Nov. 08, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Undersheriff takes over after 26 years on Las Vegas force
Gillespie easily wins race against Airola
By FRANCIS McCABE
REVIEW-JOURNAL

[[[Doug Gillespie]]]
[[[Former Sheriff Jerry Keller, left, congratulates Doug Gillespie, the winner in the sheriff's race, at a victory party Tuesday night at Big Dog's bar and grill on Sahara Avenue. Gillespie defeated Jerry Airola.
Photo by Ralph Fountain.]]]

In January, Undersheriff Doug Gillespie will get to take the "under" out of his title.

The 26-year veteran police officer who is currently second-in-command of the state's largest law enforcement agency soundly defeated millionaire helicopter magnate Jerry Airola in the race to be Clark County's next sheriff.

The Clark County registrar's office reported Gillespie had 63 percent of the vote to Airola's 37 percent.

A triumphant Gillespie was surrounded by his family, friends and fellow police officers from up and down the ranks of the Metropolitan Police Department at Big Dog's bar and grill on Sahara Avenue, near Jones Boulevard.

"This is a great police department, and the men and women of Metro are the finest," Gillespie said. "We have some challenges like other police organizations, but we will continue to build upon, what I think, is a very solid foundation that has been left for me."

During the campaign, Gillespie touted his experience with the department and said a priority of his administration is to continue to put more officers on the street with the More Cops tax initiative.

Pam Anderson, a 49-year-old school support worker, said she was on the fence on her vote for sheriff but in the end chose Gillespie. Anderson said she wasn't a big fan of Gillespie, but had too many questions about Airola.

"There was some doubt in my mind about whether he's been quite truthful," Anderson said of Airola. "It does seem like a little good ol' boy kind of thing (for Gillespie to step up into the top job), but I wasn't really happy with my choices."

Trent Black, 45, said he appreciated Gillespie's experience and said that was the deciding factor for him. "I trust somebody who's been on the force," Black said.

But it was Gillespie's time as a leader of the department that pushed 23-year-old Samantha Dever to vote for Airola. Her decision came after her family's business was broken into twice; she said police have not done anything about it.

"We need a different perspective in the sheriff's office," Dever said.

Ray Nicholl, 59, had a simpler method for reaching his decision to back Airola. "I always do it the same way. I find out who police have endorsed and vote for the other guy. I want a citizen-friendly sheriff, not a police-friendly sheriff."

As of last week, Airola had reported spending about $3.5 million of his own money on the race to try to draw out voters such as Nicholl.

Gillespie had spent $1.3 million on his campaign as of last week.

Airola's biggest problem was trying to overcome a deluge of bad press he received after misleading advertising aired saying he was a cop, though he wasn't at the time.

Some voters agreed.

Pam Klein, 56, of Las Vegas, said she didn't believe Airola's advertisements and put her faith in Gillespie because he's "been a police officer in Las Vegas for all these years."

Sean Meyer, 30, Las Vegas was a bit more blunt.

"I voted for Gillespie. The main reason is the other guy kind of got on my nerves," Meyer said, questioning Airola's law enforcement experience.

Airola had served as a full-time police officer for only a couple of years in the early 1990s in Los Banos, Calif.

He most recently had volunteered as a reserve deputy sheriff in Merced County, Calif., but because he didn't live in California he was told he could no longer carry a badge. He stopped working for that sheriff's office more than a year ago.

As the campaign continued, Airola emphasized his business acumen to try and sway voters, saying he would run the Police Department like a business.

On Tuesday, Airola announced that the Review-Journal was banned from his election night gathering at his business headquarters for Silver State Helicopters in North Las Vegas.

Elizabeth Trosper, spokeswoman for the Airola campaign did not return several messages seeking comment from Airola on Tuesday night.

Gillespie will follow Sheriff Bill Young, who served one term. Young announced in May that he would not seek re-election and endorsed Gillespie immediately. Gillespie was joined by 18 other candidates who initially wanted to run for the office.

By the time the primary came around, there were 16 candidates. Gillespie came in first in the primary with a strong showing, with Airola following in a distant second.

Review-Journal writer Brian Haynes contributed to this report.

Nov. 08, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Berkley coasts to victory over Wegner
Democrat wins fifth term in U.S. House
By LISA KIM BACH
REVIEW-JOURNAL

[[[Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., shakes hands with supporters on Tuesday at the Democrats' election night gathering at Caesars Palace. Berkley defeated Republican Kenneth Wegner.
Photo by K.M. Cannon.]]]

