Columnist Jeff German: Gubernatorial hopefuls cranking up campaigns

THEY'RE OFF AND RUNNING in the most hotly contested race for governor here in years.

Kenny Guinn, the leading Republican candidate, filmed a half-dozen television commercials last week designed to show off his three decades of civic and public service.

The ads are scheduled to hit the airwaves this week.

Though he's been in the race for more than two years, this is the first time Guinn has gone on television to counter a constant bombardment from one of his primary opponents, the rebellious Aaron Russo.

In the past nine months, Russo, a Hollywood producer, has spent several hundred thousand dollars on television spots blistering Guinn and making himself known to the voters.

Lately, Russo has been soliciting campaign contributions over the Internet to bolster his anti-government platform.

Russo tells his readers that their donations will help him "take back the power stolen from us by government."

The other well-known Republican in the race, Lt. Gov. Lonnie Hammargren, hopes to position himself as the only true conservative in the race.

He promises to wage a spirited primary campaign, in his usual unconventional style, to portray Guinn as a pawn of the Democrats.

Guinn, who twice helped elect retiring Democratic Gov. Bob Miller, has courted labor, traditionally a Democratic stronghold, since jumping into the race in February 1996.

The Las Vegas businessman also has Miller's chief fund-raiser, gaming attorney Frank Schreck, on his campaign team.

Guinn, who has raised more than $3 million so far, is prepared to demonstrate to Republicans that his bipartisan support makes him the candidate most likely to get elected in November.

He plans to stay on television throughout the rest of the governor's race.

On the Democratic side, Las Vegas Mayor Jan Laverty Jones, a late entry, is excited about her early fund-raising success.

Jones, who spent time in San Francisco last week obtaining commitments, says she has received pledges of $500,000 in only her first week on the campaign trail. She hopes to raise about $2 million.

There's been talk that Jones, despite her history of strong gaming ties, has had trouble persuading some casino moguls backing Guinn to give to her campaign.

But Jones, in the middle of her second term as mayor, says she's in good shape on the Strip.

Word is that Mirage Resorts Chairman Steve Wynn has decided to contribute equally to Guinn and Jones.

Jones, meanwhile, has been hiring top-flight Washington consultants to run and promote her campaign. Her good friend, former City Councilman Matthew Callister, has emerged as her top local strategist. Callister has been seen at City Hall almost daily in recent weeks.

The mayor's Democratic rival, state Sen. Joe Neal, D-North Las Vegas, also has reason to smile.

Neal, a 25-year veteran of the Senate, fared well at last week's Nevada AFL-CIO political convention in Reno.

AFL-CIO boss Blackie Evans says Neal drew the most votes at the convention, even though none of the three candidates labor leaders considered backing obtained the necessary two-thirds majority to win the endorsement.

Guinn and Jones also spoke to the labor delegates.

Evans attributed Neal's strong showing to his ability to reach out to working men and women over the Internet.

"I think he'll give Jones a tough race," Evans says.

This could happen even though the governor and other Democratic stalwarts have frowned on Neal's candidacy.

Neal is hoping his desire to see the wealthy casino industry pay more taxes will pick up momentum as the race intensifies.

They're off and running, all right.

* The sheriff's race also is starting to kick into high gear.

Sheriff Jerry Keller took a hit last week from one of his challengers, Bobby Hitt.

The challenger released a letter from Keller's predecessor, former Sheriff John Moran, endorsing the Hitt campaign.

Earlier this year, another former sheriff, Ralph Lamb, endorsed Keller.

Lamb, who preceded Moran in office, ran against against Keller in 1994 and lost badly. He obviously was impressed with Keller's tenacity on the campaign trail.

Still, there are signs that Keller could be vulnerable this year.

Another opponent, Chuck Lee, recently got some poll results that show 44 percent of the voters still are undecided in the race.

The survey of random voters also found that 69 percent don't feel any safer than three years ago after Keller swept into office.

Such polls are easy to come by in an election year.

But if this is true, Keller may have to work harder than anticipated to get re-elected.

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