Beers, Titus take aim at front-runner Gibbons over debates

Two opponents, fellow Republican Bob Beers and Democrat Dina Titus, took aim at GOP gubernatorial front runner Jim Gibbons on Monday, criticizing his voting record and refusal to debate.

Beers issued the challenge more than three months ago to hold debates in each of Nevada's 17 counties, But Gibbons refused, saying he wouldn't debate until after the close of filing when everyone knew who are the candidates for governor.

Beers said Gibbons has only agreed to one debate - after early voting - and that he wanted conditions on that meeting, including that neither side could use anything from the debate in campaign advertising.

"The voters of this state, particularly with the differences in philosophy that have emerged despite his handlers, voters really need to have multiple debates and early, not late," said Beers.

Gibbons was in Washington, D.C., Monday, but campaign manager Robert Uithoven said the complaints about Gibbons not wanting multiple debates are "an old-and-tired trick in politics."

"When you're down in the polls and your campaign is failing to resonate with voters, the tactic is to call for endless debates," he said.

With gasoline hovering at $3.30 a gallon, Democrat Dina Titus called on Gibbons to explain why he supported retaining $7 billion in "windfall" incentives to oil and gas companies late last week.

He was in the minority when the House voted to eliminate those tax breaks for oil and gas leases for offshore drilling in public waters.

"He went against members of his own Republican party to keep in place a multi-billion-dollar, sweet deal for oil companies," she said.

Gibbons faces Beers and Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt in the Republican primary. Hunt, too, has criticized Gibbons for avoiding debates in the primary.

Titus faces Henderson Mayor Jim Gibson in the Democratic primary.

"Congressman Gibbons hasn't voted for a balanced budget in 10 years," said Beers.

He said Gibbons is avoiding debates simply to protect his lead in the polls, not because of the press of congressional business.

"When you look at his record, you'll find Gibbons has missed congressional votes and been absent from Congress on several occasions for reasons much less important than a gubernatorial debate," Beers said.

He made his comments at a press conference formally announcing outgoing Assembly Minority Leader Lynn Hettrick as his campaign manager.

Hettrick described Beers as the best man for the job, citing his work helping develop the state budget as a member of the Ways and Means Committee for the past eight years. He said Gibbons never served on the legislative budget committee ,and Titus spent only one session on Finance.

"The others are all talking about more spending," said Hettrick. "Bob is committed to controlling the growth of government in this state."

Uithoven said Gibbons is in Washington working as a member of Congress, but if he were here giving speeches and participating in debates, his opponents would be accusing him of not doing the job to for he was elected.

He also said Beers' experience as a member of Ways and Means "certainly would have benefited Nevada taxpayers more if Bob Beers had used his position on the committee to not support the biggest budget increases in state history."

He said even though Beers fought the tax increases in 2003, he voted for the budget package in both 2003 and 2005.

He also said very few past Nevada governors served on the legislative budget committees either.

As for Hettrick's decision to join Beers, Uithoven said Gibbons has made it clear he still appreciates Hettrick's friendship and their service together in the Nevada Legislature.

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