U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley's easy win was heralded by Tuesday's first voter returns.

Berkley began the night with a significant lead over Republican Kenneth Wegner, establishing a margin of victory the challenger never came close to closing.

Berkley locked up her fifth term with 65 percent of the vote. Thirty-one percent of voters in the 1st Congressional District supported Wegner.

Attorney Jim Duensing, the Libertarian candidate, received 2 percent of the vote. Darnell Roberts of the Independent American Party also got 2 percent.

"It was a wonderful victory," Berkley said. "It makes me very happy that my constituents were pleased with me and gave me an extension on my contract."

Berkley's campaign was largely unaffected by Wegner's criticisms of her stance on border security, veterans affairs and the war in Iraq. The veteran politician unfurled her congressional record as a defense, pointing out that during her tenure, she's voted for numerous measures that reinforce U.S. borders, including one that increased the number of agents available to patrol them.

Berkley said she's also been a strong proponent of military veterans in Nevada and successfully advocated for the creation of a veterans hospital in Southern Nevada.

Wegner, who unsuccessfully challenged U.S. Sen. Harry Reid in 2004, could not be reached for comment. His campaign was run without material support from the Republican Party or any special interest group. Wegner, a military veteran, financed his effort by taking out a second mortgage on his home and accepting contributions from private individuals.

Nov. 08, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Ensign easily overcomes Carter, will return to different Senate
By DAVID McGRATH SCHWARTZ
REVIEW-JOURNAL

[[[Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., holds up the hand of his wife, Darlene, in victory as they stand in front of the crowd at the Republican election party Tuesday night at the Red Rock Resort.
Photo by John Locher.]]]

Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., coasted to victory Tuesday over Democratic challenger Jack Carter, handily defeating the son of former President Jimmy Carter.

Ensign led with 55 percent of the vote to Carter's 41 percent, with most precincts reporting.

For an anxious crowd of about 300 Republicans at Red Rock Resort, Ensign provided a glimmer of good, if expected, news when he announced his victory at 9:42 p.m. Tuesday.

"We have a lot of great days ahead," he said. "It hasn't been the best night for us Republicans. But we're going to have other election nights."

After the speech, Ensign said, "We feel very good about our victory, but there's some mixed emotions. I have lost some very good friends as far as their political races."

When asked if he thought there now would be more dialogue on the Iraq issue, he said: "I hope so."

Carter campaigned around the state with 21 family members, including his father, trying to make up ground against the better-funded incumbent in the final weeks of the campaign.

Ensign plastered television with ads in which he wore his veterinarian's lab coat. Those ads portrayed Carter as a carpetbagger and attacked him on national security issues. Carter moved to the state in 2002.

While the mood generally was euphoric at the Democratic celebration Tuesday at Caesars Palace, Carter and about 10 family members remained off the stage and in a hotel suite for much of the night, holding out hope.

Carter finally conceded in a 10:20 p.m. telephone call to Ensign, well after Ensign had declared victory.

Carter addressed the otherwise jubilant crowd later Tuesday night, declaring that Democrats had set the groundwork to "turn Nevada blue" for the presidential election in 2008.

He also said he felt Ensign ran a "pretty clean campaign."

"Again, thank you so much for believing in my campaign, for believing in us, and for sending the president a message," Carter said. "I was really just taken aback by the outpouring I received by everybody in this state."

Carter said he hasn't made up his mind on whether this is his last Nevada bid for higher office.

Polls throughout the campaign showed Ensign maintaining consistent double-digit leads over Carter.

Carter campaigned with his father and family members, and said his family name gave him an opening that helped voters remember him.

Jimmy Carter had stopped campaigning for his son in the final days of the race as he went off to build houses in India and then monitor an election in Nicaragua.

Indeed, for some voters, his father was the deciding factor -- both for and against the candidate.

"I liked his father," said Sandra Scott, 52, who was voting in the afternoon at the Clark County Government Center.

Diwiatt Barker, 65, explained his vote for Ensign by saying that he didn't like Jimmy Carter's handling of conflicts in the Middle East when he was president.

"I didn't like his father," Barker said.

Independent American candidate David Schumann garnered less than 2 percent of the vote. Libertarian Brendan Trainor got less than 1 percent of the vote.

