ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 5

Assemblywoman Valerie Weber has chosen to abandon her District 5 post in favor of a shot at the Clark County Commission this year, and that has brought out three people vying to replace her.

All three candidates say they'll bring their own experiences in public service to the office.

Democrat Marilyn Dondero Loop, the daughter of longtime Regent Thalia Dondero, is a native Nevadan and was a teacher in the Clark County School District for 30 years.

Republican Donna Toussaint has served on the Metropolitan Police Department's Citizen Review Board for five years and helped lead a movement to fight the FAA's "right turn" decision, which is now before the U.S. Court of Appeals.

And nonpartisan candidate Don Woolbright has served previously on the Board of Aldermen, which functioned as a city council, for a small town in Missouri for six years in the early 1990s.

Woolbright says he has "fire in my belly" and has several ideas for balancing the state budget, including by re-evaluating how the state spends its money and by creating a state lottery.

"I think the time has come to bring in the lottery here," he said. "I believe the gaming industry will play ball this time."

Toussaint favors school choice and, if elected, would introduce a bill requiring the legal holders of foreclosed homes to maintain the appearance of the property.

She said she has helped fight the decision by the FAA to allow planes to make a right turn over the west valley after departing from McCarran International Airport, which drew anger from people who say the planes are noisy.

"It really never was about the noise," she said. "It really was about safety and pollution and whether this government agency was doing the right thing."

Loop said she supports Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley's plan to re-evaluate how the state spends its money, which could include cuts to certain programs.

Loop said she does not favor cutting state jobs.

"I don't think we can afford to lay off teachers in any form or fashion, and state workers are already doing the work of two or three people due to budget cuts," she said.

If the funding becomes available, she said she would like to expand the Clark County School District's mentor-teacher program, which she said has been successful in keeping teachers from leaving the district.

None of the candidates favors tax increases.

Woolbright is running his campaign on a lean budget. He said he has raised less than $1,000.

"If I had a third of the money that either one of my opponents have, this race would be over," he said. "I'm going to win this race on a shoestring budget."

Records show both Toussaint and Loop have aggressively been raising money. Toussaint has raised nearly $65,000, and Loop has raised nearly $80,000.

Contact reporter Lawrence Mower at lmower@reviewjournal.com or 702-0440.