Candidates quick to take aim

Nevada Secretary of State Ross Miller called the statewide primary elections about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday. "It's a wrap -- on to the general," he posted on Twitter.

He didn't need to tell gubernatorial candidates Rory Reid and Brian Sandoval.

By 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, Democratic candidate Reid already had sent a tweet of his own announcing a Wednesday morning news conference at Booker Elementary School in Las Vegas.

Sandoval, following his victory speech after ousting Republican incumbent Gov. Jim Gibbons in the primary, took a shot at Reid by saying the Democrat would seek to raise taxes.

Both Reid and Sandoval launched their general election campaigns Wednesday morning by picking up on those election-night themes. Reid sought to highlight education, and Sandoval identified himself as the fiscal conservative in the race.

During the news conference, Reid and his team touted their education plan and attacked the education statements made by Sandoval's campaign. It was a chance for Reid to put the campaign organization he has been building for more than a year to work by highlighting education, a topic he hopes to make his defining issue while also using it to define his opponent.

"With our whole economic future riding on educational success, this election must be about building the bridge between strong schools to a stronger economy," Reid, 46, said in a statement.

He also sought to tie Sandoval's anti-tax rhetoric to that of Gibbons, who on Tuesday became the first incumbent governor in state history to lose his re-election bid in his own party primary.

"Just like Jim Gibbons, Brian Sandoval wants to balance the budget on the backs of our children, jeopardizing our future, and I won't stand for it," said Reid, who is chairman of the Clark County Commission and the son of Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.

Meanwhile, Sandoval talked about taxes during a round of morning interviews. He thinks Rory Reid would raise them.

"I think that raising taxes at this time would be devastating," Sandoval told KLAS-TV, Channel 8, in Las Vegas. "We're in the midst of high unemployment, we're in the midst of one of the worst recessions we've ever had."

Each candidate leaves the starting gate for the general election with distinct advantages.

Rory Reid's are money and organization. He has raised about $4.4 million since he started campaigning. As of June 1, he had about $2.6 million on hand. Sandoval has raised about $1.8 million. Thanks to his contested primary, he had less than $600,000 on hand as of June 1.

Reid's monetary and organizational advantages were evident Wednesday. His campaign streamed his news conference live on its website, and campaign workers were ready with handouts detailing Reid's education plan. The materials suggested that Sandoval would lay off thousands of teachers to save the state money.

"What I won't do is what Brian Sandoval did with the education issue, which is basically sacrifice it on the alter of his own ideology," Reid said in an interview.

Sandoval's advantages are popularity and a strong defense.

The latest statewide survey by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research showed
51 percent of likely general election voters prefer Sandoval compared with
37 percent who like Reid.

Sandoval's favorable rating in the same survey was 49 percent compared with 20 percent of respondents who viewed him unfavorably. Conversely, Rory Reid was viewed favorably by 29 percent of respondents and unfavorably by 37 percent.

Sandoval's popularity persists despite an effort led by a longtime Reid consultant to discredit Sandoval during the past few months. The effort was funded in large part by the Democratic Governors Association.

Sandoval supporters attribute his ability to withstand the attacks to his experience as an assemblyman, Nevada attorney general and a federal judge, all positions that involve standing up to public scrutiny.

State Sen. Bill Raggio, R-Reno, said the popularity edge now held by Sandoval, 46, can overcome his monetary disadvantage.

"He is a dynamic young man," Raggio said. "He certainly crosses party lines."

Contact reporter Benjamin Spillman at bspillman@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3861.