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Februrary 15, 2006
Carter's son seeks officeJACK CARTER SEEKS DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION FOR SENATE
By KATHLEEN HENNESSEY
Carter called for a return to "common sense, honesty, integrity and a desire for good government." "I believe our government has moved away from our core values. It has abandoned international cooperation by unilaterally rejecting long-term agreements," he said in beginning his campaign at a union hall near Las Vegas. "All we need is a return to our American values and new leadership." Carter, a 58-year-old investment consultant, is seeking the seat held by Republican Sen. John Ensign in his first bid for elective office. Carter's father and mother, former first lady Rosalynn Carter, joined their son for the campaign kickoff. The former president spoke briefly with reporters but didn't make any remarks to a crowd of about 150 in Henderson or about 350 people at a Carson City event later in the day. "He doesn't need any help from me," the former president told reporters after the announcement, adding, "I don't think he needs much advice from me, but if he ever calls on me for advice I'll certainly give it to him." Jimmy Carter also said he hoped to return to Nevada for campaign appearances, and also planned to help him overcome a huge fundraising advantage that the incumbent now holds. Since October, Jack Carter has been on a three-month "listening tour" of the state, gauging support and fundraising. He brought in $241,600 during that period, lent himself $25,000 and reported $223,600 cash on-hand at the end of the year. Ensign, who is seeking a second term, enjoys a healthy lead in early polls and fundraising. He ended the year with $2.37 million cash on-hand and has raised $3.7 million in the election cycle to date. He spent $4.8 million to beat Democrat Ed Bernstein in 2000. Carter criticized Ensign for following the GOP party line. "The singular difference between the junior senator and me is he works for the Bush administration and I want to work for Nevada," Carter said. "He's tighter with the administration than Tom DeLay," the former House majority leader, Carter said. Ensign spokesman Jack Finn said the senator wouldn't comment directly on Carter's remarks. Carter and his father also criticized the Bush administration's domestic spying program, which is under review in Senate Judiciary Committee hearings. Jack Carter also criticized the new Medicare drug program as a boon to the pharmaceutical industry, and promised to fight against federal efforts to place a high-level nuclear dump in Nevada. Carter, who shares his father's southern drawl, described himself as the son of a Georgia peanut farmer who's familiar with "small town living and hard work." In 1968, he enlisted in the Navy and served in Vietnam. In 1970, he was discharged from the military after he admitted using drugs. Carter said he's not concerned that the administrative discharge will affect his election chances. "I am who I am. I like who I am," he said. Carter has a degree in physics from Georgia Tech University and a law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law. He was in his late 20s when his father won the presidency in 1976, and he never lived in the White House. After a short stint working as a lawyer in Georgia, he became an investment consultant specializing in hedge funds. He and his wife, Elizabeth, have four children from previous marriages. Carter, a Baptist, declined to label himself as a moderate or a liberal. He said he would not take a position on a state petition to legalize small amounts of marijuana and said he supports a woman's right to have an abortion. "I'm a personal freedoms person. I don't want the government to come in and tell my child or whoever it is that they can't have an abortion," he said. "I'm pro-choice as far as a woman choosing, but I'm against abortion." Carter is the only Democrat in the race, although Las Vegas' flamboyant Mayor Oscar Goodman has discussed the possibility of a bid with Senate leaders, including Minority Leader Harry Reid. Goodman said last week he had not decided if he would run. "Oscar's going to do what he wants to do. It's not going to affect what I do," Carter said. Reid and Democratic Congresswoman Shelley Berkley sent letters in support of Carter's candidacy. Reid called Carter a "a pioneer in the investment industry," and joked that the Carters have been Nevadans all their lives, "they just figured it out a few years ago." Carter, who said he and his wife have lived in Las Vegas since 2002, acknowledged that his recent arrival might be his greatest hurdle in the race. "I have not lived here for 30 years. I don't have 30 years worth of relationships," he said. "I have to go around and introduce myself to everybody." He joked that he "had to spend years in the wilderness" before realizing that Nevada was where he wanted to put down roots. Associated Press Writer Brendan Riley in Carson City contributed to this report. On the Net: Carter for Nevada www.carterfornevada.com |
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