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

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: Krolicki overcomes Woollen's ad blitz
Republican moves on to face Unger in November
By BRIAN HAYNES
REVIEW-JOURNAL

[[[Brian Krolicki]]]
[[[Robert Unger]]]

Barbara Lee Woollen's $1.6 million bought a lot of television ads and billboards, but it couldn't buy her enough votes to win Tuesday's Republican primary for lieutenant governor.

Woollen got 25 percent of the vote to finish a distant second to state Treasurer Brian Krolicki, who led the way with 41 percent. Brain surgeon and former lieutenant governor Lonnie Hammargren finished third in the Republican primary with 17 percent.

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Krolicki's Democratic opponent in November's general election will be developer Bob Unger, who led his party's primary with 25 percent of the vote. Thomas Jefferson of the Independent American party also will run in the general election.

Unger's closest challenger was Bob Goodman, who could hardly contain his enthusiasm about his second-place finish with 21 percent of the vote.

"I can't believe how close I'm running here," said Goodman, who spend a mere $9,100 during his campaign. "It's fun to get that close."

Goodman's spending was a drop in the campaign bucket compared to that of some other candidates.

Besides Woollen's $1.6 million, Krolicki spent $615,000 and Unger spent $340,000.

Professional gambler Bob Stupak spent about $100,000 and finished with 17 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary. "None of these candidates" finished with 20 percent of the Democratic vote.

Former Las Vegas City Councilwoman and former Stupak girlfriend Janet Moncrief finished with 4 percent in the Republican primary.

During the campaign, the feuding between Krolicki and Woollen overshadowed the other candidates. Krolicki attacked Woollen in televisions ads, saying her company, California-based Cinelease, rented film equipment to several adult movie productions.

The ad also took shots at Woollen for not voting in a Republican primary in a dozen years.

Woollen filed a libel and slander lawsuit against Krolicki.

Woollen said Tuesday she will follow through with the lawsuit.

Woollen said she was flattered by the number of people who voted for her and took a parting shot at Krolicki.

"If somebody uses underhanded ways to win a campaign, and wins it without integrity, what does it mean?" Woollen said. "I feel it's a greater loss to the citizens of Nevada if I don't win."

But Krolicki said the voters focused on the issues. "They went beyond the superficial," he said.

Krolicki said he looked forward to campaigning on the issues, such as tourism and economic development, leading up to the November election.

Unger echoed that sentiment.

"It's been almost a circus act," he said, referring to the primary campaign. "I'm looking forward to getting into the issues."

Some pundits had figured the Democratic primary would come down to Unger and Stupak, who developed the Stratosphere and has mounted numerous colorful but unsuccessful runs for office.

As he waited for results Tuesday evening, Stupak sat in Fellini's restaurant, sipping a drink and talking with a few friends.

Even before the results, he seemed resigned to finishing behind Unger.

"I'd bet on the other guy," he said.

When early voting results came in about 7:30 p.m., Stupak was already trailing Unger and Goodman.

Stupak tapped his campaign manager on the leg and said, "Wally, it's over."

Then he stood up, said, "Losers have no rights," and walked to the bar -- alone.

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

Incumbent wins DA primary easily
Roger touts tough-on-criminals agenda
By LISA KIM BACH
REVIEW-JOURNAL

[[[David Roger]]]

Incumbent Clark County District Attorney David Roger easily won the Republican primary Tuesday, stepping over opponent Frank Cremen to advance to the general election.

With nearly 100 percent of the vote in, Roger led Cremen with 65 percent of the votes.

Roger interpreted that as a sign that the public supports his agenda of being tough on criminals, especially repeat offenders.

"I'm certainly pleased the voters realize the DA's office is doing everything it can to protect the community," Roger said, crediting his staff with working to achieve that end.

Roger goes on to face Democratic challenger Patrick Ferguson in the November general election.

Roger is putting behind him a Republican campaign that became increasingly negative as Cremen, 58, a private practice attorney, began running campaign advertisements that claimed the district attorney's office was in disrepair and that referred to political corruption.

"I don't like negative campaigning," said Roger when asked about the tone of the primary.

Roger defended himself against the contention that high staff turnover reflected poor management. He said that people leave the office for a variety of reasons.

Roger, 44, said he plans to focus on the general election and get the word out on what his priorities are. That includes strengthening the office's gang unit to respond to the increasing incidents of gang crime in Clark County.

He said he also plans to maintain his focus on putting away repeat offenders.

"In the last 23 months, more people have been sentenced as habitual criminals than in the last seven years," Roger said.

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

2006 PRIMARY ELECTION: Big wins after big fights
Titus, Gibbons overcome tough primary competition
By MOLLY BALL
REVIEW-JOURNAL

[[[State Sen. Dina Titus makes her way to the stage at the teachers union headquarters in Las Vegas to celebrate her victory in Tuesday's Democratic primary. Titus defeated Jim Gibson by nearly 20 percentage points and will face Republican Jim Gibbons in November.
Photo by John Gurzinski.]]]

