Bernstein in Douglas County this weekend

U.S. Senate candidate Ed Bernstein makes a foray into Republican country this weekend, walking door-to-door in Douglas County and attending the Democratic Party luncheon in Genoa.

Bernstein is the Democratic nominee for the seat held by retiring U.S. Senator Richard Bryan.

He will go door to door with Democrat Willie Edwards in the Gardnerville Ranchos area beginning at about 11:30 a.m. Edwards is running for the Nevada Assembly seat held by Republican Lynn Hettrick of Gardnerville.

Then Bernstein will attend the Democratic Party picnic from 1-3 p.m. at Genoa Park.

Douglas is the most lopsided county in Nevada in terms of partisan registration with about twice as many Republicans as Democrats, according to data from the Secretary of State's office.

Bernstein plans to press two key issues in his race against Republican John Ensign. He says federal laws allowing pharmaceutical companies to charge Americans double or more the amount they charge customers in Canada, Mexico and other countries must be changed. He said those laws are especially hurting senior citizens who rely much more than younger people on prescription drugs for their health needs.

In addition, he will tout the strength of Al Gore's promises not to compromise safety in deciding whether Yucca Mountain should become a nuclear waste dump compared to the Republican Party plank criticizing President Clinton for not approving shipments of radioactive waste to Nevada.