Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2004 | 10:38 a.m.
As an All-America basketball star at Montana State University-Billings, 6-foot-8 center Harvey Munford says he never took any opponent lightly.
Now, even though he is considered a huge favorite to beat three opponents in the Nevada Assembly District 6 race, Munford, 64, is relying on lessons he learned as an athlete.
"Sports instills in you a desire not to give up," said Munford who ran for office twice and lost before beating nine-term incumbent Wendell Williams in the Assembly 6 Democratic primary in a district where active registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 3 to 1.
Munford faces Republican Dr. Cornell Clark, who grew up in the district that includes economically depressed West Las Vegas. Also in the race are Independent American Party candidate Robert Petersen and Libertarian Charles Schneider.
"As an athlete I always prepared myself by working hard because, except for my height, I was not gifted," Munford said. "I played hard every game and did not let up even against the weak teams. I always felt I had something to prove."
A local schoolteacher for 36 years, Munford earned a reputation as a hard worker, teaching at Bonanza High School during the days for 26 years, then at nights at the Community College of Southern Nevada for 25 of those years.
For 10 years he also was an assistant recreation leader at the Las Vegas Doolittle and Dula centers, where he coached youngsters in basketball.
Munford was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 13th round in 1968 while he was playing for the Leavitt Insurance basketball team of Las Vegas. But he suffered knee injuries at rookie camp that ended his playing career.
Munford fell back on his bachelor's degree in physical education and that year got a job at Clark High School teaching health.
He then taught at Rancho High before returning to Montana State to earn a master's degree in guidance counseling with an emphasis in political science.
"He really involved his students in political discussions -- he taught us the political process," said former Sunset High student Mike Vannozzi, a real estate agent and one-time youth vice chairman of Democratic Central Committee.
Munford said that his key issues include bringing good jobs to his community and improving education.
Munford said he believes a solution to the jobs problem is "to get more rooftops -- more homes constructed" in West Las Vegas so major companies will see there are enough workers and customers to open offices there.
Munford ran unsuccessfully for Las Vegas City Council in 1998 and for Williams' Assembly seat in 2000.
This time Williams had too much baggage. A "double-dipping" investigation uncovered that he earned thousands of dollars from the city of Las Vegas while serving in Carson City, and Williams was ultimately fired from his city job. He also was accused of using influence to get a friend hired at the community College of Southern Nevada.
Munford, who took 57 percent of the vote in the September primary, did not rely on Williams' ethical woes to beat him. He attributed his victory to walking the district and talking to voters, something he says he failed to do in the 2000 campaign.
Clark had no primary opponent and went directly to the general election along with Petersen and Schneider.
Clark is a West Las Vegas success story who has seen other communities, especially urbanized areas of the East Coast, where he earned his medical degree and interned. He says he can use that experience to improve his community.
Clark, 48, a graduate of Bishop Gorman High School and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, said he wants to improve the local job market, make health care more affordable and expand the West Las Vegas Library.
Clark says that while commercial businesses have failed in West Las Vegas, the climate is ripe for light industry and technical businesses.
"I believe light industry and tech firms will work in West Las Vegas," he said. "When I saw the Starbucks roasting plant in Minden, I thought why can't we have something like this for West Las Vegas?"
As a family practice doctor, Clark supports medical malpractice reforms including caps on malpractice insurance rates. That is an issue Munford said he has not decided yet.
Clark's platform also supports improved youth and adult education, a consumer advocacy center, scrutiny of the rapid rise in utility rates and access to affordable health care.
Petersen, 65, the owner of an Internet-based business, says he supports any bill or law "that is supported by the principles of the Constitution of the United States (and) the constitution of Nevada," and the 10 Commandments.
Schneider did not respond to a Sun questionnaire regarding his political views.
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