[[[Jim Gibbons, who won the GOP gubernatorial primary by a wide margin, and his wife Dawn Gibbons wave to supporters Tuesday in Reno.
Photo by The Associated Press]]]

[[[Henderson Mayor Jim Gibson is consoled by 8-year-old grandson Alexander Gibson while monitoring election results Tuesday night at his Democratic gubernatorial campaign headquarters.
Photo by John Gurzinski.]]]

[[[State Sen. Bob Beers, right, holds wife Sarah Beers while their children, son Kyle and daughter Lindsey, embrace after Beers conceded the Republican gubernatorial primary Tuesday night.
Photo by John Locher.]]]

As of today, it's Gibbons vs. Titus.

Despite a bitterly fought campaign on both sides, Republican Jim Gibbons and Democrat Dina Titus emerged victorious from Tuesday's gubernatorial primaries by wide margins.

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Gibbons, a congressman from Reno, won in a landslide with 48 percent of the Republican vote. State Sen. Bob Beers took 29 percent, while Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt managed just 18 percent.

Titus, the state Senate minority leader, buried her better-funded rival with 53 percent of the Democratic vote to Henderson Mayor Jim Gibson's 36 percent.

It was the result many would have predicted six months ago. But the outcome appeared far less certain after an intense campaign in which new accusations were lobbed almost daily.

There hadn't been competitive races on both sides of the gubernatorial primary in Nevada in more than a decade.

Turnout in Clark County was slightly up from previous years, with 27 percent of registered voters casting ballots. Primary turnout in recent years has been about 25 percent.

For both parties, the question now will be whether the two gubernatorial candidates can bring into the fold their opponents' supporters who might have been alienated by the harsh rhetoric of the primary campaigns.

Titus' victory celebration, held at the Nevada State Education Association headquarters in Las Vegas, was a festive scene Tuesday night. She said her overwhelming victory was proof she could win statewide.

"We feel good about it," she said. "The stronger we come out of this, the better we look for November."

Titus' campaign had a new logo and a new slogan to begin the general election campaign: "A record to stand on, a plan to build on."

Titus and Gibson said Tuesday night they were planning to meet soon, but Gibson appeared wary of the woman whose commercials said he was "for sale" and would try to take away abortion rights if elected.

Titus said her telephone call to Gibson was "a very pleasant conversation. I said, 'I hope we can put this behind us.' "

But Gibson said he wasn't ready to commit to backing Titus. "I'll never feel good about the (Titus') negative attacks," he said. "What I'd rather do before I commit is to wait until I've had a chance to sit down and talk to her."

Two of Nevada's top Democrats, Sen. Harry Reid and Rep. Shelley Berkley, released a joint statement calling for party unity Tuesday night.

"It was a hard fought campaign by two candidates who cared deeply about our state's future," the statement said. "Our party is proudly united behind Dina and our Democratic ticket. ... We are confident that Nevada voters will embrace her vision for Nevada and elect her as our next governor."

Gibbons was celebrating Tuesday night with wife Dawn Gibbons at the Peppermill Hotel Casino in Reno. Although Dawn Gibbons lost her bid to take her husband's place in Congress, Jim Gibbons was jubilant.

"I know we have a lot of work to do, but we've done it in the primary and we'll do it in the general election," Gibbons told supporters.

He also issued a plea for unity among party members, saying he hoped to work with his opponents to defeat Democrats for all offices, not just governor.

"I know it's going to take some healing, but I want to reach out to my opponents and work toward that healing."

The support he gets from Beers and Hunt may be given grudgingly. Beers, whose charges during the campaign included calling Gibbons a liar, a coward and an extortionist, said he hoped his insurgent campaign, based on an anti-tax platform, had sent a message to the front-runner.

"I don't think we lost," Beers told his supporters. "We were outspent four to one, outstaffed six to one. We had less of everything as we set out ... to make our government listen to the people of Nevada. I think we did that."

There were laughs and jeers from the crowd as Beers said of Gibbons, "I imagine he learned some valuable lessons."

Beers said in an interview, "It's pretty clear to me, from talking to Jim (Gibbons), that he recognizes that a lot of people agree with me."

Beers said he definitely would support Gibbons despite his criticisms. "Politics is often the case of having to choose between two less-than-perfect candidates," he said.

Beers also said he would continue pushing for passage of his proposed Tax and Spending Control initiative, which would hold future governors in check by limiting budget increases.

"TASC's passage is more important than who's governor," he said. "It will be in the constitution to safeguard against the whimsical expansion of state government."

A Beers supporter at his gathering at Arizona Charlie's said she was so turned off by Gibbons she would consider voting against him in the general election. But after thinking it over, Jori Spangler said she couldn't possibly vote for a Democrat. "I do want a Republican governor," she said.