Review-Journal writers Alan Maimon and Joan

Sep. 27, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Henderson Chamber of Commerce endorses Boggs McDonald
By HENRY BREAN
REVIEW-JOURNAL

[[[Lynette Boggs McDonald]]]

After taking some extra time to consider the matter, the Henderson Chamber of Commerce has decided to endorse Lynette Boggs McDonald for Clark County Commission, despite lingering questions about her residency.

Last week, chamber Vice President David Dahan said the organization's political action committee recommended an endorsement for Boggs McDonald, but decided to discuss it further in light of mounting allegations that the incumbent commissioner did not live in the district she represents.

On Tuesday, chamber officials announced their intention to ignore the allegations and support Boggs McDonald "because of her track-record of supporting business," Dahan said.

The committee made its decision during a meeting Monday, he said. "We looked at the whole thing. There were questions. There was discussion."

In the end, though, the committee decided the allegations against Boggs McDonald were "only allegations," Dahan said.

No follow-up interview was conducted with Boggs McDonald, who met with the committee on Sept. 14.

Several political operatives said it could have been damaging to the Republican commissioner had the chamber withdrawn its support.

Ryan Erwin, campaign consultant for Boggs McDonald, said chamber officials "made the right decision, and we're glad to have them on board."

The Las Vegas Police Protective Association and Culinary Local 226 filed a lawsuit on Sept. 7 seeking to have Boggs McDonald removed from the ballot because they claim she does not live in the district she represents.

The unions hired an investigator who took video of Boggs McDonald that they said shows her living in a 3,700-square-foot home outside District F instead of the smaller house she has claimed as her primary residence.

That allegation is echoed in court documents filed by Steven McDonald, Boggs McDonald's husband of 11 years, as part of the couple's divorce.

Asked if the Henderson chamber would reconsider its endorsement should the allegations be substantiated prior to the election, Dahan said he doubted it would come up.

"We don't think we will change our endorsements on any of the candidates," he said.

Aug. 16, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Heller maintains slim lead over Angle
By ED VOGEL
REVIEW-JOURNAL CAPITAL BUREAU

[[[Nevada Secretary of State Dean Heller and Renee Parker, legal counsel to Gov. Kenny Guinn, discuss election results Tuesday in the extremely tight race in the 2nd Congressional District.
Photo by The Associated Press.]]]

RENO -- With nearly all the votes counted, Secretary of State Dean Heller was clinging to a 437-vote lead over Assemblywoman Sharron Angle in the Republican primary race for the 2nd Congressional District seat.

The race was within a percentage point throughout the night, and shortly before midnight Angle's spirits were buoyed when she pulled to within 137 votes of Heller with still some absentee and early voting ballots to be counted in Washoe County -- the one county where Angle was soundly beating Heller.

But at 12:15 a.m., all but 12 precincts statewide had reported and Heller had widened his lead, apparently supporting his prediction earlier in the evening that he would hang on and win.

Votes in Lincoln County had yet to be recorded. And in Clark County, which makes up only a small portion of the sprawling rural district, a few precincts had yet to be tallied. But Heller had an 11 point lead in Clark County -- translating to just under 300 votes. Heller and his supporters were confident he would win the Lincoln County vote and ensure himself of victory, reasoning he had won most of the other rural counties.

"I'm cautiously optimistic," Heller said. "I am not declaring victory, but Lincoln County doesn't have the votes to make a difference."

Heller said Angle bombarded the airwaves in Washoe, where her Assembly seat is, but he had better name recognition statewide.

Former Assemblywoman Dawn Gibbons trailed with 25 percent of the vote, while two little known candidates, Glenn Thomas and Richard Gilster split the remaining vote.

Heller attributed his showing to volunteers, friends, family and Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., who together made 27,000 calls to Republicans over the weekend.

"I think that made the difference," Heller said.

Whether there is a recount will depend on the final vote, he added.

Angle was not about to concede defeat.

"We are going to be here all night waiting for the returns," she said at a party in Reno.

"Sharron is not dancing but her supporters are," she said later as she narrowed the gap.

But late, the mood among the Angle camp was quiet.

Angle said she thought her message of "lower taxes and less government regulation" was popular with voters. As recently as a month ago, polls and political pundits felt she had little chance of winning.

"It's my message, lower taxes and less government regulation" Angle said about her showing.

Gibbons also was not giving up, although she mathematically had no chance of winning.

