Wednesday, March 6, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.
And they're off!
Numerous incumbent and former Nevada legislators, champing at the bit to begin the official campaign season, were among those who participated in the first day of candidate filing Tuesday for the fall elections. Sixty-one people filed Tuesday in Clark County.
Prominent names among those who filed locally include state Sen. Ray Rawson, R-Las Vegas, seeking re-election in District 6, and former Democratic Assemblyman Lou Toomin of Las Vegas, vying for the Senate District 3 seat now held by Sue Lowden, R-Las Vegas.
Some candidates believe first-day filing gives them a leg up on their opponents because the novelty creates free publicity.
Early filing can also scare off potential opponents not up for the rigors of a horse race lasting through the first Tuesday of November.
The final day to file is June 4.
Three Republican Assembly leaders who took advantage of the first-day novelty showed up together -- they say it was coincidence -- at the secretary of state's office in Carson City.
Assembly Co-Speaker Lynn Hettrick of Minden, Co-Majority Leader Peter Ernaut of Reno and ranking Republican John Marvel of Battle Mountain filed together.
Hettrick and Ernaut are seeking third terms, and Marvel, co-chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, is seeking a 10th term.
In Las Vegas, other Assembly incumbents who filed were Republican Jeannine Stroth in District 5, Democrat Doug Bache in District 11, Democrat Genie Ohrenschall in District 12, Republican Dennis Nolan in District 13 and Republican Max Bennett in District 14.
Other incumbents who filed were Democrat Bob Price of North Las Vegas in District 17, Democrat Mark Manendo of Las Vegas in District 18, Republican Sandra Tiffany of Henderson in District 21, Democrat Gene Segerblom of Boulder City in District 22 and Democrat Vonne Chowning of Las Vegas in District 28.
Former legislator Art Rader, a Las Vegas Republican, is challenging Ohrenschall. Tiffany is being challenged from within her own party by Scott Hammond, also of Henderson. Former Democratic Assemblyman Tom Collins of North Las Vegas also is seeking his former District 1 seat, now held by Republican Jan Monaghan.
Others who are challenging Assembly incumbents include Democrat Ellen Koivisto in District 14, Republican Leon Dubose II in District 17 and Republicans Iris Bletsch and Patrick Mervine in District 22.
Several incumbent Clark County district judges also filed, including Nancy Becker in Department 2, Gerard Bongiovanni in Department 4, Lee Gates in Department 8, Jack Lehman in Department 10, Myron Leavitt in Department 12, Donald Mosley in Department 14 and John McGroarty in Department 16.
Michael Douglas, appointed to Department 11, also is seeking a full term. Among the incumbents who filed, the only one with first-day challengers was Bongiovanni. He'll be facing Las Vegas Municipal Judge Gregory Barlow and attorney Thomas Leen.
In Carson City, Deputy Attorney General Tim Terry filed for the District Court seat held by Mike Fondi, who has held the seat since 1977.
The 2nd Congressional District race is also off to a fast start.
Lander County District Attorney Patty Cafferata became the first candidate formally to enter the race, when her daughter Elisa Erquiaga filed her papers at the secretary of state's office.
Cafferata is the daughter of Rep. Barbara Vucanovich, R-Nev., the only person ever to serve in the district, which encompasses all of Nevada except urban parts of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Henderson. Vucanovich is resigning this year at the end of her seventh two-year term.
A Democrat, Mike Martin, also filed. He is a 26-year-old casino security guard in Reno.
In the 1st Congressional District, the first filers were Democrats Daniel Banta and Carlo "None of the Above" Poliak, both of Las Vegas.
Carson City lawyer Mark Amodei, who ran unsuccessfully for the Board of Regents of the University and Community College System two years ago, was the first Assembly candidate to file in Carson Ciy.
Amodei, a Republican, is seeking to replace Assemblyman Tom Fettic of Carson City, who is not running for a second term.
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