Hunt, who poured nearly $800,000 of her own money into a campaign that never seemed to get off the ground, said she would work hard for all the Republican candidates, especially Treasurer Brian Krolicki, who won the Republican primary for lieutenant governor.

"I certainly had a life before politics, and I'm going to have a wonderful life after politics," Hunt said, saying she would return to the private sector.

Gibbons and Titus will be joined in the November general election by Green Party candidate Craig Bergland and Independent American Christopher Hansen.

Review Journal writers Omar Sofradzija and Ed Vogel contributed to this report.

Aug. 13, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Four rise to top in sheriff's race
Establishment pick, millionaire, career officer and retired deputy chief have most support
[[[Doug Gillespie
Undersheriff has been endorsed by the current sheriff and the police union]]]
[[[Jerry Airola
Helicopter czar is spending a lot of his own money on campaign]]]
[[[Laurie Bisch
Career patrol officer says she'll focus on raising morale within the department]]]
[[[Bill Conger
Retired deputy chief is a 29-year veteran, with 23 years in a leadership role]]]
By FRANCIS MCCABE
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Of the 16 candidates to lead the nation's seventh-largest law enforcement agency, four have separated themselves from the pack.

The establishment pick, the millionaire helicopter czar, the career patrol officer and the retired deputy chief have gained the most support, according to a recent poll conducted by the Review-Journal.

And the camps of the two front-runners, Metropolitan Police Department Undersheriff Doug Gillespie and businessman Jerry Airola, are tossing the political slings and arrows already as they expect to face each other in the Nov. 7 general election.

In the meantime, Las Vegas police officer Laurie Bisch and retired Las Vegas Deputy Chief Bill Conger are running positive, grass-roots style campaigns trying to win support of the undecided voters and sneak into the runoff.

Though Gillespie has stood on his performance at the Police Department, the other candidates say it is time for a regime change.

One thing's for sure, on Nov. 8, there will be a new sheriff in town.

DOUG GILLESPIE

Touting his 25 years of experience, Gillespie is the clear establishment candidate. He's garnered more than $700,000 in campaign funds and endorsements by Sheriff Bill Young and the police union, the Las Vegas Police Protective Association.

The 47-year-old was appointed by Young to serve as undersheriff and the two have had very similar careers within the department. Both have served in the SWAT, K-9 and Vice/Narcotics units and both oversaw detention services as deputy chiefs.

But Gillespie said he is his own man.

"I'm not Sheriff Young. I think my experience level shows that I'm not just someone that Bill Young has given this position to," he said. "But will our focus change (if I'm elected)? I think our focus has always been to fight crime and make this community as safe as it can be."

But Gillespie is seen by some as the candidate who would continue with business as usual at the Police Department. Gillespie concedes communication within the department needs some work. The priorities of the sheriff may not get transmitted down to the foot soldiers, and that's something he said he'd like to see changed.

Gillespie said he wants to focus on cracking down on gangs, identification theft and sexual predators, among other things, and wants to take advantage of the More Cops Initiative to do this. The initiative, approved by voters, authorizes a quarter-cent sales tax increase and will go to fund the hiring of more police officers.

The public isn't expected to see the effect of this increase for a few years, but Gillespie said the increase will free up detectives and other officers to respond to and investigate crimes.

In the meantime, Gillespie said he wants Las Vegas police to become "proactive" in police work, from investigating crimes to battling gangs and the crimes associated with them, such as robberies and shootings.

"I would really like to see, in two or three years from now, that perception out there that you never see a cop in your neighborhood, change," he said.

In a recent financial disclosure, Gillespie reported accepting $6,664 worth of airline tickets from Las Vegas attorney George Kelesis.

Gillespie said the tickets were a generous Christmas gift from a 15-year friend that he returned once he announced his candidacy.

Although Gillespie himself has stayed out of the political mud slinging with Airola, he has other folks fighting for him.

Young has been extremely critical of Airola, questioning the businessman's integrity and saying he wouldn't even get a second interview if he was trying to hire onto the Police Department.

JERRY AIROLA

In the meantime, Airola is making promises such as deporting illegal immigrants, which the sheriff's office has no jurisdiction over, and profiling people driving into Clark County to ferret out gang members, something national courts have said is illegal.

Airola also wants to put retired police officers back on the street to help with the Police Department's staffing issues. Airola said this auxiliary police force will not cost taxpayers any more money.

The head of the police union, Dave Kallas, is strongly against this proposal. He said retired police officers are at a stage of their lives where they cannot handle the everyday rigors of police work.

"We need a young and vigorous police force," Kallas said.

Kallas also added that Airola's profiling policy will only heap a large debt on taxpayers when Clark County is sued.

Airola said his first order of business will be going to the state Legislature to lobby for a stand-alone budget that doesn't have to be approved by the Las Vegas City Council and the Clark County Commission.