"I will wait until all the votes are counted," Gibbons said during a party in Reno for her and her husband, Republican gubernatorial nominee Jim Gibbons. He has served as the 2nd Congressional District representative for the last 10 years.

Heller and Angle had engaged in an extremely contentious campaign. Heller contended in TV ads that he was the real conservative in the race and that Angle had voted for the largest state budget in history. Angle, however, accused Heller and Gibbons of being liberals passing themselves off as conservatives.

Angle has been helped in her campaign by the Club for Growth, a 36,000-member organization that pools its resources and supports candidates dedicated to lowering taxes and less government regulation.

Heller's campaign noted that nearly 90 percent of donations for Angle came from out-of-state residents,

The winner faces Democrat Jill Derby, who did not have a primary race, in the general election.

Aug. 16, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Favored sons Tarkanian and Miller leading their races
Republican, Democrat hope to face Independent American Hansen
By HENRY BREAN
REVIEW-JOURNAL

[[[Ross Miller]]]
[[[Danny Tarkanian]]]

The race for secretary of state will come down to two candidates best known for their famous fathers.

Democrat Ross Miller, son of former governor Bob Miller, and Republican Danny Tarkanian, son of former UNLV basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian, won their primary contests late Tuesday.

Tarkanian defeated Brian Scroggins, former GOP chairman in Clark County, by 6 points.

Tarkanian will join Miller and Independent American Party candidate Janine Hansen on the general election ballot.

"From what we've heard, it looks like we're going to win," Tarkanian said late Tuesday, before final results were known. "My family and I worked really hard campaigning over the last seven months, and we ran against someone who campaigned just as hard.

"If it holds, we'll be really grateful to win.

"I hope I'm not the Dewey of the Review-Journal."

Miller had a far easier time of it Tuesday. The 30-year-old deputy district attorney for Clark County pulled in nearly 57 percent of the vote to defeat Roderick Boyd, who finished just behind "none of these candidates."

Miller said he and his family tracked the election from home.

His father was in bed before 10:30 p.m., he said.

"He's getting some rest. We've got a lot of work to do," said Ross Miller, who is headed to Ely with the former governor on Friday to continue the campaign.

"I campaigned for him when I was in diapers," Ross Miller said. "Turnabout is fair play."

Aug. 16, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Field of seven narrows for November vote to fill new seat
By LISA KIM BACH
REVIEW-JOURNAL

The race for a newly created Clark County Family Court position came down Tuesday to a one-time judge seeking to regain the bench and an attorney looking to advance.

With most votes tallied, Robert Lueck secured his position on the November ballot with 25 percent of the vote.

The second candidate to advance in the nonpartisan race will be attorney William Potter, who received 16 percent of the vote.

Attorney Maria Maskall finished behind Potter, with 15 percent of the vote.

"From the start, I was blown away by how many candidates were lining up," Potter said of the race for Family Court's new Department M seat.

The race drew a total of seven contenders.

Mat Harter earned 12 percent of the vote, John Jensen took 11 percent, Thomas Kurtz received 11 percent, and Dawn Throne got 10 percent.

Potter said he plans to continue advertising his message of putting families first.

"Even though it's divorce court and we're splitting up, the focus has to be on that," said Potter, 37.

Lueck, 58, a Family Court judge from 1999-2004, could not be reached for comment.

Lueck is running on a nine-point proposal to improve court efficiency and reduce the time it takes to conclude a case.

Aug. 16, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Sitting judges do well in contests
Five in seven races moving on to November
By BRIAN HAYNES
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Sitting judges fared well in their primary contests for justice of the peace Tuesday, with at least five jurists in seven contests moving on to November's election.

Justices of the peace handle a variety of criminal and civil cases, including traffic violations, misdemeanors and small claims cases. In each primary, the top two vote-getters face off in the general election.

In Las Vegas Justice Court Department 8, incumbent Ann Zimmerman easily outpaced her two challengers with 60 percent of the vote. With 100 percent of precincts reporting, lawyer Gerry Zobrist was in second with 22 percent. Francis Arenas, chief of enforcement for the Nevada secretary of state's office, trailed with 18 percent.

During his campaign, Zobrist criticized Zimmerman's track record. He has vowed to spend up to $100,000 of his own money in the campaign.

In the newly created Las Vegas Justice Court Department 10 primary, Las Vegas Municipal Judge Abbi Silver finished first with 50 percent of the vote. She will face lawyer Kenneth Pollock, who came in second with 28 percent.

