Democracy in Peril

By Steve Sebelius

HANDICAPPING 2006: What if Rep. Jim Gibbons surprised everyone, and became James Bond?

Or at least James Bond's boss?

That was a question at the beginning of the week, as the Central Intelligence Agency was dropping high-level employees faster than parts off the still-shuttered Las Vegas monorail in the unsurprising transition to a new director of central intelligence.

That new director, former Rep. Porter Goss, is a close friend and associate of Gibbons, who has served for eight years on the House Intelligence Committee and this year was denied its chairmanship.

Since Gibbons has been a House player on intelligence for years, and also sits on the Armed Services Committee, might he make a good candidate for deputy director of the CIA? How about executive director? Deputy director, operations?

And what of rumors that Goss himself will be elevated to national intelligence director, a new post to be created as part of post-Sept. 11 commission reforms? If that happens, then the director's job will be open, too.

Gibbons downplays the speculation, saying he hasn't sought a job at Langley nor has one been offered. But he doesn't say he'd rule it out either.

And since Attorney General Brian Sandoval soon will be nominated for a federal judgeship, if Gibbons did decide to play "Spy vs. Spy," Nevada Republicans will be scrambling for a front-runner for governor in 2006.

We know several Democrats want the job, from Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins to state Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus to Henderson Mayor and monorail chief Jim Gibson (just don't expect to ride the thing to campaign events) to happy Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman.

Who do the Republicans have, if their top two choices take better jobs elsewhere in government? There's Secretary of State Dean Heller, a moderate Republican who has a good record overseeing elections and working tirelessly for greater public disclosure of campaign contributions. He's got a good sense of humor and his relaxed manner would play well on the campaign trail.

There's also Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, a Las Vegas restaurateur who says she'll run no matter what. She's popular in Northern Nevada--Heller's base--and has presided over the state Senate as well as tried to lure new businesses to Nevada. Her show business connections wouldn't hurt.

What about state Treasurer Brian Krolicki, also a Northern Nevada figure, who has been out front on handling the state's tobacco settlement and paying for Guinn's signature accomplishment, the Millennium Scholarship program?

Heller and Krolicki would have to work to get their name identification up in the south, although the last election taught us that strength in the rural areas can beat even record turnout in Las Vegas. It's that new paradigm that Democrats are going to have to overcome to be successful. You can't win Nevada anymore by doing well in Clark County and barely holding your own in Washoe and the rurals.

Of course, if Gibbons doesn't get a job at The Company, he'll be the man to beat. And with his "Education First" initiative, which garnered a majority vote in the recent election, to campaign on, beating him is going to take some talent.