"It's not a budget, it's a Christmas wish list," Airola said.

Without the approval of area lawmakers, Airola said he will be able to better distribute the money.

"It would force the department to come up with different ways to get revenue," he said, adding that he would start charging a $30 booking fee for those arrested.

As far as who he would hire to run the day-to-day operations of the Police Department, Airola said he would ask the officers of the Metropolitan Police Department.

"I will promote based on performance and perception of their subordinates and peers," he said, explaining there will be a ballot held after the election. "I want to know from the line officers all the way to the captains who they believe should be the executive staff, who should be the undersheirff and who should be the deputy chiefs in charge."

Airola than added that if the officers decided it, he would make undersheriff the man toward whom he has directed his most vicious political attacks.

"If they told me that Doug Gillespie is the right guy to be undersheriff, then guess who my undersheriff is."

Airola believes he will win the election.

"I can win the election on the issues. The issues are not that I've got money or that I am willing to do something nice for someone," he said. Airola said the issue is that he has more business experience than anyone in the race.

After Airola's brief law enforcement career, he entered the business world. His businesses have been dogged by lawsuits for a variety of actions, including unpaid bills and unhappy customers who claimed he didn't live up to his promises.

Airola also faces a pending suit in Utah bankruptcy court from a group of investors who were ripped off by a former business associate of Airola. The investors say Airola got $3.5 million that was illegally diverted by the business associate.

Airola, who points to the rapid growth of his company as evidence of its success, disputes the allegations and says the complaints come from a tiny fraction of people with whom he's had business dealings. He added if he is elected he will not leave Silver State Helicopters, but distance himself from the company and let his executive board run it.

Airola said he is willing to spend twice as much money as Gillespie.

"If Doug Gillespie puts a commercial on television, I'll put two. If he puts an ad in the paper. I'll put two. The difference is I'll spend my money and they will spend somebody else's. I won't owe anybody anything. I won't owe favors to anyone."

Airola said he would not have run against Sheriff Bill Young, who four days before the filing deadline decided not to run.

"Bill Young had too much of the market. He was very well liked as a person. It would have been extremely costly to run against an incumbent sheriff who is well liked."

LAURIE BISCH

Bisch has run a positive campaign overall but has been critical of her boss Gillespie.

She says rising violent crime, auto thefts, vice problems and low officer morale happened on the current administration's watch.

The lone female candidate, 41-year-old Bisch serves as a patrol officer in the South Central area command. Bisch says she has spent about $200,000 in campaign money.

"The biggest problem is low morale among the officers," Bisch said. "Our leadership is not allowing us to go out and do what we need to do to police the community. There is one officer handling cases that two or three officers used to handle."

If morale doesn't change, Bisch fears more officers will leave the Police Department than will be hired.

The way to help morale is to get more officers on patrol to fight a growing, aggressive criminal element and traffic problems.

"We have two police officers now, their only assignment is to test fit employees for gas masks, a position I fully believe a civilian can do and get those officers back out on the street," Bisch said.

If elected, Bisch said she also will freeze transfers out of patrol until more officers can be hired.

Bisch handles herself and her rhetoric like a cop's cop.

"Our Police Department is not functioning as smoothly as it could," Bisch said, adding that she likes Young and Gillespie personally. "I just think their autocratic style of leadership is not being effective." In short, she said, it's either their way or the highway.

Gillespie is detached from patrol officers, Bisch maintains. "I don't think they realize how law enforcement on the street has changed."

Bisch said criminals from California and Arizona are headed to Nevada because of weaker sentencing laws.

"We are dealing with a whole other element out there. I have arrested people who tell me they come here because they can beat the system," Bisch said.

Bisch runs her own business, General Outdoor Cleaning. The business has three clients: the cities of Henderson and North Las Vegas, and Union Pacific Railroad.

The company has only a few employees and she often hires temporary workers to help fill contracts, she said.

Bisch said she will sell the business if elected.

In July 2004, Anita J. Giovanetti sued Laurie Bisch, claiming she befriended her father and wrongfully inherited his estate. The father, Arthur Albert Laurie, was a recluse for decades who lived at 2720 Pinto Lane for years. He was a retired railroad engineer with about $1 million in real estate and cash.

The complaint said Bisch met Laurie at his house in 2000. In February 2001, Laurie changed his will to make Bisch the beneficiary of most of his assets. In his previous will, Laurie was going to leave half of his estate to Giovanetti. The new will gave her only $1,000. The rest was split among other relatives, Bishop Gorman High School and UNLV.

Giovanetti acknowledged a "somewhat stormy relationship" with her father but wrote that she visited him regularly. Laurie died in May 2004 at the age of 91. Bisch changed the locks and didn't let Laurie's son into the house.

In her counterclaim, Bisch wrote that Giovanetti was convicted of physically abusing her father, and that Giovanetti was falsely accusing her of stealing Laurie's money. Bisch wrote that she had a history of helping the elderly and started Operation Make a Difference.

