Daskas kicks off congressional bid

Joined by family and two of the state’s highest-ranked Democratic elected officials, Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney Robert Daskas today formally announced his candidacy for Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District.  Daskas made the announcement at Basic High School in Henderson, his alma mater, and framed his campaign as a movement for change against the policies of Congressman Jon Porter (R-NV) and the Bush administration.

“It seems to me that Jon Porter has his priorities all wrong.  I think we need to do something about it, I think we need change, and I want to be the change,” said Daskas.

Daskas was introduced by Congresswoman Shelley Berkley, Nevada Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, Clark County Assistant District Attorney Christopher Lalli, and finally David Mowen, whose son’s murder case had been prosecuted by Daskas.

Daskas’ speech previewed issues that will likely be primary themes in his campaign.  Calling education “the great equalizer,” Daskas condemned Porter for voting for cuts in Pell Grants and tuition assistance under the previous Republican Congress.

“Jon Porter has blindly supported the Bush administration’s support of the civil war in Iraq in excess of a trillion dollars, yet he votes to cut student aid,” said Daskas, adding that programs like Pell Grants had made it possible for him to attend college after graduating from Basic.

Besides the war in Iraq and education, Daskas also took Porter to task for his record of votes on the State Children’s Health Care Program.

“For the past five years Jon Porter and a Republican Congress voted to cut children’s health care.  In fact, a couple of months ago, Jon Porter voted eight different times to block a children’s health insurance bill.  Then, when his political career was on the line, he voted to support.  I believe Nevadans deserve a representative who will get it right the first time.”

Despite the show of support from two of the state’s most popular Democrats, Daskas will face a contested primary against accountant and Washington D.C. transplant Andrew Martin.  The first test in this primary will come at the end of this month with the end of the fundraising quarter.  As of Oct. 1, Martin had raised slightly more than Daskas, largely on the strength of a personal loan to the campaign.  Daskas will have to do significantly better this fundraising quarter to position himself as the best-suited candidate to defeat Porter.

Although Daskas had decided to run in September, he put most campaign work on hold while prosecuting the high-profile Darren Mack murder trial.  That trial concluded, Daskas will formally resign tomorrow from the Clark County District Attorney’s office where he has worked for the last twelve years. 

“Starting the next day,” said Daskas, “I’m going to devote all my time and energy to the campaign and to raising money.  I’m confident we’ll have the money we need to run a successful campaign.”