5th Assembly District gets a Dem challenger

LAS VEGAS-Democrat Marilyn Dondero Loop, a 56-year-old retired teacher, announced yesterday that she will be seeking the 5th Assembly District seat currently held by Republican Valerie Weber.  Weber, who announced last year that she will be leaving the seat to run for the open Clark County Commission District C seat being vacated by Chip Maxfield, has endorsed Republican Donna Toussaint to succeed her.

"As a life-long Nevadan, I am not satisfied with the status quo in our state, where we rank near or at the bottom of almost every list that compares our quality of life with other states," said Dondero Loop.  "When it comes to educating our children, making affordable, quality health care available for all and making sure people feel safe in their own neighborhoods, we can do better."

Dondero Loop's family has been active in Las Vegas politics and public service for decades.  Her mother, Thalia Dondero, is a former Clark County commissioner and current member of the university system Board of Regents and her father, the late Harvey Dondero, was a longtime school administrator with an elementary school in west Las Vegas named for him.

Like Weber's 2006 race, Dondero Loop's campaign can be expected to focus primarily on improving education.

"I understand the challenges teachers face, and we need to be doing more to support school districts in their efforts to recruit and retain the highest qualified teachers and to help them succeed," said Dondero Loop.

Toussaint, a 61-year-old community activist, has a head start on Dondero Loop in terms of fundraising and campaigning.  She announced her bid to succeed Weber in January and hosted a fundraising kick-off event earlier in the month.

The seat, however, has been trending Democratic in voter registration numbers.  When Weber ran in 2006, the district held a 75-voter registration advantage for Democrats.  According to the secretary of state's March numbers, that edge is now 1,206 voters.