The lawsuit was dropped in July 2005 after the two sides settled. Bisch paid Giovanetti $40,000 as part of the settlement.

BILL CONGER

Conger, a retired deputy chief with the Police Department, demands respect as a candidate if only for his experience.

The 57-year-old is a third generation Las Vegan and the only other candidate Young said is qualified to be sheriff.

A 29-year veteran -- of which 23 years was spent in a leadership role -- Conger handled multimillion dollar budgets for much of his career. He retired more than a year ago after getting burned out, he said. But Conger said he is rested and ready to fight crime again.

With a campaign budget of more than $120,000, Conger is running a grass-roots campaign. With strong family roots, Conger believes he can target the most likely voters and gain their support to pull out an upset victory on Tuesday.

If elected, Conger promises to attack the increase in violent crime, the valley traffic problems and homeland security issues through a multi-pronged strategy that involves educating the community and increasing the number of patrol officers.

"We need to protect the number of officers on patrol," he said. "When I talk to people, all over on the campaign trail they say, 'We never see cops anymore.'"

Conger will have traffic officers focus on high accident areas and put an emphasis on ticketing reckless drivers, he said.

"Traffic is a large issue in the community. The traffic bureau has not grown at the same rate as the population," he said. "Enforcement is the key and education is the key" to helping solve valley traffic woes.

As far as auto theft, Conger plans on having undercover agents go after chop shops and swarm high auto theft areas in the community.

As far as gangs, Conger says there needs to be a larger community effort to steer the young away from gangs by dealing with them on a personal level.

"We need to look at intervention through social services ... to keep kids out of gangs," Conger said.

Review-Journal writers Brian Haynes and David Kihara contributed to this story.

Aug. 12, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Candidates pitch duties of public administrator
Most voters not familiar with post, which pays $91,138
By ADRIENNE PACKER
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Clark County's public administrator is responsible for securing and distributing to next of kin the assets of those who die without a will. This person is also responsible for safeguarding property if no relatives can be found.

If you didn't know that, it's not surprising.

Some of the 12 people seeking the $91,138-a-year position have posted a job description on their campaign Web sites to make sure people know what they're voting for.

But if the job itself is a little obscure, some of the people seeking the job are not. The candidates in Tuesday's primary include four veterans of elected office, including Linda Howard, a university system regent; former state Sen. Christine Milburn, and Merle Ann Berman and Louis "Lou" Toomin, former members of the Assembly.

In campaigning, they mostly cite the need for someone who has compassion for the people who the public administrator's office serves.

"I would like to serve the people in a capacity where I can give direct help to people that need it and people who appreciate it," said Howard, a Democrat. "In that position (public administrator), you interact with people who need someone who has compassion at a time of grief."

On her campaign Web site, Berman, a Republican and real estate investor, emphasizes the need for a compassionate and fair official to hold the office.

"Families who have lost a loved one are vulnerable -- I will be The Public Administrator who brings an impeccable public record of fiscal responsibility, honesty and accomplishment to the office and all who count on me and my staff," she states.

Dan Ahlstrom, who at 62 is retiring from the job he has held the past four year years, speaks highly of the people who work under him as investigators, some of whom are running for the office.

"There's nobody out there doing this job as part-time investigators because they need the job or because they need the money," Ahlstrom said. "These people are good, honest, God-fearing folks and they do a good job under very difficult circumstances. They do it because they have a sense of community and they are loyal to the person who sits here."

If investigators aren't available for a call, the public administrator is the one who responds to a death, sometimes beating the coroner. And often the responding representative of the public administrator's office is left alone in the home with valuables.

"Most of the time when we're called, there's nobody there to be fair and compassionate with, except a dog and that breaks my heart," Ahlstrom said.

But while most candidates promise to bring compassion to the job, Ahlstrom said the responsibilities are greater than that. Management and building trusting relationships with the investigators, all of whom are part-time workers, is critical.

"It's more important that our people are honest," he said.

Among the candidates are Toomin, a Republican who is running in his ninth straight election after serving in the Assembly in the early 1990s. He not only has tried to win his old seat, but also has run for seats on the state Senate and County Commission. He lists himself as retired.

Milburn, a Republican, is one of three public administrator candidates who are investigators for the office. Others include John Cahill, a Democrat, who has worked as an investigator for a year; and Republican John Harney, a former Nevada Highway Patrol trooper.

Candidate Shelley Scherer, a Democrat and a social worker, was an investigator in the office for six years.

Other candidates in the race include attorney Adrian Mendoza, a Democrat; airline worker Rudolpho "Rudy" Lamas Amadeus, a Republican who came into contact with the office when his wife died; county court recorder Paula Walsh, a Republican, who ran for the office unsuccessfully four years ago; and Steve Sanson, also a Republican, who is the head of a legal and credit department for an advertising firm.

