Top Democrats take different tacks on Sandoval budget

By Anjeanette Damon

Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011 | 2:01 a.m.

When Gov. Brian Sandoval delivered his budget to lawmakers, the two men leading the Democratic majority in the Legislature had vastly different reactions.

In his first major act as incoming speaker, Assemblyman John Oceguera, D-Las Vegas, struck a conciliatory tone in response to Sandoval’s State of the State address.

Oceguera’s message: Let’s think about this budget problem a little more and see if we can improve on what you’ve presented.

For those who might have read that as a sign that Democrats in the Legislature would cooperate with Sandoval’s no-new-taxes budget, Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, D-North Las Vegas, quickly dispelled the notion.

Horsford’s message: I will not stand idly by and let you kick the knees out from under Nevada’s faltering education system.

The past two weeks of budget hearings have featured the same dynamic.

Oceguera listened quietly to most testimony and rarely asked questions. Horsford aggressively grilled administration officials, accused them of using budget trickery and again vowed to protect education.

As legislators enter a session that is bound to test their mettle, Democrats find themselves led by two men who may be setting out on divergent paths.

Horsford’s path is well-defined.

With two special sessions and one regular session as majority leader under his belt, he’s positioned himself as a passionate advocate for education. He has used past sessions to repeatedly declare his intention to seek a broad-based business tax to better fund education, a goal that has remained elusive.

Oceguera, on the other hand, is plotting his first path. His leadership style is far from defined. And with term limits, he has only one session in which to do it. He doesn’t have the luxury of learning through trial and error to shine in a second session.

So far, he appears to be blazing a path somewhere between Horsford and Sandoval.

“I think it’s a little premature to draw lines in the sand,” Oceguera said when asked about Horsford’s approach to the budget.

“My approach has been a little bit different. I’m looking forward to working with the governor. Let’s build a level of trust so at the end of the day when we get to the stuff we don’t agree on, maybe we can come up with some middle ground.”

It could be a commanding position if Oceguera crafts middle ground that both sides are comfortable with. Oceguera hasn’t demonstrated such an ability in past sessions, but he’s never been speaker.

The differences between Horsford and Oceguera can be described in terms of personality and in terms of politics.

Politically, both men are at the helm of the loyal opposition to a Republican governor. But they’re also political rivals with sights on the 4th Congressional District that’s in the making.

One legislative observer put it this way: Horsford’s style is akin to running a primary campaign, appealing to a Democratic base fed up with the starvation diet state government has been forced to endure.

Oceguera could be said to be running a general election campaign, positioning himself as the consensus builder many voters in the middle seek.

Intraparty conflicts between legislative leaders aren’t new.

In 2005, Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, feuded with Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Las Vegas, both of whom were planning to run for governor in 2006. The feud made life difficult on lobbyists and lawmakers alike, as they all tried to avoid being seen as siding with either leader.

In 2009, Horsford and Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, weren’t crossways on their political ambitions. But the two had vastly different leadership styles — Buckley being more pragmatic than passionate — causing the pair to bump heads on occasion.

So will Oceguera’s or Horsford’s style prevail?

Some Democrats have voiced quiet frustration with Oceguera’s refusal to take a more combative tone, fearing he’ll acquiesce to Sandoval’s popularity. Others point out it could be a shrewd move to hold fire until Democrats settle on an alternative and gather the support needed to oppose the governor before taking Horsford’s fiery path.

The third alternative? The governor prevails.

“I don’t know that Brian Sandoval is likely to be cajoled or intimidated,” veteran lobbyist Jim Wadhams said. “This is going to be interesting.”