The interstate leading into Nevada politics is littered with roadkill.

Candidates perceived as outsiders -- as if more than half the residents of the state don't qualify as outsiders by reasonable definitions -- traditionally haven't done well when they've decided to go for broke in the Silver State. To put a finer point on it, they've been pummeled to pulp.

They may start out like the Roadrunner from the cartoon, but they always seem to end up squashed under a boulder like Wile E. Coyote.

The outsiders' opponents have pointed to their lack of tenure as residents of the state as a sign they were not to be trusted -- at least until the final votes had been tallied.

It appears Jack Carter, the eldest son of former President Carter, plans to change all that.

Jack Carter, 58, has been quietly networking in recent weeks to weigh the possibility of a run for U.S. Senate against incumbent John Ensign. Carter recently sought the advice of Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and former Sen. Richard Bryan.

On Tuesday, Carter confirmed he's considering entering the race, and he sounds serious. An investment counselor, Carter and his wife, Elizabeth, moved to Las Vegas three years ago.

"I'm disgusted when I see where the country is going," he says. "That's what's motivated me to look into this race."

But hasn't he seen the remains of those who came before him?

"I don't think of it as being an outsider coming in," Carter says. "I chose Nevada after living in a lot of different places and having gained experience I believe will be valuable to the people of Nevada. This is where we have put our roots. Ultimately, I'm not ever going to be able to match somebody who was born in Nevada, but that makes me like a lot of Nevadans."

He laughs a little and adds, "If I just get the votes of the people who were not born here in Nevada, I'll be satisfied."

Any challenge to Ensign, the veterinarian son of wealthy former casino executive Mike Ensign, would be a costly one. Although the Washington press appears to note his athleticism almost as often as his policymaking, Ensign is a former two-term congressman and an energetic campaigner who has built a reputation as a staunch conservative.

Jack Carter is a U.S. Navy veteran who has spent most of his life in politics but much of it offstage. He has maintained national Democratic Party contacts and has networked with local officials. He gave national stump speeches on behalf of his father, the Georgia governor who campaigned for nearly two years in a strategy that culminated in the upset in 1976 of President Ford.

It would be easy to write off Carter before he's written himself in. Nevada has rarely been kind to candidates voters perceive as wealthy outsiders. Former casino executive Tom Gallagher, for instance, was a bright guy with an impeccable education who was battered when he challenged Jon Porter for his congressional seat. In keeping with tradition, Porter exploited Gallagher's lack of time in the state.

But neither Gallagher nor the rest offered Jack Carter's vast contacts and background in politics.

Asked to describe his political philosophy, he offers, "I think of myself as just being responsible, fiscally and socially. I want the government to stay out of people's pockets as much as it can and to stay out of their private lives."

A Carter campaign would add spice to an already interesting election year, which promises an actually competitive race for governor.

While it's tempting to say "like father, like son" where Carter family politics is concerned, Jack will need to improve on Jimmy's 1976 performance in Nevada. The elder Carter landed 45.8 percent of the vote to Ford's 50.2 percent.

But if the Republican Party continues to nosedive in the 2005 polls, many congressional seats will be threatened by November 2006.

Jack Carter is a newcomer who can't expect to match Ensign's familiarity and fundraising capability. The conventional wisdom says he shouldn't win.

Isn't that what they said about his daddy 30 years ago?

John L. Smith's column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. E-mail him at Smith@reviewjournal.com or call 383-0295.