Candidates take off gloves during debate

Candidates in one of the nastiest campaigns this election cycle turned cordial for the cameras in one of two state Senate debates held Friday.

Democratic incumbent Joyce Woodhouse and Republican challenger Michael Roberson squared off at Vegas PBS in their race for Senate District 5, a district south of Flamingo Road between Boulder Highway and Interstate 15.

District 5 has about 117,000 registered voters, 40 percent of whom are Democrats, 39 percent Republican and 16 percent nonpartisan.

They were followed by Republican Assemblyman Joe Hardy and Democrat Aaron Ford who debated in the race for Senate District 12, a district mostly east of Las Vegas that includes Laughlin, Boulder City and Overton.

District 12 has about 94,000 voters and is 39 percent Democrat, 40 percent Republican and 16 percent nonpartisan.

Instead of nasty, hyperbolic charges that have defined mailers in the Woodhouse-Roberson campaign, the candidates focused on issues the winner is likely to face in Carson City.

Woodhouse touted her record from her first term in the Legislature, including votes to provide incentives for businesses to create green jobs.

"We can no longer depend on gaming and mining," Woodhouse said about efforts to diversify the state economy.

Roberson said public sector interests are overrepresented in the Legislature.

"The result has been more and more wasteful spending," he said, vowing to represent small businesses and private sector workers.

The two candidates defined themselves most sharply on a series of tax questions.

Moderator Jonathan Humbert of KLAS-TV, Channel 8 asked each to give yes or no responses to whether they would support various tax and savings ideas.

Woodhouse said she would consider an increase in sales and fuel taxes and oppose a tax on food. She also said she would support a lottery and extended furloughs for state workers.

Roberson opposed all the taxes proposed as well as the lottery. He supported furloughs for state workers, excluding teachers.

In the District 12 debate the candidates distinguished themselves on the issue of private school vouchers. Hardy said he would support such a program and Ford was opposed.

Each candidate said he would consider new taxes to raise revenue.

On the series of yes or no answers to specific tax and spending issues, Ford opposed sales, food and fuel taxes and supported the concept of a state lottery.

Hardy said he would consider a sales tax on services, opposed raising taxes on food and fuel and opposed a state lottery.

Both said they would support continued furloughs of state workers.

The candidates differed on how to attract more business to Nevada.

Ford favored improving education, including at colleges and universities, to attract businesses.

"Education and our economy go hand-in-hand," Ford said.

Hardy said the recruitment of businesses should focus on the low cost of living in Nevada. "We have good deals on homes, we have good deals on business places, we have an affordable place to live," he said.

The debates were sponsored by Vegas PBS, KLAS and the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

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