Del Papa holding big lead over Scherer

A poll commissioned by the Las Vegas Review-Journal and KTNV-TV, Channel 13, found 50 percent of the respondents support Del Papa, a Democrat, compared with 30 percent for Scherer, a Las Vegas gambling lawyer who formerly served in the Assembly.

Another 17 percent are undecided and 3 percent support neither candidate.

Independent American Joel Hansen and Libertarian Kent Cromwell also are candidates for attorney general.

"The race is hers to lose," said Del Ali, pollster for Mason-Dixon Political/Media Research Inc., which conducted the survey. "She has a commanding lead."

"I have run a very positive campaign," Del Papa said. "I have tried to run for the office, not against anyone."

Scherer, however, has been able to reduce Del Papa's lead since the last survey at the end of August. At the time, Del Papa was ahead by 27 percentage points.

Since then, Scherer has started a television ad campaign that shows him with his family and also emphasizes endorsements he has received from law enforcement organizations.

"I think we are continuing to make progress," Scherer said. "We didn't expect to close a whole lot until the last month."

He said he is encouraged because 17 percent of the voters still are undecided and traditionally most undecided voters end up supporting challengers.

In the latest poll 814 people who regularly vote in elections were surveyed by telephone over a four-day period that ended last Monday. The results have a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points. The margin for error is higher for any subgroup, such as gender or regional grouping.

The survey also found that Del Papa enjoys a decisive advantage over Scherer in that all but 2 percent of those polled recognize her name. That name recognition rating is the same as the ratings of U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Las Vegas Mayor Jan Jones.

In contrast, 41 percent of the people polled do not recognize Scherer's name. But in last month's poll, 50 percent of the respondents did not recognize Scherer.

Women also overwhelmingly favor Del Papa's re-election. Among the women polled, Del Papa drew 53 percent support, compared with 28 percent for Scherer. The rest were undecided or support neither candidate.

Among men, Del Papa was chosen by 47 percent, compared with 32 percent for Scherer.

Perhaps the most surprising result in a year in which Republicans are expected to gain ground because of the Clinton sex scandal, 27 percent of registered Republicans polled said they will vote for Del Papa. Scherer has the support of 49 percent of the Republicans surveyed.

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