Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

EDITORIAL: Commission race

Local incumbents often have easy re-election campaigns -- if they even draw a credible opponent in the first place.

But throw a federal indictment into the equation, and it's a whole different story.

Polls in County Commission District B show Democrat Mary Kincaid-Chauncey has an uphill climb, not only in the primary, but in the general election if she survives.

A year ago, Ms. Kincaid-Chauncey likely would have been a shoo-in to retain her seat -- but that was before the feds indicted her on public corruption charges in a case involving a local strip club owner's efforts to gain political favors from commissioners.

Not only did that embolden serious candidates to enter the race, it has caused District B voters to rethink their support for Ms. Kincaid-Chauncey.

For instance, former Democratic Assembly members Tom Collins and Vonne Chowning will offer primary challenges. A Collins poll shows him leading over Ms. Kincaid-Chauncey.

The primary winner will likely face North Las Vegas City Councilwoman Sherri Buck, a Republican, in the general election. The poll shows Ms. Buck with a comfortable 46-33 lead over Ms. Kincaid-Chauncey.

Of course, polls offer only a quick snapshot, and Ms. Kincaid-Chauncey deserves the presumption of innocence. But regardless of whether she is eventually found guilty or not, she has admitted to engaging in behavior that should be considered completely inappropriate for someone of her stature.

Taking large sums of cash from a strip club bagman during a meeting in a car? Fishing for donations from powerful Las Vegans so she can subsidize a relative's tuition at an Olympic ski school?

That's crossing the line no matter what the jury in a corruption case decides. We trust District B voters will agree.