First candidate jumps into race for Ensign’s seat

Byron who?

That's what most Nevadans will be asking about the first declared candidate in the 2012 race to fill retiring U.S. Sen. John Ensign's seat.

Byron Georgiou, a Democrat, sent out an announcement on Tuesday that he's in the race, a day after the Republican Ensign announced he would not run for re-election.

The Las Vegas entrepreneur and investor filed papers last week with the Federal Election Commission so he could start raising money and putting together a campaign team.

Asked why he was running, Georgiou said in an interview, "I believe that I'm qualified by background and experience to serve in the United States Senate. And I think people and the voters in Nevada, as they get to know me better, will come to the same conclusion."

Georgiou actually is well known within the Democratic Party community as a generous donor to candidates, the party and political action committees.

He has donated at least $227,000 over the past decade to Democratic candidates, the party and PACS, according to FEC records. He's given about half of that total amount since the 2008 cycle when he helped the state and national party raise big bucks to elect President Barack Obama.

Georgiou also contributed at least $4,800 to U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, directly or through a PAC, to help him win re-election in 2010, FEC reports show.

In 2009, Reid appointed Georgiou to the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission (FCIC), which investigated the financial crisis that began in 2007.

Georgiou's claim to fame is that he helped lead a team of lawyers that recovered $7.5 billion for investors bilked in the Enron affair.

Georgiou said that in the past year he's "received significant encouragement to run for this seat at both a local and national level." But he refused to name names of any backers.

In fact, the Democratic establishment appears to be lining up behind Rep. Shelley Berkley, who is strongly considering a run for Ensign's seat. And party officials are vetting other potential candidates if Berkley doesn't run, including Secretary of State Ross Miller, Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto and Treasurer Kate Marshall.

Georgiou said he knows and respects Berkley. He lives in her congressional district. And FEC records show he has contributed $1,000 to her campaign in 2009.

But he said he thinks it's time for more private businessmen like him to run for public office.

"I really don't think that the only people qualified to serve in the Senate are career politicians," he said.

Georgiou moved to Las Vegas in 2005, he said. He's no stranger to campaigns. In California, he unsuccessfully ran for the House in 1990 and 1992.