Clinton garners additional endorsements

Four Democratic state legislators have endorsed Hillary Clinton for president, including Assembly Majority Leader John Oceguera.

Also supporting the U.S. senator from New York are Assembly members Kathy McClain, Harry Mortenson and Morse Arberry, all Las Vegas Democrats.

Although all the state's Democratic officeholders are being courted by presidential campaigns, Oceguera, because of his position, was especially sought. He is the lower house's second-highest-ranking member after Speaker Barbara Buckley, who has yet to give her backing to a candidate.

Oceguera is a battalion chief with the North Las Vegas Fire Department who first was elected to office in 2000.

He said he was approached by all the campaigns and studied them closely, not only for their positions on issues, but for who he thought would continue to help Nevada Democrats through the 2008 election and beyond.

"I'm interested in the Democratic Party doing well in the future, and I think there's an opportunity, with the resources these folks (candidates) are putting into the state, to really build the party," he said.

"I wanted to know who was really in it for the long haul. After months of them badgering me and me badgering them, I came to the conclusion that Senator Clinton was the best," he said.

Oceguera is a member of the International Association of Fire Fighters, which nationally has endorsed U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn. Oceguera said he made his own decision separate from the union.

"There is nothing I can say bad about Senator Dodd's record on firefighters' issues," Oceguera said. "But I think Senator Clinton's efforts are just as strong."

Although Clinton has the overwhelming majority of endorsements from prominent Nevadans and leads in state-specific polling, she has not visited the state for more than a month. She last was in Nevada on Aug. 13, when she campaigned in Henderson and Pahrump. On Aug. 17, her husband campaigned for her in Reno.