Several major candidates kick off first day of filing

The two major party front-runners in the race for Nevada governor formally filed for office Monday.

Republican Jim Gibbons, a four-term congressman, and Democrat Dina Titus, state Senate minority leader, were joined by Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, one of two Gibbons opponents in the primary, on day one of the 2006 filing period.

The third Republican, state Sen. Bob Beers, of Las Vegas, announced he will file May 11. The remaining announced candidates - Democrat and Henderson Mayor Jim Gibson and Democrat Barbara Scott - have not yet announced when they will file.

Gibbons and Titus differ over several issues, including the subject of a rebate. Gibbons equated a rebate to the change some one receives when buying something saying Nevadans are entitled to their "change" if tax revenues exceed needs.

Titus said there are things the state can do with that money that would help all of Nevada.

She said it could create an infrastructure fund to provide loans helping school districts to build or repair schools; provide incentives to business to provide health insurance or even day care for workers.

Gibbons said he supports improving education including better salaries for teachers but wouldn't say if that means increasing the share of total state spending to public schools. He said he wants to reduce administrative and other non-classroom costs and that it would improve education "if we could get 65 cents of every dollar down into the classroom instead of 60 cents or so that gets there now."

His plan for helping districts pay construction and infrastructure needs, he said, is to move more money from the Southern Nevada Lands Act into education. That would require reducing the share that goes for environmental and conservation projects, including land protection purchases at Lake Tahoe.

Hunt filed for office at the secretary of state's Las Vegas office. In a statement, she emphasized her experience on the tourism and economic development commissions for which, as lieutenant governor, she has been chairwoman of for nearly eight years. She said Nevada now enjoys its lowest unemployment rate in 30 years, record tourism and thousands of new businesses moving to the state.

"With the right leadership, our future can continue to be the envy of the nation," she said.

Also filing on day one were two of the three candidates to succeed Gibbons as Nevada's District 3 congressman: Secretary of State Dean Heller and state Assemblywoman Sharron Angle - both Republicans. Gibbons' wife, Dawn, has tentative plans to file Friday.

Angle said her focus is on the voting records of candidates. She says proudly she has voted against tax increases 60 times while in the Nevada Assembly and stands for "lower taxes, less government regulation and to secure our borders."

Heller said taxation will be a major issue but that, "I think immigration and gas prices right now are the hot issues."

On oil, he said he supports more exploration and drilling off-shore and in Alaska for the short term and development of nuclear power and renewable energy sources for the long term.

But he emphasized that doesn't mean he will ever support disposing of nuclear waste in Nevada.

Former Stratosphere casino owner Bob Stupak surprised many by putting his name in the running for lieutenant governor as a Democrat.

Sparks Democrat John Emerson filed in Maurice Washington's state Senate district, which is mostly in Washoe but includes a piece of Lyon County.

Republican Mike Weber, of Reno, is taking another run at Battle Mountain veteran Assemblyman John Marvel. Marvel defeated him in 2002. Democrat Mike Sprinkle, of Sparks, also joined that race.

And former district judge Don Chairez, of Las Vegas, filed as a Republican for Attorney General. Catherine Cortez Masto, of Las Vegas, is the announced Democrat and is expected to file Thursday.

Filing will continue through May 12.

• Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.

Election calendar

Through May 12 Official filing period

July 25 Last day to register to vote for primary

July 26 Last day to return absentee ballots

July 29 Early voting opens

Aug. 11 Early voting closes

Aug. 15 Primary election

Oct, 17 Last day to register to vote for general

Oct. 18 Last day to return absentee ballots

Oct. 21 Early voting opens

Nov. 3 Early voting closes

Nov. 7 General election