Battle shapes up in Washoe County District 15

CARSON CITY -- One of the key battles to determine which party will control the state Senate next year was set up Tuesday with the filing of Sen. Greg Brower, R-Reno, and Democrat Sheila Leslie for the District 15 seat in Washoe County.

With the Democrats holding an 11-10 membership advantage, the contest between liberal Leslie, 56, and conservative Brower, 47, should be one of the most bitterly contested and interesting in the fall campaign.

Brower, a former U.S. attorney for Nevada, was appointed to the seat in January 2011 by the Washoe County Commission when longtime Sen. Bill Raggio resigned. Raggio died last month at age 85.

Leslie, a legislator since 1999, had been the state senator for District 13 in Washoe County but in a surprise resigned her seat Feb. 14. She had moved to a smaller house outside that district and instead decided to run for Brower's seat.

By resigning, Leslie gave up key leadership posts such as chairwoman of the Senate Revenue Committee, vice chairwoman of the Senate Finance Committee and chairwoman of the Legislature's Audit Subcommittee. Assembly Ways and Means Chairwoman Debbie Smith, D-Sparks, has filed to run for Leslie's old Senate seat.

Leslie also gave up an almost sure re-election victory in District 13, where 46 percent of the voters are Democrats and 29 percent are Republicans. In District 15, Republicans outnumber Democrats 40 percent to 38 percent.

Leslie has gained a reputation as one of the state's most liberal legislators.

Brower, considered by some observers as a moderate when he took the seat a year ago, has become increasingly conservative. He voted against the bill to continue $620 million in tax increases that would have expired June 30. He also opposed the bill that outlawed texting and use of hand-held cellphones by drivers and three bills to outlaw discrimination against transgender people.

Earlier in his career, Brower served two sessions as an assemblyman from Washoe County but was defeated in a re-election bid by Sharron Angle.

Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.