Presidential hopefuls fire up conservatives in Las Vegas

Two Republican presidential candidates warned a conservative conference on Saturday that Americans are in danger of losing economic opportunity if President Barack Obama wins re-election in 2012.

Retired businessman Herman Cain and former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, both long-shot contenders, each also made a case for why he would be the best candidate for the GOP nomination and the right to take on Obama.

Cain delivered the most rousing speech at the fourth annual Conservative Leadership Conference, addressing about 200 people at the M Resort.

"We're sick and tired of being sick and tired of the same old stuff in Washington, D.C.," Cain said, his voice rising to the rafters. "Today, the American dream is under attack, but our job is to take it back."

Cain said the Obama administration "has no clue" that more jobs would be created if tax rates went down in order to encourage business growth.

"The business sector is the engine of the economy," said Cain, the former president of Godfather's Pizza and a tea party darling.

Johnson said that during two terms as New Mexico governor he helped create jobs by reducing regulations and making it easier for private business to hire people and make money.

"The best government is the government that rules least," Johnson said, adding there should also be few laws. "The simpler, the better."

Although Cain and Johnson spoke at the conference, the gathering failed to attract top White House contenders after a related presidential debate was postponed when GOP front-runner Mitt Romney said he would not participate. Instead, Romney said he would participate in a separate GOP debate scheduled for October in Las Vegas during the Western Republican Leadership Conference.

CAIN WINS STRAW POLL

Cain, a popular speaker and frequent Nevada visitor, was rewarded Saturday when he won a straw poll of 179 of the conference attendees conducted by The Washington Times.

Cain was the first choice for president of 24 percent of those polled, followed by Romney at 21 percent, a strong showing thanks to the former Massachusetts governor's focus on Nevada. Romney won the 2008 GOP caucuses in the state, although he lost the Republican nomination.

Other top finishers included Texas Gov. Rick Perry at 17 percent, U.S. Rep. Michelle Bachmann, R-Minn., at 16 percent, and U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, at 8 percent. Perry is not running for president, although some Republicans are urging him to get into the race. Bachmann has come on strong since she announced last month.

The straw poll also suggested that most conservatives aren't confident anyone currently in the wide GOP presidential field is strong enough to defeat Obama, who won Nevada in 2008.

Asked how likely it is that Obama will win re-election, 71 percent said he had a 50/50 chance, 21 percent put his odds at 75 percent and 2 percent said they were 100 percent certain he would return to the White House. Only 6 percent gave Obama a 25 percent chance of re-election.

Chuck Muth, president of Citizen Outreach who organized the conference, said he thought the results showed conservatives and Republicans hadn't yet coalesced around a GOP candidate.

"There are still too many Cinderellas out there," Muth said.

The daylong conference brought together both Nevada and national figures. Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform was among the speakers as was Andrew Brietbart, the conservative commentator who recently helped bring down former Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y.

HELLER ON THE ATTACK

U.S. Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., was the top Nevada speaker. He strongly criticized Obama, as well, saying the president inherited a bad economy but has made things worse since he took office.

"How is Obama liberalism working for you today?" Heller asked the audience. "In 16 months we'll have an opportunity to make a change and, frankly, the chance to elect another Ronald Reagan."

Heller warned that his generation is the first that may not leave a better world and quality of life behind for their children and grandchildren unless Republicans turn the country around.

He said government spending is out of control and GOP leaders in Washington, D.C., are negotiating with Obama on a plan to cut spending and taxes in order to get the growing national debt under control.

Heller didn't endorse any Republican presidential candidate seeking the GOP nomination, but he said the nation needs "someone who will lead." The next president must take responsibility for the economy, for energy policy, for health care and for creating jobs, he said.

"You can't be pro-job and anti-business," he said.

Heller was appointed in May to finish the term of John Ensign, who resigned amid scandal. Heller is running for election to the seat in 2012. He's expected to face Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., the Democratic favorite.

AMODEI'S KEY BATTLE

Mark Amodei, the GOP nominee to replace Heller, told the gathering he must win decisively in the Sept. 13 special election to show Republican strength in the run-up to 2012.

"It's going to be a fast-paced 60 days" until the election, said Amodei, a former state senator and former head of the Nevada Republican Party.

Amodei is running for the 2nd Congressional District, which covers Northern and rural Nevada and a part of Clark County. The seat has always been held by a Republican. He faces state Treasurer Kate Marshall, the Democratic nominee who was in Reno on Saturday for the official opening of her campaign headquarters.

Amodei said Republicans need to appeal to GOP voters as well as independents and conservative Nevada Democrats unhappy with the economy.

The $787 billion stimulus and current federal policies "have not helped Nevada," Amodei said.

Amodei said Clark County would be a key battleground since it leans Democratic and Heller must do well here to win the Senate seat.

"We know that ground zero for the Dean Heller election to the United States Senate is Clark County," Amodei said.

U.S. Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev., was scheduled to speak, but he didn't make it because his plane was canceled by bad weather in Washington.

Contact reporter Laura Myers at lmyers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919.