Derby for Hutchison’s state Senate seat is on

The process of filling Mark Hutchison’s state Senate seat is about to get intriguing.

Republican Hutchison breezed to victory on Nov. 4 in the race for lieutenant governor, and it’s up to the Clark County Commission to choose a replacement from a list of GOP applicants.

Among the more interesting names: Former Gaming Control Board Chairman Mark Lipparelli, Police Protective Association Executive Director Chris Collins, and former state Sen. Sue Lowden.

Lipparelli is close to Gov. Brian Sandoval. Collins would certainly bring an appreciation for the place of organized labor in the state, and Lowden has experience in the Legislature and is said to be being pushed by certain big-money donors.

The commission is scheduled to meet Tuesday with a discussion of the issue planned. The deadline for applications is Nov. 28 with a selection likely as early as the commission’s Dec. 2 meeting.

Senate Majority Leader Michael Roberson earlier this week met with Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak and Commissioner Larry Brown, who will make the motion on the matter. Much of state Senate District 8 lies inside Brown’s commission District C.

McDONALD’S MARCH: State Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald is considering running for his old Ward 1 City Council seat.

“I’m taking a hard look at it,” McDonald said Thursday, noting that a variety of locals have asked him to consider attempting to regain the office he held from 1995-2008. The seat, held by Lois Tarkanian, comes up next year.

McDonald courted controversy at times during his time on the council, but he was raised in the area and proved he knew Ward 1 better than anyone.

FOR LAUGHS: “Dumb and Dumber To” could have been the theme of some of this year’s legislative races, but Kendall Tenney assures me it’s actually the latest installment in the popular comedy series starring Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels. Tenney’s 10e Media Thursday sponsored a theme-night at the Cannery at 2121 E. Craig Road with a special screening of the movie at the absurdly comfortable Galaxy Luxury theater.

There was even a “Dumb and Dumber” character costume contest with the winner receiving $500 to donate to a favorite charity.

Wait. Reporters dressing up as dumb people?

Hey, some of us wouldn’t even have to change clothes.

NO RESPECT: Democrat Amy Beaulieu feels Republican Cindy Lake’s pain.

Lake’s competitive but woefully underfunded County Commission campaign was a recent column topic, and after reading it, Beaulieu says she can relate. She lost to incumbent Richard Carrillo by 707 votes in the race for the Democrats-only Assembly District 18 despite raising just $8,000 to more than $100,000 amassed by her opponent.

“She is not the only person to be snubbed,” Beaulieu says. “I was completely snubbed by my party, too. I had the only unique race in the state — two Democrats running against each other in the general election because we did not have a primary race. I was treated like the outcast for sure. Even when the voter guides went out, the Clark County guide originally had me listed as Ann Beaulieu. I was like, who is that?”

The typographical error was corrected, but voters in her district received many mailers critical of her.

In a year when their grand political machine sputtered, Democrats still had time to crush a party infidel who challenged an incumbent.

ON THE BOULEVARD: When she worked at the Las Vegas Sun, Abigail Goldman was one of the best reporters in Las Vegas. These days she’s a veteran investigator with the federal public defender and an artist whose wickedly interesting “Dieoramas” are gaining a larger audience these days. Check out her work at downtown’s Trifecta Gallery or at abigailgoldman.com. … While we’re on the subject, local artist Karen Wheeler continues to produce intriguing work despite the challenge of muscular dystrophy. Take a look at karenwheeler.com.

BOULEVARD II: Wonder what former UNLV President Carol Harter thinks of the finalists for the university’s presidency. And what genius left Harter off the list of those searching for a new president? … You’ll laugh when you learn of the arrogance on display at a Uber driver’s hearing this week. Some cab company bosses just don’t know what day it is.

BOULEVARD III: Comedian “Big Daddy” Jeff Wayne’s “Big Daddy’s Barbecue” one-man show is being looked at for a TV network pilot following his recent performance at the local Starbright Theater. Wayne works his stand-up routine at the Riviera Comedy Club starting Monday. … When was the last time you thought of Caesars Palace the way we used to think of Caesars? In a nutshell, that’s part of what’s wrong with bankruptcy-bound Caesars Entertainment.

Have an item for the Bard of the Boulevard? Email comments and contributions to Smith@reviewjournal.com or call 702-383-0295. Follow him on Twitter @jlnevadasmith.