Gore wins vote of Carson City Democrats

The Carson City Democratic Central Committee confirmed its long-term support for Vice President Al Gore with a near unanimous caucus vote for his presidential bid.

Registered Democrats showing up at the Brewery Arts Center for the caucus gave Gore 33 of 36 votes. Two votes went to Lyndon LaRouche and one Democrat remained uncommitted.

Carson City has 8,545 registered Democrats.

"Carson City Democrats were 100 percent for Gore already back in 1988," said Lew Rosenberg, past chairman of the local central committee. "That was because he was a friend of (U.S. Sen.) Harry Reid."

This time Gore got the near unanimous Carson City vote because Bill Bradley dropped out of the primary race on Wednesday, leaving Gore alone on the Democratic ticket.

Sunday was Democratic caucus day in Nevada, with does not have a primary election for Democrats. Any registered Democrat in Carson City could have submitted a vote.

The low turnout for Carson City Democrats could be attributed to Gore's domination in earlier primaries, said Assemblywomen Bonnie Parnell, D-Carson City.

"I'm afraid now the primary and caucuses will not see the increase in voting that other states saw," Parnell said.

Parnell manned the table for the precinct where she lives, interacting with the voters in her neighborhood who dropped by.

"That's something you don't get in the primary process, bringing people together in one place," Parnell said. "I think it's important for Democrats to get together and discuss the issues and get excited."

One issue bringing Democrats together is the Gardeners Reclaiming Our Waysides efforts to make sure the bypass gets attractively landscaped. Committee chairman Mark Shepler said support of GROW could be part of Carson City's platform for the state party convention May 19-21 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

Terrill Ozawa, who is on the GROW landscaping committee, said the organization is seeking bipartisan support.

"I'm extremely encouraged by (the local Democratic Party's support)," Ozawa said. "Landscaping the bypass is a matter of civic pride. We're the capital city. We don't want to be just another trashy town."

Other Democrats suggested the Carson City platform should also include the proposed nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain and campaign finance reform, Shepler said.

The platform will be established April 15 at the Carson City Democratic Central Committee's county convention April 15 at the Brewery Arts Center. The party at that time will select 56 delegates to the state convention.