Vote Kathy Augustine the right person for the job
Inside Liberty Watch Today - July 21, 2006

Even in death, Augustine exerts political influence 

In life, Kathy Augustine always made waves.

In death, the late controller also exerted an influence. Her unexpected passing last week has changed the political landscape for two state constitutional offices.

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Augustine hung onto the controller's position despite being the only state officer ever to be impeached and convicted. Because of term limits, the Republican was finishing her second and final term and couldn't run for re-election this year; she was running for state treasurer instead.

Augustine's death "clarified things in the treasurer's race, because she's no longer involved," said University of Nevada, Reno political scientist Eric Herzik. "But it complicates things in the controller's race, because it gave Gov. Guinn the opportunity to make an appointment."

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Augustine, 50, which was originally attributed to a heart attack but which her family members have called suspicious.

Augustine's husband, 42-year-old Chaz Higgs, was hospitalized last week when he tried to commit suicide two days after she died at a Reno hospital.

Guinn appointed Republican Steve Martin, the Republican candidate for the job, to the controller's post. Coming so close to the election, this move generated some controversy.

Martin's Democratic opponent, Kim Wallin, and the Independent American Party candidate, Floyd Fitzgibbons, both complained that Guinn gave the Republican an unfair advantage.

In the treasurer's race, Republican Mark DeStefano is now the presumptive nominee, although he still faces a three-way primary.

Augustine's name will still be on the Aug. 15 ballot and a lesser-known third Republican, Henderson retiree Joseph Pitts, is also in the running.

The winner of that race would face the winner of the Democratic primary between Kate Marshall and Geoffrey VanderPal.

Marshall has the support of party heavyweights, but VanderPal is mounting an aggressive television campaign. There will also be an Independent American Party candidate, Mark Christopher Andrews, on the November ballot.

Once all the dust has settled, Herzik said, he gives the advantage to Marshall to win the treasurer's post in November, whereas he considers the controller's race a tossup or slightly in favor of Martin.

Several other political watchers agreed with that assessment.

"On the Republican side in the treasurer's race, there's almost a sigh of relief that they don't have to deal with her as a candidate," Herzik said, noting the lengths party leaders went to to block Augustine.

After Augustine ignored his pleas to her not to run, state Republican Party chairman Paul Adams pushed the party to cast her out, saying her record on ethics was a stain on the party as a whole.

At the state GOP convention in May, Adams' move to change party bylaws to remove support from candidates who had been impeached and convicted was approved. It was seen as a direct attack on Augustine.

Herzik said Augustine, despite her notoriety, had a good chance to win the primary.

"One, it's a down-ballot race and she had good name recognition," he said. "Two, there was a backlash against the opposition she was encountering from the party and people who didn't want her to run. That made her somewhat sympathetic. And three, you can't ignore how doggedly she campaigned. She was incredibly tough."

Carson City conservative activist Chuck Muth said another factor working in Augustine's favor was that DeStefano had his share of baggage.

Augustine and Pitts were openly collaborating to discredit DeStefano, working together to air allegations that his business and charity dealings were shady, as well as calling attention to a bankruptcy in his background.

Muth said he is getting e-mails every day from people who say they're planning to vote for Augustine despite her demise.

"She might have a better shot now than she did before," he said. "There's a growing sympathy vote out there, and it goes sky-high if it turns out there was foul play."

If a dead candidate wins a primary, it's up to the state party -- ironically, under the leadership of Augustine's foe Adams -- to appoint a replacement to appear on the November ballot.

Some party insiders see DeStefano as the natural nominee in that case, but Muth disagreed.

"If Kathy wins, that's a rejection of DeStefano," he said. "The party would be hard-pressed to put DeStefano on the ballot."

Muth agreed with Herzik that Marshall was the probable favorite.

In the case of Martin, Republican political consultant Pete Ernaut said the complaints about Martin's appointment were groundless.

"A Republican governor appointing a Republican who's running for the office to the office is commonplace," Ernaut said.

But Wallin's campaign manager, Dave Thomas, said the difference was how close the appointment came to the election.

When Guinn appointed George Chanos attorney general, Chanos was also a Republican who planned to run for the office, but the election year hadn't yet begun, Thomas said. Chanos later decided not to run.

Herzik said whether the appointment was appropriate was debatable, but so was whether his very short incumbency would work to Martin's advantage.

"He's only the incumbent for three and a half months, and it takes away from his ability to campaign full time," Herzik said of Martin.

Molly Ball, Las Vegas Review-Journal

Jul. 21, 2006 Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

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What can I say; Kathy Augustine was a dynamic personality in life and my sources tell me that won't change with her death. I'm told there's a poll showing Kathy is beating Mark DeStefano by double digits. Wow! No matter what, you gotta love Kathy… I'm going to miss ya doll, and don't worry Kathy, I'm voting for you on Election Day.

George E. Harris, Liberty Watch editor

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