Parnell's Assembly seat could be a hot one

Marv Teixeira won't be running. Bonnie Parnell will. Ray Masayko hasn't decided. Larry Green might.

Parnell's District 40 seat in the Nevada Assembly is shaping up to be Carson City most talked-about legislative post. In the end, it may end up as the area's only contested legislative race.

Although the capital city and surrounding area have two state senators, neither Mark Amodei nor Lawrence Jacobsen, both Republicans, is up for re-election this year.

But four different Assembly members have a piece of the area, including Parnell, a Democrat who says she is definitely seeking a second two-year term.

"I enjoyed the session tremendously and I'm enjoying this part of the position as well," she said, referring to interim activities and constituent work.

She said her first run was probably the toughest challenge, because Carson's Assembly 40 District has half-again as many Republicans as Democrats.

"It's always a concern when you're a Democrat in a Republican District, but I'm proud that I proved I'm an independent thinker," she said adding that she worked well with business and hopes to have much broader support this year.

Assembly Republican Leader Lynn Hettrick of Minden said Parnell's is one of the party's target seats as he tries to build his voting strength for reapportionment in the 2001 Legislature.

"That should be a Republican seat," he said.

He said there is at least one person interested in the job - alternative education teacher Steve Atkinson.

"He's very interested and more than a little motivated," said Hettrick.

Atkinson could not be reached for comment.

Masayko, Carson City's mayor, has also been approached to consider the Assembly but said Friday he is now more inclined to run for a second term as mayor. He said it's too early to say which way he'll go.

Which ever way he goes, he won't have to worry about Teixeira.

Teixeira, who served eight years as Carson City mayor, said he has been asked if he would consider a run for Parnell's seat.

"Not interested," he said.

Teixeira also said he has been approached about returning to the mayor's post.

"Been there, done that," he said. "I had my time."

In addition, Green, the real estate broker Parnell defeated in 1998, said he has been approached for another run at the Assembly.

"If I can gather enough support, I will be there," he said. "But that's where it stands right now."

Beyond Parnell's seat, there doesn't appear to be a lot of opposition out there for the other seats with a piece of the Capitol District.

Hettrick and Speaker Joe Dini, D-Yerington, are considered pretty much unbeatable in their districts and, so far, no one has appeared to take on Greg Brower, R-Reno, whose district includes a piece of northern and western Carson.

"You always expect opposition and never take it lightly," he said. "But I haven't heard anything yet."

Hettrick said the same about the possibility of running unopposed: "It would be nice, but I think you always take any opponent seriously."

And no names have surfaced as opponents for Dini either, although he has traditionally drawn at least one opponent.