From left, Michael Lee, a former law clerk for Judge Samuel Alito, Nevada Republican Party Chairman Paul Adams and former Alito clerk Jim Goniea attend a rally Tuesday for supporters of the U.S. Supreme Court nominee at the Marine Corps League Leatherneck Club in Las Vegas. Photo by K.M. Cannon.

About two dozen supporters of Judge Samuel Alito gathered Tuesday in Las Vegas to send a message to Nevada's senators: Confirm President Bush's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Most of the speakers at the afternoon rally specifically targeted Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

"We call on Senator Reid to allow an up or down vote and to oppose a filibuster," said Paul Adams, chairman of the Nevada Republican Party.

Confirmation hearings for Alito, a judge with the Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, are scheduled to begin Monday in Washington.

The president nominated the New Jersey judge on Oct. 31 to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

Two of Alito's former law clerks traveled from out of state to speak at the Las Vegas rally, which was hosted by the conservative group Progress for America. Similar rallies are taking place in 18 other states this week.

Jim Goniea, a partner with the Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal law firm in San Francisco, clerked for Alito from 1990 to 1991. Goniea described himself as a Democrat and social progressive.

"Judge Alito is someone to be respected and not feared," Goniea said. "I think he's going to be a great Supreme Court justice."

Goniea and his wife, Susan Sullivan, met while the two were clerking for Alito. He said his wife was not able to attend the Las Vegas rally.

Another former Alito clerk, Michael Lee, described the judge Tuesday as "one of the brightest legal minds ever to grace the presence of the United States legal system."

Lee, general counsel to Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, clerked for Alito from 1998 to 1999.

The former President Bush nominated Alito to the appellate court in February 1990. The Senate confirmed his nomination in April 1990.

Neither Reid nor his spokeswoman could be reached for comment Tuesday, but Reid has expressed concerns about Alito. During a Senate speech in November, Reid said Alito's nomination "represents an abandonment of the principle that the Supreme Court should be comprised of highly qualified individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences and heritages."

Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., also could not be reached for comment, and spokesman Jack Finn stopped short of saying whether the senator supports the judge's nomination.

"Senator Ensign has met with Judge Alito and came away very impressed with him," Finn said.