Importing politics from the Golden State

We Nevadans suffer from a number of ills imported from our neighbors in California, from traffic jams to lawsuit-happy attorneys.

Let's hope California-style politics isn't added to the list.

We already have a porn star, Melody Damayo, running for governor.

I would hope the similarities to California elections would end there, but they don't.

The Democrats in the Golden State are close to handing Terminator-turned-Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger re-election in one of the bluest of blue states. Why? Because two self-centered candidates were too busy slinging mud at each other to notice they were on the same side.

It wasn't very long ago that Schwarzenegger had one of the lowest approval ratings of any governor in the nation. Now, he is using the attacks drummed up by Steve Westly on eventual Democratic primary winner Phil Angelides.

Thanks for demonstrating why Democrats haven't won many elections these last few years. They are too busy eating their own.

And as the Nevada primary races heat up, it seems the Democratic candidates for governor want to repeat what their friends to the west have done.

Jim Gibson was the front runner whose campaign miscues cost him that early lead. He confirmed that slippage with the launch of attack ads on Dina Titus, who responded back with her own volley of accusations.

I have talked with both of them, and for the life of me I don't see any major differences between the two on the issues, at least not enough to quibble over. That may be the reason they are busy digging up old quotes and allegations to throw around. There's nothing else to debate.

Note to Gibson and Titus: Nevadans don't like politicians tracking mud inside the governor's mansion. So you better clean up your respective acts or you won't be allowed inside.

The Republicans, on the other hand, haven't yet been infected with this disease. The campaign on that side has been mostly civil, perhaps because there is a clear front runner in Rep. Jim Gibbons.

But wait, it's still early in the game.

While the Nevada GOP hasn't fallen into the mudslinging seen in California, Gibbons does have his own La La Land qualities.

The congressman stopped by our offices last week and spit out a couple of fanciful claims that left us shaking our heads.

When asked if cracking down on illegal immigration would hurt the casino industry, Gibbons said, "I don't think casinos are hiring illegals."

I was too stunned to ask a follow up. Maybe he would change his mind if he showed up at a casino with Immigration and Naturalization Service agents and watched the stampede out the back doors.

Gibbons then went on to fire what I suppose is an unintentional shot across the bow of the casino industry.

"You point to me a casino that is breaking the law, and I'll tell you they are about to lose their license, and that's something I don't believe they are willing to do."

I wonder how the casinos that are funding Gibbons' campaign will deal with all those unmade beds and dirty dishes if he wins. Certainly Gibbons isn't proposing to go after the hand that feeds him, but it sure sounded that way.

I also asked Gibbons what grade he would give Congress for the job they are doing. He glossed over the ethics scandals, spending problems and political infighting and declared, "All in all, I give them an A."

That's about three grades higher than most Americans would offer.

But for Gibbons, Congress has worked very well indeed. He brought home pork-barrel funding for things like the swimming pool in Sparks he vandalized as a kid, and his seat has given him front-runner status to become the next governor.

So, Congress is doing a great job, and his casino patrons don't hire illegal workers. And if Gibbons can sell these fantasies to the people of Nevada, he deserves to win the election, and an Oscar.

And that would put him one up on The Terminator.

• Kirk Caraway is Internet editor of the Nevada Appeal. Write to him at kcaraway@nevadaappeal.com, or comment online at nevadaappeal.com