Incumbents see little ‘red wave’ impact on Las Vegas council races

It’s been called the red wave, the conservative tide, the Republican sweep.

Southern Nevada pundits, candidates and political consultants have come up with a lot of names for the drubbing Democrats took in this month’s midterm elections — a Republican rout that saw conservatives pick up 20 seats on Capitol Hill and 17 state legislative and constitutional offices up for grabs in Nevada.

But few have managed to project the impact of those elections on nonpartisan municipal elections set to kick off with primary contests in April.

Municipal races tend to draw fewer voters and less campaign cash than state and federal elections in Nevada, despite attracting many, if not most, of the city council and mayoral candidates who go on to win higher offices.

City races, while technically non­partisan, don’t often draw candidates wary of advertising their conservative or liberal bona fides, nor voters shy about pinning partisan labels on those hopefuls.

Seven Democrats, one Republican and one registered nonpartisan are set to defend city council seats in North Las Vegas, Las Vegas and Henderson this spring.

Officials from both parties figure that November’s red wave probably will reach next year’s ballot box, though most Democrats who plan to seek re-election say they don’t expect much impact on their races.

Eric Herzik, political science professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, is inclined to agree.

Herzik said you don’t have to look further than Reno — where voters just elected two Democratic council members and a labor-friendly mayor — to find evidence of municipal voters swimming against the Republican tide.

“For the most part, (the red wave) shouldn’t have an impact,” Herzik said. “As soon as you take the party label off, the party ticket voting goes away.

“What you can say is that you tend to have a much lower turnout (in municipal elections). ... The literature suggests that tends to favor business-oriented Republicans.”

Republicans, for their part, won’t be taking any chances.

“As with the last election, we have our targets,” Clark County Republican Party political director Nick Phillips said Tuesday. “We have those we expect to win, those we hope to win and those who may look like a long shot.

“We plan on putting way more effort and way more money into those races.”

High-profile municipal races tend to attract campaign cash totaling in the high five figures. By comparison, Lt. Gov.-elect Mark Hutchison spent $2.4 million on his successful November election bid.

Clark County Republicans spent $2,000 on municipal races in 2013, some $431 more than their Democratic counterparts. Neither party has donated to candidates up for re-election next year.

PARTIES TO MAKE A SPLASH

County Republicans confirmed they were in talks with several potential challengers for city Democratic seats, but declined to name names.

Party leaders have taken a special interest in shoring up whatever political momentum Republicans may have picked up in North Las Vegas, where thousands of voters helped Republican Assemblyman Cresent Hardy upset Rep. Steven Horsford in the 4th Congressional District.

Phillips said his party plans to pay similarly close attention to races in Henderson, where Republicans hold a narrow voter registration edge in each of the three Democrat-represented wards up for grabs in 2015.

With an apparently firm grip on seven seats across three cities, Southern Nevada’s Democratic candidates figure they won’t have to come out swinging this spring.

November’s midterms produced quite a scare for Democrats Mary Beth Scow and Susan Brager, a pair of veteran Clark County commissioners who only narrowly defeated challenges from Republican newcomers.

Still, county Democrats say they like their chances of defending seats in Las Vegas, Henderson and North Las Vegas.

Clark County Democratic Party Chairman Chris Miller said the party doesn’t expect to plow additional logistical or volunteer resources into upcoming municipal elections.

He said party officials don’t usually give money to Democratic city council hopefuls, but might be willing to make an exception this time around.

“We have a strong field of candidates, but I think there’s probably a heightened sense of awareness right now,” Miller said. “Obviously we work with (municipal) candidates as far as their needs — usually field support, volunteers and your typical ground game stuff.

“We don’t normally (write municipal campaign checks). … If we’re asked, we’d be willing to take a look at that.”

VEGAS INCUMBENTS CONFIDENT

Three of four Las Vegas incumbents figure they won’t need either party’s campaign funds.

Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian, a Democrat who swept into office with nearly three-quarters of the Ward 1 primary vote in 2011, said she had been approached by a few would-be heirs to her seat, but none willing to enter the race unless she dropped out.

