval, who is perceived as a moderate but who attacked Gibbons for signing higher fees on mining and banking into law this month.
Also in the mix is former North Las Vegas Mayor Mike Montandon, who’s running a campaign based on the argument that he works hard and is a conservative. Left unsaid is the implication that Gibbons is not a hard worker and Sandoval is not a true conservative.
But political races usually come down to money. And Sandoval has it, while Gibbons and Montandon began the year broke.
If one of them can get enough money to break through the noise, this race could be competitive. But even though the incumbent doesn’t have money, Sandoval’s camp seems to be taking him seriously.
Also consider, each dollar Sandoval has to spend on the primary leaves him with less to spend in the general election, when he will likely face Clark County Commissioner Rory Reid.
The younger Reid, who began the year with a clear financial edge against all comers, drew only one challenger in the primary, a political unknown.
Down-ticket statewide races
Republicans dominated statewide offices early last decade, sweeping the six constitutional offices in 2002.
Republicans held the Governor’s Mansion and lieutenant governor’s office in ’06, but Democrats made key inroads, taking secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer and controller.
It appears there won’t be much upheaval in those ranks this election season. Political observers say Republicans failed to field top-flight candidates in the races for secretary of state, treasurer, controller and attorney general.
Of the major Republican challengers to Democrats, only former controller Steve Martin is widely known in political circles. He will challenge Treasurer Kate Marshall in November.
Democrats will hold a contested primary for the lieutenant governor nomination. That’s the good news for incumbent Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki. The bad news? Krolicki will also face a rematch with Barbara Lee Woollen, a self-financed candidate from 2006 who spent millions of her fortune running against Krolicki.
Still, it’s not all bad news for the GOP.
Uithoven noted the national mood favors Republicans because of the economy and widespread discontent with incumbents. He compared to Nevada 2008, when President Barack Obama beat John McCain by 12 points.
“You now have Sue Lowden up double digits and Brian Sandoval up double digits against their Democratic opponents,” Uithoven said. “The biggest Republican optimist in the state could not have predicted that type of turnaround. That is a remarkable turnaround in just a short period of time.”
Sun reporter Michael J. Mishak contributed to this story.
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The choices matter less than the mantra. Anyone but a reid. For Nevada and the country, anyone but reid, no matter the office.
NO REID'S FOR EITHER OFFICE ...THAT IS WHAT WHAT NEVADA NEEDS NOW...
How about no Republicans for higher office? They've screwed up our state and our country enough already. Nevadans deserve better than what the party of Gibbons and Ensign is offering.
THE REAL TRUTH IS THAT BOTH PARTIES, REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT
ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A PATCHWORK OF INTERNAL COMPETING INTERESTS
WITH A NEAR USELESS ABILITY TO REPRESENT WHAT'S ON
MOST PEOPLE'S MINDS.
BOTH PARTIES ARE NEAR USELESS IN RESOLVING:
ILLEGAL ALIENS CROSSING THE UN-SECURED BORDER INTO THE UNITED STATES WHO HAVE ANCHOR BABY OFFSPRING COSTING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF TAX MONEY IN FREE HEALTHCARE, FREE EDUCATION, FREE GOVERNMENT SERVICES,
SHIPPING MILLIONS OF MANUFACTURINGJOBS OVERSEAS TO CHINA, JAPAN, INDIA, MEXICO, KOREA, IRELAND, ISRAEL, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, PAKISTAN, BANGLADESH, ROMANIA, VIETNAM, INDONESIA,
NOT STOPPING THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF ILLEGAL DRUGS SMUGGLED INTO THE UNITED STATES, METH, COCAINE, HEROIN, MARIJUANNA,
ALLOWING GOVERNMENT TO HAND OUT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN BAILOUTS TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT SHOULD BE IN BANKRUPTCY, FANNIE MAE, FREDDIE MAC, GM, CHRYSLER, AIG, GOLDMAN SACHS, CITIBANK, BANK OF AMERICA,
INSTIGATING THE LOANING OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF LIAR-LOANS TO UNSECURED BORROWERS FOR REAL ESTATE AND HOUSING WHILE KNOWING THAT THESE LOANS COULD NEVER HAVE BEEN PAID BACK.
THIS IS *EXACTLY* WHY THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOT......
I'm disappointed by corporate media.
The device of corporate media marginalizes third party and independents.
