Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Why Adam Laxalt is hanging on in his fight with Ross Miller for Nevada attorney general

Nevada Attorney General Debate

John Locher / AP

Adam Laxalt shakes hands with Nevada Secretary of State Ross Miller before they debate Friday, Oct. 10, 2014, in Las Vegas. Laxalt and Miller are facing each other in a race for attorney general in Nevada.

The attorney general’s race was supposed to be a landslide for Democrats.

Now, the race between Democrat Ross Miller and Republican Adam Laxalt is one of the nastiest this campaign season.

Both candidates are descendants of Nevada political royalty. But there’s been nothing regal about the race. There’s been little talk about what the candidates will do if they are the state’s chief legal officer but plenty of chatter about outside money, political gifts and performance reviews.

Miller is the current secretary of state and son of former Gov. Bob Miller. When Laxalt announced in January that he would run, Miller already had a $1 million fundraising advantage, name recognition and the support of an established party infrastructure.

It had the makings of a cakewalk. But less than a week before the election, Laxalt is hanging with Miller and threatening an upset.

Eric Herzik, a UNR political science professor, was surprised at the shape of the race. He predicted a blowout earlier this year. He still expects a Miller victory, but not by a double digit margin.

“It could be low single digits,” he said.

Laxalt couldn't even win support from some people in his own family.

But the aid from the national Republican networks funneled in last spring?. Dick Cheney, Sarah Palin and Mitt Romney endorsed Laxalt. So did Gov. Brian Sandoval, who interned with Laxalt’s grandfather in the 1980s. The State Government Leadership Fund, a national conservative group, kickstarted what’s been a seven-month battle. The group ran $500,000 worth of TV ads in a "House of Cards" campaign attacking Miller for accepting $75,000 in gifts.

Democrats responded by questioning Laxalt’s resume and asking him to release records of any case he’s worked on.

Miller is a former Clark County prosecutor whose name is on more than 3,000 cases, his campaign says.

Laxalt’s legal background is in corporate and military and his casework isn’t publicly available.

He is a former officer in the Judge Advocate General Corps. On his campaign website, Laxalt says he “prosecuted thousands of war criminals and terrorists.” Laxalt says he hasn’t disclosed military court records because “they are confidential.”

Laxalt’s resume says he’s also worked in private practice and as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney.

“He has not released a single case from the time he’s been a barred attorney. He has not done a single trial in the state of Nevada,” said Jocelyn Steinberg, Miller’s campaign manager.

Laxalt was labeled an “incompetent train wreck” on a performance review that leaked out of his former law firm, Lewis and Roca. The law firm said the review was not representative of Laxalt’s overall performance.

Recently, Laxalt told the Carson City League of Women Voters he has been a member of the State Bar of Nevada since 2010. Laxalt has been a barred attorney in other states since 2005. But records show that Laxalt was admitted to the Nevada bar in 2012. “I screwed up,” Laxalt acknowledged.

Despite the mudslinging, Laxalt is still in the race.

In races nationwide, Republicans are riding on a wave of anti-Democrat sentiment that’s stemmed largely from frustration with President Barack Obama.

In Nevada, early voting numbers show that Republicans are far outpacing Democrats. That shortfall has only fueled Laxalt's campaign and worried Democrats enough that they brought in former President Bill Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden visits later this week.

Laxalt supporters paint Miller as a liberal politician who’s personally benefitted from political office. The Republican Attorneys General Association have targeted Miller for taking $75,000 worth of gifts, which include free flights and entertainment, while in office.

The association — backed by Koch Industries, Exxon Mobil, the National Rifle Association and others — has pumped at least $3 million into the race.

“You can’t discount the outside money that came in,” Herzik said. “The dollars were a lifeline to Laxalt when he was being written off.”

The two campaigns quibble about outside money coming into the race. Laxalt has received $3.5 million from outside groups. Miller has received at least $1 million.

Miller’s own campaign raised $2.1 million through Oct. 14. Laxalt’s campaign raised $1.2 million

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