Tarkanian said elections in her ward have always been more about issues than partisan momentum. She’s betting next year’s race will prove no different.

Far from fearing the red wave, Mayor Carolyn Goodman, a registered nonpartisan, actually encouraged challengers from both ends of the political spectrum, explaining that she is happy to face competition from “anyone who wants to improve the city.”

First-term Councilman Bob Coffin — a Democrat and longtime state legislator who squeaked into his city office by fewer than 250 votes in 2011 — said he worries about “every vote, all the time,” though he doesn’t expect his deep blue Ward 3 will be one of those susceptible to a Republican upset.

Councilman Ricki Barlow, whose ward overlaps with some of the more densely populated swaths of the Republican-represented 4th Congressional District, did not return requests for comment.

Las Vegas has six City Council seats in addition to the mayor.

HENDERSON REPUBLICANS HAPPY

At first blush, Henderson would seem an obvious target for the GOP: There are no Republicans on the City Council, and one of Democratic U.S. Sen Harry Reid’s sons is the city attorney.

“They have a stronghold in Henderson,” Lynn Armanino, president of the Southern Hills Republican Women, said of Democrats.

But Republicans might not care much. Bob Sulliman, a district trustee for the Clark County Republican Party, said he doesn’t expect serious challengers to any of Henderson’s incumbents next year.

Though the City Council is all Democratic, Henderson has boasted about keeping spending and taxes in check and outsourcing services in recent years. The result, Sulliman said, is most Henderson Republicans he has talked to are pretty happy with the council.

“No one has mentioned to me that they’re going to step up to the plate and run in Henderson,” Sulliman said. “I’m talking about a viable candidate.”

Property taxes have not been raised since 1991, but the city might put an increase on the ballot in 2016 for voters to approve or reject.

Councilman Sam Bateman, who will be running next year for a second term, said he doesn’t expect political parties to spend the time and effort to “make a nonpartisan race partisan.”

Because the council stays focused on doing the city’s business, ideology and partisan politics don’t have as much impact as they do at the state and national levels, Bateman said.

Councilwomen Gerri Schroder and Debra March, who also are up for re-election next year, were at a conference late last week and couldn’t be reached for comment.

Sulliman said he expects a different atmosphere in 2017, when the city will elect a new mayor to replace Andy Hafen, who is term limited.

For now, Sulliman said, council members are governing responsibly, keeping taxes low and encouraging smart development.

“If they weren’t,” he said, “I’d be the first one to throw my name out there.”

Henderson has four City Council members, three of whom are up for re-election next year, and a mayor.

NLV DEMS MAY TAKE FUNDING

North Las Vegas’ three known election contenders rejected the idea that party politics will play in role in two upcoming City Council races.

Republican Councilman Wade Wagner, who beat former Councilman and Democrat Richard Cherchio by a single vote, said he doesn’t think he will need the red wave to win re-election.

“On these local levels dealing with Democrats and Republicans, you just don’t see the partisan stuff pop up too much on the City Council level,” Wagner said. “It’s a nonpartisan race. I doubt it will have anything to do with it.”

Cherchio, who said he plans to run again, agrees. “Obviously muni races are non­partisan, but the reality of it is I have the privilege, and still do, of having across-the-aisle support,” he said.

Cherchio said he will take support from anyone, provided they understand his vote will be based on the issue and what is best for his constituents and not towing a party line.

Councilwoman Pamela Goynes-Brown, a Democrat who is up for re-election, echoed that sentiment. If the Democratic Party were to offer funding she wouldn’t say no, but she doesn’t see the conservative tide sweeping her away.

North Las Vegas has four City Council spots, two of which are up for election, and a mayor.

Contact James DeHaven at jdehaven@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3839. Find him on Twitter: @JamesDeHaven. Contact Bethany Barnes at bbarnes@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3861. Find her on Twitter: @betsbarnes. Contact Eric Hartley at ehartley@reviewjournal.com or 702-550-9229. Find him on Twitter: @ethartley.