Lieutenant governor candidates Lowden, Hutchison to debate again on May 12

GOP lieutenant governor candidates Sue Lowden and Mark Hutchison have agreed to a May 12 TV debate on Nevada Newsmakers, a Reno-based political talk show that also airs in Las Vegas, the two campaigns confirmed Tuesday.

The Hutchison campaign said it had initiated the effort to schedule the debate, which would be the fifth face-to-face encounter between the top GOP contenders.

The other debates were held before Republican organizations in Las Vegas, Elko and Reno and on “Ralston Reports,” which aired on KSNV, Channel 3, in Las Vegas.

The Lowden campaign has accused Hutchison, a state senator from Las Vegas, of avoiding future debates in the high-profile contest, which has taken on new importance this year because of the possibility that GOP Gov. Brian Sandoval, if re-elected as expected in 2014, won’t complete his four-year term through 2018.

Sandoval has dismissed the notion he would leave the governor’s job early, but speculation is that he could run for the U.S. Senate against Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., in 2016, or be appointed to a Cabinet position or another judgeship.

“Nevada Newsmakers,” hosted by Sam Shad, airs in Southern Nevada on Channel 3, on cable TV and online.

Lowden, a former state senator, TV broadcaster and Nevada Republican Party chairwoman, and Hutchison are two of three Republicans running in the June 10 GOP primary. The other is Chris Dyer.

On the Democratic side, Assemblywoman Lucy Flores, D-Las Vegas, is backed by Democratic leaders in the race. She will face Democrat Harley Zane Kulkin in the primary. The general election is Nov. 4.

Contact Laura Myers at lmyers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919. Follow her on Twitter @lmyerslvrj.