Most early voters sticking to own party, but irregularities surface

Mission impossible: Find nonpartisan voters and ask how they voted in the Senate race.

Except, out of 20 people interviewed, I could find only two nonpartisans. One voted Republican, the other Democrat, not exactly a bellwether.

However, talking to early voters Tuesday pointed out a few anomalies between political generalities and actuality.

For instance, the pundits say the Hispanic vote is poised to help Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid defeat Republican Sharron Angle.

Nonpartisan Hispanic Christopher Silva rebutted that. He went with Angle. "She's straight, and she's not corrupt," said the mechanical engineer, who has lived in Southern Nevada for 10 years. He was also going with Republican Brian Sandoval for governor saying, "He's got more experience" than Democrat Rory Reid.

The second nonpartisan, Mary, who didn't want her last name published, voted for Harry Reid "because Sharron Angle is nuts." Discounting the theory people won't vote for two Reids on a ballot, she voted for the Clark County commissioner because Sandoval "has never said anything."

Rory Reid appears to be closer to Sandoval than the polls would suggest, receiving nine votes to Sandoval's 11. But in the Senate race, the tally was 10 to 10, paralleling the tight race professional polls have shown.

Out of the nine registered Democrats and nine registered Republican interviewed at Meadows mall and the East Las Vegas Community Center, all but two people voted the way they were registered.

Shirley, a Republican, was the only voter who swung both ways. She opted for Harry Reid saying, "I know he's the better choice because Sharron Angle scares the hell out of me." Then she went with Sandoval for governor.

The second woman is a Democrat, who voted Republican. Her son, Republican Thomas Heath, explained. "She and my Dad are registered Democrats but have not voted for a Democratic president since JFK," Heath said. Both mother and son went with Angle and Sandoval.

"I think (Reid) is too embedded in D.C. politics," said Heath, who works in hotel security. Another reason? "Harry Reid hasn't done anything to try to make Social Security solvent," Heath said, while acknowledging that's not Angle's strong point.

The Democratic get-out-the-vote effort in his mom's case did nothing but bring an anti-Reid vote out.

Hispanic Democrats Maria Monreal and her husband voted for Harry Reid at the East Las Vegas Community Center because "I hear a lot of bad things about the other lady. She doesn't like the Spanish people."

But they didn't cross over to vote for Sandoval, who is Hispanic. Democrats who feared Reid's efforts to draw out Hispanic voters who might then cross party lines to vote for Sandoval may not need to be so apprehensive.

On the GOP side, Skye Campbell, a private investigator, said it's time to clean house. "Harry Reid needs to retire. He's doing things for Harry Reid; he's so powerful and it's all about power."

Republicans Mike and Elena Johnston agreed: "Harry Reid didn't do enough. He should have worried about the state and our county, not about Obama."

On the Democratic side, Marilyn McPhun, Ray Isner, Howard Landers and Fred Young all explained their votes for Harry Reid.

"I believe in longevity," said McPhun. "You know what you get."

Isner, a retired political consultant, called Reid "a senator who can get the job done."

Landers, who has lived here since 1973, said the senator is "a good man."

Young, a two-year resident, believes Harry Reid's influence in D.C. should help Las Vegas. "This city needs help."

The Las Vegas Review-Journal's real poll results start appearing Friday.

But the real people interviewed showed voters on both sides are intractable. But we knew that.

Jane Ann Morrison's column appears Monday, Thursday and Saturday. E-mail her at Jane@reviewjournal.com or call (702) 383-0275. She also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/morrison.