Matt Leffingwell

LAS VEGAS-Nevada Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus said today that she has not committed to running against Republican Congressman Jon Porter in the 3rd Congressional District, but that she is "giving it very serious consideration."

Titus' comments followed a surprise announcement this morning that former Clark County chief deputy district attorney Robert Daskas was ending his bid in CD3, citing "family considerations."

Titus said she has been communicating "quite intensely" for days with both local and Washington Democrats about the race, but that she hadn't wanted to discuss it with reporters until Daskas announced his withdrawal.

"It's a big, life-changing decision," said Titus.

LAS VEGAS-Nevada's congressional delegation may be small, but it is energetic in bringing home the bacon to a cash-strapped state with a lot of needs. But critics are quick to label the programs that legislators steer towards their constituents as "pork projects."

According to the Citizens Against Government Waste 2008 Congressional Pig Book, Nevada's delegation has brought $158,779,895 worth of pork-barrel spending to the state in the 2008 fiscal year, fifteenth highest according to the per capita rankings.

According to the CAGW, Sen. Harry Reid leads the delegation with $259.5 million dollars in "wasteful spending." Next comes Sen. John Ensign with $92.5 million, Rep. Shelley Berkley with $46.7 million, Rep. Dean Heller with $31.8 and finally Rep. Jon Porter with $19 million. Much of that money, particularly in Reid's case, however, goes to defense or other spending that is not necessarily directed at Nevada.

Democratic candidate for the U.S. Congress Robert Daskas was in Washington D.C. last week, where he fundraised and rubbed shoulders with the Party elite, the Las Vegas Review Journal reports today.  read more »