The winner of the Democratic and Republican primaries will be joined on the ballot by Independent American candidate Anthony "Grassroots" Blanque.

Aug. 12, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

CROWDED FIELD: Sheriff's primary race close
Millionaire, undersheriff in dead heat
By FRANCIS McCABE
REVIEW-JOURNAL

[[[Clicck for enlargement.]]]

[[[Laurie Bisch
Jerry Airola
Bill Conger
Doug Gillespie]]]

The heated primary battle between Clark County sheriff candidates Doug Gillespie and Jerry Airola appears to be a prelude to a general election matchup, a new Review-Journal poll shows.

Gillespie, the Metropolitan Police Department undersheriff, and Airola, the millionaire helicopter company operator, are neck and neck, leading the 16-candidate race, according to the poll of 426 likely Clark County primary voters conducted Monday through Wednesday.

Twenty-five percent of those polled said their vote would go to Gillespie, while 23 percent said they would vote for Airola.

The top two primary vote-getters move on to the Nov. 7 general election. The poll indicates it most likely will be Gillespie and Airola who advance.

The poll shows Las Vegas police officer Laurie Bisch, with support from 13 percent of voters, and retired Deputy Chief Bill Conger, with 12 percent, in third and fourth place, but trailing Airola by more than 10 percentage points.

"It seems to me there are two clear front-runners and they will head for the runoff in November," said Brad Coker, managing director of Washington, D.C.-based Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc., which conducted the poll commissioned by the Review-Journal, reviewjournal.com and KVBC-TV, Channel 3.

The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 5 percent.

Airola or Gillespie would have to make a big mistake for either Bisch or Conger to catch them, Coker said. "I suspect it will be the two front-runners."

Airola, who has lent his campaign about $1.65 million of his own money, has far outspent all of the other candidates in the race and has run a TV ad blitz for weeks.

Gillespie supporters Sheriff Bill Young and leadership of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association came out swinging this week, calling Airola a liar for trying to portray himself in television ads as a cop.

"Airola couldn't qualify to become a police officer, much less a sheriff," Young said.

Airola's campaign responded by blaming Gillespie for the valley's high crime rate and saying the Police Department's budget is mismanaged.

It's unclear how the negative campaigning might affect the 19 percent of voters who, according to the poll, hadn't yet decided who they'll vote for.

Bisch predicted she will be making up ground in the final days leading up to Tuesday's primary because "this campaign has really taken on a life of it's own. People are excited."

Conger, who worked for 29 years in the Police Department and retired as a deputy chief, visited senior citizens at a retirement community Thursday and on Friday shook hands outside a credit union in Boulder City.

"We're surging," Conger said. "I am talking to a lot of voters. I am appealing to citizens, and I have significant support in the Police Department."

The poll shows a significant dropoff in support for the remaining 12 candidates.

Las Vegas police Lt. Ron Williams, whose campaign has been characterized by frequent criticism of fellow candidates, was a distant fifth, with 3 percent of the vote.

Ten of the candidates had support from 1 percent or less than 1 percent of voters.

Review-Journal writers Brian Haynes and David Kihara contributed to this story.

The Debate Is On!

In the News
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gibbons Misses The Most Votes In Congress
Jim Gibbons told Nevada voters he could not debate because he didn't want to miss any votes in Congress. Despite this excuse, Gibbons ranks 17th of 435 representatives for the highest number of missed votes this year, leaving everyone to ask him — what the heck were you doing?
Las Vegas Review-Journal

Beers Puts Heat
On Gibbons' Gaffes
Jane Ann Morrison puts the race into perspective by retelling some of Gibbons' most memorable moments: calling himself a sex object and boasting about extorting Delta Air Lines. You can read about the dismal state of his campaign here!
Las Vegas Review-Journal

Battle Born Writes Up The Latest Gibbons Lie
Gibbons' paranoid delusions that Bob Beers is secretly working with Democrats is exposed once again, this time by columnist Chuck Muth, who calls the charge patently absurd.
Battle Born News

Quick Links...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beers for Governor Website
Contribute
Map To Headquarters
TASC 4 Nevada

judy,
The wait is over.

After months of hiding, Jim Gibbons will finally have to face the music tomorrow night in the first of two Republican gubernatorial primary debates.

Drop by 4210 Channel 10 Drive in Las Vegas at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow, Friday, Aug. 4, and show your support for Bob Beers during a pre-debate rally. Then tune into the gubernatorial debate on KLVX Channel 10 from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The debate will be simulcast on KNPB-TV Channel 5 in Reno and on PBS affiliates statewide, as well as on the radio at KNEWS 970 in Las Vegas. It will be re-broadcast in Spanish on Univision Channel 15 in Las Vegas on Saturday at 10 a.m., and on Cox Cable Channel 70 in Southern Nevada (time not yet determined). Additionally, the debate will be streamed on the Internet at KLVX.org.

