STATE SENATE DISTRICT 6

Republican Sen. Bob Beers, R-Las Vegas, is locked in a tough battle with a well-funded Democratic challenger in the Senate District 6 race as Democrats try to gain control of the upper house, a feat they have not accomplished in 17 years.

Allison Copening, a former public affairs official with the Southern Nevada Water Authority, is campaigning full time in her quest to unseat Beers, who is running for his second term in the Senate.

The Senate District 6 race is one of two targeted by Democrats to try to overcome the 11-10 GOP edge in the upper house.

Beers, who served three terms in the Assembly before winning the Senate seat, said he has worked hard to hold state spending in check and help businesses thrive.

Beers, a lightning rod in the Legislature for his outspoken nature, has pushed to make English the official language of the state and has sought to impose a cap on state spending.

Copening said she decided to get into politics in a direct way after years of working in leadership capacities, including fundraising for Supreme Court Justice Bill Maupin in his election campaigns.

The third-generation Las Vegan said several factors propelled her into the race, all related to Beers, who is completing his first four-year term in the Senate.

"He has demonstrated a lack of leadership," Copening said. "He voted against requiring insurance companies to provide coverage for children with autism. He voted against paying for uniforms for Parole and Probation officers so they could help first responders in crisis situations.

"He has been widely criticized for comments he has made to various groups of people, such as the infamous e-mail where he said casino workers don't value education, give birth to illegitimate children and become alcoholics.

"I'm an advocate for finding solutions," Copening said. "I don't see him coming up with any viable solutions to help Nevada."

Beers said he has posted the e-mail message on his Web site to show that Copening is trying to deceive district voters about its content. The e-mail was not about gaming workers or their children, he said.

As to her other charges, Beers said, he has represented Copening in the Senate for the past four years and never once has been contacted by her on concerns about his performance or votes.

The real question is why Copening is avoiding candidate events at which voters would have a chance to see how the candidates measure up, he said.

Copening said she has participated in a few debates but wants to spend more time talking to voters directly door-to-door.

For the 2009 session, Beers said the Legislature faces huge challenges.

"With the highest unemployment rate in 28 years, we need to do the things that will allow jobs to be created again," he said. "Tax hikes retard job growth and recovery."

Steps have been taken by lawmakers over the years that have increased the cost of doing business, such as requiring a portion of the state's energy portfolio to come from more costly alternative energy sources, Beers said.

As to the budget, Beers said the lawmakers have to prioritize what government does and tailor the budget accordingly. One potential savings would be to privatize the dental school operating at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he said.

"There have been some dental school operators express an interest in taking over the program," he said. "We would probably have to subsidize the cost of educating the current students as they work their way to graduation."

Copening said she is a fiscal conservative and would look to find efficiencies and cut waste in government spending as part of a solution to the state's budget crisis. But the state cannot abdicate its responsibility to fund critical needs including education, public safety and affordable health care.

"I'm not advocating tax increases in a recessionary environment," she said. "I am advocating finding solutions."

The budget is likely to continue to be in so much flux that lawmakers should consider a quick special session halfway through the two-year budget to check on spending and revenue levels, Copening said.

Beers said he would like to see the Legislature do more to help create empowerment schools, at which teachers, parents and the principal have more control over learning. The concept is working, and if a school can make a case for more funding to improve student achievement, it ought to get serious consideration, he said.

Copening said she wants to focus on making health care more widely available to Nevadans by creating a clearinghouse that lets people compare health plans. She also wants to simplify the insurance claims process.

Copening said she supports the creation of a state lottery to fund education.

Contact reporter Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900.