Thursday, October 21, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

EDITORIAL: For state Assembly

Plenty of open seats this political season

The state Assembly has been in Democratic hands for 20 years, save 1995 when there was a 21-21 tie. Going into the Nov. 2 election, the Democrats hold a 23-19 edge -- and that's unlikely to change, given that redistricting in 2000 went to their advantage.

There will still be plenty of turnover, however -- eight Clark County Assembly seats will be occupied by new faces following the voting. We offer recommendations in the following contests.

District 1: Republican Ed Gobel faces Democrat Marilyn Kirkpatrick and Independent American Peggy Williams in a bid to replace incumbent Tom Collins, who opted to run for the County Commission. Ms. Kirkpatrick, a sales executive, has lived in the district her entire life and has been active in various community organizations, including a stint as a North Las Vegas planning commissioner. Her political instincts tilt to the left, but she knows the district inside and out and would be accessible and hard-working. We urge a vote for Marilyn Kirkpatrick.

District 2: Incumbent Republican Garn Mabey takes on Democrat Geoffrey Vanderpal. Dr. Mabey, a freshman in 2003, voted against the controversial tax package last session, arguing it was "something worth fighting for." As a physician, he took a special interest in health care issues, sponsoring legislation that would allow patients to continue to see their own doctors even if the practitioners were dropped from their insurance plan. He brings a thoughtful, analytical approach to Carson City. Garn Mabey is the best choice.

District 3: Incumbent Democrat Peggy Pierce is being challenged by Republican Brian Packer and Independent American Clint Barker. Ms. Pierce is one of the most liberal members of the lower house and eagerly embraced higher taxes last session. She even endorses the Sierra Club's wacky lawsuit seeking to stop the widening of U.S. Highway 95, which borders her district. Mr. Packer, meanwhile, is a small businessman who became active in the controversy over the mental health facility the state opted to site in the district. He's far more attuned to Nevadans when it comes to fiscal policy than the incumbent. We recommend a vote for Brian Packer.

District 4: Republican Francis Allen is running against Independent American Mark Andrews in a bid to replace incumbent Bob Beers, who is attempting to move on to the state Senate. Ms. Allen, a copywriter, narrowly lost a race two years ago for a different Assembly seat and is a favorite here, given the district's demographics. But she seems ill-prepared to handle the rigors of Carson City. Mr. Andrews, vice president of the Clark County Credit Union, has more concrete ties to the district and would likely be a more diligent fiscal hawk than his Republican opponent. Vote for Mark Andrews.

District 5: Republican incumbent Valerie Weber, a consultant, squares off against Democrat Kirk Kaplan, an attorney. Ms. Weber was a freshman last session and resisted pressure to back the largest tax increase in state history. She would be a better steward of her constituents' tax dollars than would Mr. Kaplan. Valerie Weber deserves re-election.

District 6: Retired schoolteacher Harvey Munford, a Democrat, is running against Republican Cornell Clark, a family physician, Independent American Robert Petersen and Libertarian Charles Schneider. The seat became vacant when longtime incumbent Wendell Williams lost the Democratic primary to Mr. Munford. Mr. Clark is an excellent candidate who challenges many of the political assumptions embedded in the black community. But he admits he has neither the time nor the money to mount a serious campaign. Mr. Munford is far more moderate than Mr. Williams and has experience in education that could prove useful. Harvey Munford is the choice.

District 8: Majority Leader Barbara Buckley, a Democrat, has been challenged by Republican Patricia Peacock. Ms. Buckley leans far too left for our tastes on most issues, but she is an ardent defender of open government and public records and authored a bill to prevent eminent domain abuses. She is one of the most well-respected lawmakers in Carson City and is the clear choice in this race.

District 10: This seat, which opened when incumbent David Goldwater opted to run for the County Commission, features Republican Rex Wilhoite, a small business owner, Democrat Joseph Hogan, a former U.S. government procurement official, and Independent American Glenn Brown. Mr. Wilhoite and Mr. Hogan are qualified and knowledgeable, but we prefer Mr. Wilhoite's devotion to the principles of limited government and low taxation. Rex Wilhoite is our selection.

Tomorrow: Our remaining Assembly endorsements.