Corporate media, in part, its business overhead model MUST give preferential exposure to Major party candidates, whom buy more advertisements. It seems a clear conflict of interest.
A conflict that is 100 years in the making with the Supreme Courts interpretations that Corporations are persons.
A distinction needs to be made between free speech and paid speech.
As the political unknown candidate for Governor on the Democratic ticket, just because the Sun says I am unknown, that is not necessarily true.
There are over 100,000 registered voters who know who I am, and most of them are Democrats. They are just not the party hacks and usual suspects.
In fact, if the election was today, Rory Reid would not have a chance. In fact, he has already lost but HE doesn't know it. He just doesn't have a clue about anything, which for all practical purposes, is why he WILL LOSE in the primary.
You might want to check with people up North to see WHO knows who Rory is, what he has done and such. All they know is he is Harry's kid, if that. And Harry is about the least popular guy in Nevada, north of Mt. Charleston.
Plus, you might want to check the kid's NEGATIVE rating with registered Democrats. You can't win anything but a ticket home, with his high negative rating.
Fred Conquest
Democratic Candidate for Governor
www.fredconquest.com
I had the opportunity to work with Secretary of State Ross Miller when he was a deputy district attorney.
In my dealings with him, he was shiftless, unmotivated, and appeared to be just waiting to run for higher office.
Fred,
I would like to hear your thoughts on this whole issue with laying off the public employees. It seems there are some serious problems with unions in southern nevada, and some way out of whack incomes.
There are two problems with the public employee situation. Both of which are not their fault.
First the contracts: It's not like entering into any contract. It takes two to tango. They came to the table, the city came to the table. The bargained. Both agreed that what they got or gave and vice versa would apply for X time.
The guys we elected sold us out. If I'm a union guy and I am, the goal of my side is to get the best deal I can. Not my fault if the guys on the other side are stupid. It's the same in any contract negotiation.
Part two. It's not like the City did not know the score and how far behind they were well over a year ago. Ditto the county. Rory the clown was leading his troops into corruption court by the bushel basket.
While the City has cut out a bunch of fat from it's budget and dumping the unions might seem like a good idea. We are a nation and state of law and contracts are fundamental. If the state does not back you up with enforcing contact, who are you going to trust?
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Both sides will live to fight another day. You don't want this mess to prevail or happen again, vote out all the incumbants you can first.
And if you really want to blame someone, you can start with Harry Reid and John Ensign. They both sold us all down the river. Nevada got $2 billion from the Tarp and such. AIG got $180 BILLION and the Bonuses received by the people at Goldman, B of A and such were close to $20 BILLION.
Plus, Harry has $87 million in his campaign war chest ... no reason he could not give $70 million to Oscar to save some jobs.
The part that really pissed me off was senior citizens getting a measley $250 one time.
We have to stop fighting for the scraps among ourselves and get rid of the clowns that caused the problem. There will be casualties as in all wars but the problems are not as hard to fix as you all think. They just need competent leadership, not a Reid from the clown bin.
Government down-sizing is a must if we are to survive as a Republic.
Reid+Reid could really allow for NV to maximize the benefits of Federal funds. Education, Medicaid and Healthcare in particular. Green industry looks like a good possibility as well.
Whomever the next governor is, I hope they will be more respectful of Harry Reid and cooperate with him more than Gibbons has. NV can't afford to lose the most powerful man in congress. His shutdown of Yucca Mt. is a triumph that few seem concerned with. Credit where it's due folks.
Most of the roaches crawling out of the woodwork are teabaggers or GOPers stoned on kook kool-aid.
Right wingers have been in a frenzy since Nov 2006 when voters started to kick their incompetent ***es out the door. Then after Obama won the WH in 2008 that sent them completely over the crazy cliff.
wizardofOz makes some excellent points. One thing left out was the needless wars in Iraq and Afganistan. While we put our military at risk and many have lost their lives or were seriously injured we continue to toss more money towards these wars. While the politicians squabble amongst themselves we have millions without health care. Why are there no jobs, maybe because just about everything we buy now is made in China a communist run country. The politicians all put their spin on things, but when they get elected they fight with each other and accomplish nothing. The government should not be providing jobs. China provides the jobs and controls everything. Why are we supporting a communist country. We even borrow money from them. How sad a commentary for this country. It is a slippery slope and so far the attacks on Reid are lopsided. We need his power in the senate to protect Nevada. A new freshman senator will have little or no power. Of course that is just my opinion and I could be wrong.