Bob is really looking forward to the debate, with his only disappointment being the "no-use" clause that Jim Gibbons insisted on. The clause prohibits using any portion of the debate footage in electronic campaign material, including radio and television spots. It certainly benefits Gibbons, who almost always misspeaks, makes misstatements, and misleads people during media appearances.

"We don't like the clause, but Nevada voters truly deserve a debate on the issues despite this," Bob said. "Gibbons has been ducking debates for so long and for no reason (given Gibbons' poor congressional attendance record) that we decided not to let a small issue like that interfere with a candid discussion that goes beyond Gibbons' paranoia."

Gibbons' most recent paranoid conspiracy theory is that Bob is coordinating campaign efforts with Democrats. Ironically, Gibbons has a large percentage of funding from Democrats and has embraced several Democrat issues like collective bargaining and increasing minimum wage. Gibbons has also come out against tax and spending controls, tax cuts, and surplus refunds in recent months.

Andy Matthews, Beers' campaign manager, helped put the patently false accusation into perspective recently, saying: "I suppose I understand that it must be frustrating for them. They've spent $2 million and dropped 20 points while Bob has doubled his points on a fraction of that. Most of Gibbons' remaining funds cannot be used in the primary and their biggest liability seems to be Jim Gibbons himself. Apparently, he cannot distinguish fact from fiction."

Everyone is talking about the debate, but one of our favorite questions about it comes from the Reno Gazette-Journal, which will no doubt have the answer to its question: If a candidate falls on his face on statewide television Friday, does it still make a sound? Our answer: Judging by Gibbons' past performance, we expect he will.

Gibbons' Extortion Story Goes Worldwide

A recent AP story has propelled Jim Gibbons into the international spotlight once again — and, as always, it's for the wrong reasons.

The AP story reads: "... Rep. Jim Gibbons, (who) gave one of his GOP rivals some ammunition when he told a newspaper that he used his state Assembly office to get rehired by Delta Air Lines. (Gibbons says he misspoke.)"

Media from the Washington Post and Guardian Unlimited (UK) to ABC and Fox News networks have all run the story, which also highlighted our very own supporter-made sock puppet Web advertisement. The sock puppet ad is quickly being called the best ad of the campaign season because it illustrates how bad Gibbons' boast of extortion really is.

The last time Gibbons received so much attention, he was talking his way out of plagiarizing a speech. A few months before that, he suggested government criticism is something only "commies" do. And, also last year, Gibbons released his infamous mercury report that misrepresents the EPA and claims mercury emissions are not all that bad.

One would think after 10 years in Washington, Gibbons could have managed to receive attention for something other than his misdeeds, but then again, we are talking about a man who now holds the national distinction of having one of the worst voting records in Congress this session. In sum, we think he has embarrassed Nevada enough. Please encourage your family and friends to vote for Bob Beers!

Early Voting Ends In 8 Days

Early voting ends in eight days, on Aug. 11, and we need your help! When you are gaining ground as fast as Bob, it is critical to get everyone to vote early. Early voting is where most elections are won or lost.

It's easy! Once you vote, you can tell everyone you voted for Bob Beers and why. With the election in a dead heat, every single vote will count!

If you have friends who are undecided, ask them to watch the debate tomorrow and see for themselves — Bob Beers is the best person to vote for in the Republican primary for governor!

For frequently asked questions about voting, please visit the Nevada Secretary of State – Elections Division FAQ page.

Please tell your family and friends to vote as early as possible and to cast their vote for Bob Beers, the only candidate who stands for fiscal responsibility and government accountability. Tell them not to be misled by Gibbons' lies! If they have concerns, they can visit beers4nevada.org and click on the trash can where Bob addresses every accusation.

Thank You For Your Continued Support!

We all know we wouldn't be here without your help. But the truth is we need your help now more than ever. With early voting ending in eight days and the Gibbons team resorting to lies because they are desperate, we need more campaign dollars to tell the truth!

Please contribute today!

Have you already donated as much as you can? Then there are other ways to help. If you're available to help us get the vote out on Election Day, call us at (702) 876-1555 or e-mail us today!

Bob's schedule for the coming week:
(*indicates an event where Bob will be speaking)

*Kiwanis Club Breakfast Meeting
Date: Friday, August 4, 2006
Time: 7:30 a.m.
Location: Bootlegger Bistro, 7700 Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas
Contact: Steve (702) 737-6206

*Beers For Governor Meet and Greet
Date: Friday, August 4, 2006
Time: 11:30 a.m.
Location: 1080 Alta Dr., 2nd floor, Las Vegas
Contact: Sandy (702) 876-1555

*Republican Gubernatorial Debate
Date: Friday, August 4, 2006
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Pre-debate rally at 5:30 p.m. (see above for details)
Watch it: KLVX Channel 10 Las Vegas
(See above for stations statewide)
Contact: (702) 876-1555

*Sparks Republican Women's Club Candidates Forum
Date: Wednesday, August 9, 2006
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Shang Hai Restaurant, 1269 Baring Blvd., Sparks
Contact: Mike Hules (775) 354-1135

*Beers For Governor Meet and Greet
Date: Thusday, August 10, 2006
Time: 11:30 a.m.
Location: Yerington Senior Center, 117 Tiltson Way, Yerington
Contact: Kristin Vieira (702) 876-1555

*Republican Gubernatorial Debate
Date: Friday, August 11, 2006
Time: 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Bob is working hard to meet as many voters as he can before election day. If you are interested in volunteering for Bob's campaign, e-mail Kristin.

