2nd District candidate tussle wasn’t in the cards

The only red meat was on the menu Tuesday when U.S. House candidates Kate Marshall and Mark Amodei met for the first time while campaigning in Southern Nevada.

While diners at the annual Nevada Subcontractors Association meeting cut into their filet mignon, Marshall and Amodei delivered back-to-back speeches that laid out their views but didn't lay into each other despite the high stakes in the Sept. 13 special election just six weeks away.

Marshall is trying to become the first Democrat to win the seat for the 2nd Congressional District, which covers Northern and rural Nevada and a sliver of Clark County. The seat came open in May when Dean Heller resigned to take a U.S. Senate appointment after John Ensign quit in disgrace.

Instead of contrasting herself with her opponent, Marshall didn't mention Amodei at all but touted her own achievements as state treasurer. She said she had made money every quarter while investing more than $300 million for Nevada since she took office in 2007 despite the recession.

"I have come in under budget every year in office," she added.

After her eight-minute speech, Marshall left without hearing what Amodei had to say.

Amodei made light of her quick departure, joking about her winning a Vegas-style card cut to get the right to speak first. She drew a king of spades, he a five of hearts.

"Kate, can we do that card thing again?" Amodei cracked though she was nowhere in sight.

Amodei went on to talk about his 14 years as a state assemblyman and senator. He said lawmakers had to balance the state budget every year by law and the federal government should have to do the same instead of exploding the U.S. debt beyond its $14.3 trillion cap.

"You cannot continue to borrow 40 cents of every dollar that you spend and expect your economy to be healthy," Amodei said. "And an economy that isn't healthy is a killer for business."

The line drew applause from 150 contractors inside the Eastside Cannery dining hall.

While Amodei and Marshall played nice during their first face-to-face meeting in Las Vegas, the TV ad wars between the two candidates have been flaring up with early voting set to start Aug. 27.

One of Marshall's first TV ads takes direct aim at Amodei for co-sponsoring a $1 billion tax plan in 2003. He said he did it to avoid a counter-proposal to impose a new gross receipts tax on businesses, which never passed. But her ad undercuts the low-tax conservative credentials he's trying to display by noting he voted against a 2009 tax plan and doesn't favor new federal taxes.

Amodei's ads have been biographical spots or aimed at Congress, President Barack Obama and U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., over rising federal spending. None mention Marshall.

The National Republican Campaign Committee, however, is spending at least $225,000 on two harsh TV ads that tear into Marshall's campaign pitch that she has steered Nevada's fiscal ship well.

"Democrat Kate Marshall claims she's a financial expert, but under her watch, Nevada plummeted from the second-strongest economy to the worst in the nation," said an ad the GOP organization launched Tuesday.

As treasurer, Marshall doesn't have much if any control over Nevada's economy, including the record home foreclosure and jobless rates the state has endured for several years. Still, the ads undercut her argument that the state has fared well with her at the treasurer's helm.

On Tuesday, Amodei said he was uncomfortable with the negative ads, which he can't control because he's not allowed by law to coordinate his campaign with the National Republican Campaign Committee's efforts.

"These ads are not something you are seeing from me," Amodei said when asked by a reporter what he thought about the harsh campaign. "I'm concerned about the tone." He stopped himself there, saying he didn't want to anger those trying to help him.

If Amodei fails to capture the House seat, it would signal a major pre-2012 election setback for the Republican Party with national repercussions. So it's a race the GOP can't afford to lose.

Amodei and Marshall will get more chances to tussle face-to-face with three debates scheduled this month -- Aug. 17, 23 and 25 -- just ahead of early voting.

Independent candidate Helmuth Lehman and Independent American Party candidate Tim Fasano will be included in the Aug. 17 event at the Reno VFW and the Aug. 25 debate sponsored by Reno Public Radio, KNPB-TV and the Reno Gazette-Journal. It may not air in the Las Vegas area.

The Aug. 23 debate is on the "Face to Face with Jon Ralston" program broadcast on KSNV-TV, Channel 3, Las Vegas, KRNV-TV, Channel 4, Reno, and KENV-TV, Channel 10, Elko.

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