Las Vegas health care consultant to vie for Halseth’s state Senate seat

CARSON CITY -- A health care consultant who has lived in Nevada for less than two years announced Wednesday that he will be a Republican candidate to fill the state Senate District 9 seat vacated last week with the resignation of Sen. Elizabeth Halseth, R-Las Vegas.

Vick Gill, 31, will seek the seat in southwest Las Vegas, where Democrats hold a 2,100-voter registration advantage. No Democrats have yet announced their candidacies. Candidates will be running to fill the last two years of Halseth's four-year term.

The race probably will be one of the most contested during the election campaign because both major parties are fighting for control of the upper house, where Democrats hold a 11-10 advantage.

Gill is making his first bid for office, said Sen. Michael Roberson, the leader of the Senate Republican Caucus. Roberson said Gill has excellent qualifications and would make a good senator. A few hours after Gill's announcement, the caucus announced it had endorsed his candidacy.

"One of my first priorities will be to put Nevadans back to work," Gill said in a campaign announcement. "As a small-business owner, I know how to create jobs and balance a budget."

Though he is not licensed to practice medicine in Nevada, Gill holds a medical degree from Xavier University School of Medicine. He is a member of an Indian-American family that owns four obstetrics and gynecology businesses in Northern California and also operates a 1,000-acre vineyard.

Rather than practice medicine, Gill said he concentrated on administrative duties with the family businesses, where he oversaw 65 employees. He said he moved to Las Vegas in March 2010.

Gill, who is single, said he works as a health care consultant in Las Vegas.

According to the Clark County Election Department, he registered to vote Feb. 8. State law requires legislative candidates to be residents of the state at least one year before an election. The primary election is scheduled for June 12.

If elected, Gill would become one of a handful of Asian-Americans who have served in the Legislature. Bob Wong, who served in the Assembly in the 1991 session, and Francis Allen, who served in the Assembly in the 2005 and 2007 sessions, are thought to be the only other Asian-Americans to serve in the Legislature.

The legislative research staff does not track legislators' ethnic backgrounds, unless they self-identify with a particular group.

"Nevadans are looking for people who have lived in the real world," Gill said in an interview. "I bring a common-sense approach. I think that will appeal to people."

Though Democrats hold a registration advantage, Gill said he would not have entered the race unless he thought he could win and expects to pick up most of the independent vote.

"I am very impressed with Vick and know his experience in the private sector creating jobs will be an asset to the state of Nevada," Roberson said.

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