Help us bring Bob Beers' message to all of Nevada. Donate today!

Andy Matthews
Beers For Governor

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

email: andy@beers4nevada.org
phone: 702-876-1555
web: http://www.beers4nevada.org

Forward email

This email was sent to tojulei@yahoo.com, by andy@beers4nevada.org

Just a reminder:

Early voting started this past Saturday and runs through August 11, 2006. If you don't know where to go to vote, please click on the following link to find the location closest to you: http://www.accessclarkcounty.com/election/ed_voting.asp

Primary Election Day is August 15, 2006 in case you can not make it to the polls during the Early Voting period.

Whether you vote during early voting or on Election Day, please make certain you vote!

Please forward this email to everyone on your list to remind them to get out and vote this election season!

-Maria Maskall for Family Court Judge, Dept. "M"

www.mariamaskall4judge.com

Jul. 28, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICT E: Candidates' styles diverge in debate
Williams agitated, Giunchigliani calm during TV taping
By MIKE KALIL
REVIEW-JOURNAL

[[[Chris Giunchigliani]]]
[[[Myrna Williams]]]

Sitting two feet from one another before TV cameras did little to allay the vitriol between Clark County Commission candidates Chris Giunchigliani and Myrna Williams as they met Thursday for their first debate.

During a taping for pundit Jon Ralston's "Face To Face" television show, the Democrats repeated the same charges they've leveled at one another in the last month in a flurry of mailers and TV ads.

But the two-part debate set to air today and Monday on Las Vegas One will offer viewers something new: the first opportunity to see the two District E candidates interact, which they did with remarkably different styles.

A poised Giunchigliani spoke in measured tones and rarely took her eyes away from Ralston when answering his questions. Meanwhile, an agitated Williams repeatedly shifted in her seat, glared at her opponent and rolled her eyes as Giunchigliani answered questions.

Three times, Ralston struggled to rein in Williams for refusing to limit the time of her responses or for interrupting him or Giunchigliani.

"You're filibustering here. You're not in the Legislature any more," he told Williams at one point.

"You've used your allotted time. I'm in control of this," the host told her during another segment.

Otherwise, most of the exchanges saw the candidates bashing one another on the same issues they have in recent weeks leading up to the Aug. 15 primary election.

Challenger Giunchigliani again attacked the three-term commissioner as an inaccessible politician, saying constituents in the central valley district that the two are vying to represent constantly complain of phoning Williams about neighborhood problems and never getting a response.

"This is silly. This is silly," an animated Williams said, adding that her home phone number has been published in local phone books since she moved to Las Vegas 47 years ago. "I'm the most accessible. Check your research before you make those kinds of statements."

And Williams again assailed eight-term state legislator Giunchigliani for being the only member of the Assembly to vote against the drugged driving law that sent Jessica Williams to prison for a traffic accident that killed six teens.

"Chris always says her style is different than mine. I don't think it's so much style as values," Williams said. "I'm opposed to drugs, period."

Giunchigliani said she voted against the drugged driving bill because it had a serious technical flaw.

"I've been a special education teacher for 26 years," she said. "I would never do anything to hurt kids."

She said the law failed to properly define impairment, making her believe it would not be a tool for police and prosecutors unless the language was clarified. Giunchigliani also said then-state Sen. Jon Porter, now a Republican congressman, seemed motivated to introduce the bill by something other than public safety.

"It was a political issue," Giunchigliani said.

Williams has criticized Giunchigliani for supporting the largest tax increase in Nevada history. But Ralston suggested that Williams, who like Giunchigliani has supported numerous tax hikes during her lengthy tenure in office, also would have voted for 2003's record tax increase. "I might have," Williams said.

Ralston asked Giunchigliani whether she unfairly has linked Williams to commissioners she served alongside who later were convicted of public corruption charges. Williams also blasted Giunchigliani for suggesting that she should have known former commissioners Erin Kenny, Dario Herrera and Mary Kincaid-Chauncey were accepting bribes from strip club owner Michael Galardi.

"How could I have known?" Williams asked. "This reminds me of the McCarthyism days and guilt by association."

Giunchigliani suggested Williams ignored behavior that should have raised suspicions.

"I'm saying you cannot change a system you never challenge," Giunchigliani said.