Candidates begin filing for 2nd Congressional District race

CARSON CITY -- Standing outside the door at the secretary of state's office Wednesday morning was kind of like standing on the corner watching all the cars go by.

First came state Sen. Greg Brower, R-Reno, precisely at 8 a.m. to file his candidacy for the 2nd Congressional District race.

He was immediately followed by Democrat Nancy Price, who filed again for the seat she lost just last November to then Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev.

A few minutes later, Democratic state Treasurer Kate Marshall of Reno formally entered the race, immediately followed by former state senator and soon-to-be-former state Republican Party chairman Mark Amodei.

Next was Eric Hintermeyer. Who? Hintermeyer was wearing an Army uniform. He refused to answer reporters' questions, saying he was on active duty. He filed as a Republican.

Another unknown, Daniel Miller, filed as a Republican.

All the candidates filed Wednesday because Secretary of State Ross Miller deemed filing would be open for the vacant congressional seat between now and June 30. The election, to be held Sept. 13, will determine who will fill Heller's seat in the House. Gov. Brian Sandoval appointed Heller to the U.S. Senate to replace Sen. John Ensign, who resigned amid a Senate Ethics Committee investigation tied to an affair.

Just last week District Judge James Todd Russell ruled that Miller was wrong in his pronouncements that the election would be a "ballot royale" or a free-for-all open to any candidate. Russell ruled that central committees of the Republican and Democrat parties would pick one candidate to represent their parties.

But Miller is appealing Russell's decision to the state Supreme Court. And unless the high court rules otherwise, the secretary of state wants all people interested in the race to file.

Republican candidate Sharron Angle, the former Assembly member who lost the U.S. Senate race to Harry Reid in November, said she will not participate in the special election.

Not showing up in the initial rush to file was Kirk Lippold, the commanding Navy officer on the USS Cole in 2000 when it was bombed by al-Qaida terrorists.

Brower contended that his experience "in the federal arena" as the U.S. attorney for Nevada and as a legislator "sets me apart from other candidate."

"I see myself as an independent," said Brower, contending he would be the most effective person to represent the sprawling district that covers all of Nevada except the heavily populated areas of Clark County.

Brower, 46, said moves by Republicans to reduce federal spending and revamp Medicare are a "step in the right direction," although he isn't backing any particular proposals at this time.

"Everything has to be on the table," he said. "All of us at some point will receive Medicare."

Price, 69, said she was a Republican until President George W. Bush started "allowing torture" of suspected terrorists.

"The party made a hard turn right," she said. "There is no Republican Party as I knew it. It's not good for democracy."

But Republicans -- who enjoy a 31,000-registered-voter advantage in the district -- still are "very reasonable" and will vote for her, Price said.

She considers moves to change Medicare absurd when Congress should be changing the tax code so that more corporations pay taxes, rather than nothing.

"It is absurd to cut out our American way of life, ratchet it down to that of a Third World country," said Price, a former military officer whose spouse is former Assemblyman Bob Price, D-North Las Vegas.

Marshall, serving her second term as state treasurer, said she is used to multi-tasking and would continue to do her state job while campaigning on the weekend and at night.

Her skills as treasurer will come in handy in Washington, she added.

"We are still in a fiscal crisis. I think I have something to contribute."

She added she would bring "fiscal discipline" to Congress if she wins the race.

Senior citizens have earned the right to Medicare and she would never take it away from them, Marshall added.

The stipends that Republican would offer recipients "would not cover their needs and we are not going to do that."

Amodei, 52, said his long career as a legislator and now as a member of the Colorado River Commission give him the broad kind of experience that a congressman needs.

In filing for the seat, Amodei said he submitted a letter resigning as state Republican Party chairman.

He said Medicare and federal spending must be reduced, although he would not change benefits to "people already vested in the system."

"But we cannot continue spending as we have been," he added.

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