Clark County prosecutor Bernie Zadrowski, who two years ago fell short in his race for another justice of the peace race, came in third with 22 percent of the vote.

In North Las Vegas Justice Court Department 2, incumbent Natalie Tyrrell won enough votes to make it to the general election, but her 38 percent came in second to the 42 percent of challenger Chris Lee, a county prosecutor.

Lawyer Maria Perez finished third with 20 percent.

Searchlight Justice of the Peace Wendell Turner led his primary with 46 percent of the vote. He will be challenged by Jack Weaver, a sergeant with the Metropolitan Police Department, who finished second with 30 percent. Mitch Canepa got 24 percent.

In the race for Moapa Valley justice of the peace, 11-year incumbent Lanny Waite finished first with 47 percent of the vote. Retired Metropolitan Police Department officer Kenny Rodgers came in second with 36 percent.

Las Vegas police officer Eric Kruse got 13 percent, and Chloie Leavitt got 3 percent.

In the Laughlin justice of the peace primary, Tim Atkins led with 30 percent, just ahead of Thomas Smitley's 28 percent. Dennis Burgess had 19 percent, followed by John Geremia with 14 percent and Ron Sindelar with 9 percent.

In the Bunkerville justice of the peace primary, David Leavitt easily moved on with 46 percent. He will face Darryll Dodenbier, who finished two votes ahead of Carol Bundy.

Aug. 18, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Bisch, third in primary race, supports Gillespie over Airola
By FRANCIS MCCABE
REVIEW-JOURNAL

[[[Laurie Bisch
Spoke with Bill Young, Doug Gillespie about her campaign ideas]]]

[[[Doug Gillespie
Told Laurie Bisch she has the potential to be sheriff one day]]]

The Clark County sheriff's candidate who came in third in Tuesday's primary is asking her supporters to back Undersheriff Doug Gillespie.

Laurie Bisch, a 13-year veteran with the Metropolitan Police Department, said she hopes the 30,970 people who voted for her in Tuesday's primary election will now support Gillespie.

Gillespie posted a 16 percentage point edge in votes in the primary over millionaire helicopter businessman Jerry Airola, who will be the other candidate on the Nov. 7 ballot.

Airola had said Tuesday night that any vote that didn't go to Gillespie was a vote for change and that he believed support would rally around him in the general election.

Bisch, who came in third out of the 16 candidates who ran in the nonpartisan primary race, was only 3 percentage points behind Airola.

Bisch spoke with Sheriff Bill Young and Gillespie and said they talked about her campaign ideas and agreed to work on improving morale among patrol officers, which was one of Bisch's main campaign issues.

Airola had called Bisch, but the two never spoke personally, she said.

"It wouldn't have mattered either way," Bisch said. "I would not have endorsed Mr. Airola. He is not qualified and he has no integrity. And integrity is everything in law enforcement, in my opinion."

On Tuesday night she said she didn't plan on backing anyone in the race.

Bisch, a political novice, proved her savvy, spending about $200,000 and running a strong grass-roots campaign, which included making her own television ads.

Bisch, who was back on patrol Wednesday night, said she enjoyed politics and has heard from a number of local politicos who complimented her campaign.

Bisch garnered 4,759 fewer votes than Airola, who spent upwards of $1.7 million, most of it his own money, on the race.

Young complimented Bisch and said if she continues with the Police Department and rises through the ranks, she has the potential to be sheriff one day.

Valley voters at first had 19 candidates to choose from, including several Las Vegas police officers.

That number thinned to 16 with four candidates -- Gillespie, Airola, Bisch and retired Deputy Chief Bill Conger -- gaining the most support.

A total of 163,705 people voted in the primary election Tuesday. Gillespie was well ahead of the field, raking in 38 percent of the vote.

Conger finished fourth with about 12 percent of the vote.

On Thursday, Conger said he didn't plan to throw his support behind either candidate in the general election.

"The people that voted for me are pretty sophisticated and they can make up their own mind," Conger said.

Lt. Ron Williams, who was highly critical of Young, Gillespie and Airola during the campaign, said he has not made a decision on who to endorse, but will announce his intentions next week.

Williams came in 6th in the primary election and received 2,800 votes, just under 2 percent of the vote.

After the primary election was over, Airola flew to Phoenix to be with his newborn daughter who has had medical problems.

He was not available for comment, his campaign said.