Saturday, July 16, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Chancellor's words fuel rift with Gibbons

Some say Rogers ready to run for governor

Them's fighting words.

Chancellor Jim Rogers, who is contemplating running for governor, this week laid into the front-runner of the 2006 race, Rep. Jim Gibbons.

On "Las Vegas ONE" Wednesday, the head of the Nevada System of Higher Education said he did not think Gibbons, R-Nev., was very bright.

"I don't think he's got very many great leadership qualities," he added. "I don't think that he can handle the job of governor."

Rogers, a Republican, said he has not made up his mind about whether he'll make a play for the office. But he has said he will if he thinks there is no one else who can help higher education as much as he could in the position.

"I know I've caught a lot of flak about it. I'm a very plainspoken person, and there are times when I could probably make it a little softer. But I try to be consistent in what I do and what I say, and I'm certainly not out to hurt the man," Rogers said Friday.

Rogers said Gibbons tends to simplify complex issues, adding that he's frightened of the state budget the fiscally conservative Gibbons would implement. "I would hope the public would start to realize that he really shouldn't start the job and they ought not to vote for him," Rogers said.

Meeting with the congressman wouldn't help their relationship, Rogers said. He said Gibbons should write a position paper about Nevada education or publish a full-page advertisement in the newspaper and lay down concrete promises to strengthen education funding.

Gibbons spokesman Robert Uithoven questioned Rogers' "personal attack," saying Gibbons has strived for the best university and community college system available and would continue to do so. After learning about Rogers' comments, Gibbons "just wanted to make sure that people know he is still 100 percent supportive of our university and community college system and that the regents are doing a superb job," Uithoven said.

He cited recent polls showing Gibbons with more public support than any other candidate and said the congressman has no problem gaining support within his party.

Others have interpreted Rogers' statements as an indication that he is warming up to enter the race, though Rogers said they shouldn't be seen that way.

"He wants to be governor," said Eric Herzik, a political science professor at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Herzik said Rogers made a mistake in making those statements about Gibbons, which could divide the Republican Party and cause problems for the chancellor if Gibbons wins. "(Gov.) Kenny Guinn still holds hard feelings about people who challenged him, including Jim Gibbons, on his tax increases from two years ago," Herzik said.

Herzik said Rogers is not the only one hurting the Republican bid to keep the governor's seat, citing Guinn's open recruitment of other candidates to go up against Gibbons, a well-monied and established candidate.

"The Republican Party statewide, it's a bunch of free-lancers," he said. "The only saving grace for the Republicans is that the Democrats are not better organized and their candidate pool is nowhere near as deep."

Al Balboni, a Community College of Southern Nevada government professor and author, said he was glad someone was calling out Gibbons' values. "There is more to a full life for Nevada citizens than just cutting back state spending," Balboni said. "Life is recreation. Life is safety. Life is education."

Guinn, who also has expressed concerns about Gibbons' fiscal policies, has said he'll back whoever wins the GOP primary. Republican state Sen. Bob Beers, R-Las Vegas, has announced his candidacy, and Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt has said she plans to run. Reno Mayor Bob Cashell also has expressed interest.

On the Democratic side, Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins of Henderson and state Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus of Las Vegas are expected to run for governor.