But Ensign argues that it would be better for state voters to elect a Republican who, assuming the GOP retains control of Congress, would presumably be in a better position to influence the final decision on the issue. If Bernstein makes that claim, look for an immediate television response. The other race to watch in Nevada is for Ensign's old Las Vegas-based House seat, won by moderate Democrat Shelley Berkley in 1998. Democrats are confident the well-funded Berkley will cruise to reelection, but the GOP is not writing off the seat entirely. State Sen. Jon Porter , the leading Republican candidate in the Sept. 5 primary, has a bit of a problem, however, in that he is raising money with help from national Republican House leaders who support the waste dump.
Democrats are certain to make an issue of that in the fall.
The good news for Udall is that his 1998 foe, Bob Greenlee , opted not to run, saying he'd prefer to wait until 2002 when the race may prove more appealing in the wake of redistricting. Carolyn Cox , a Colorado businesswoman, is the only announced Republican in the 2nd district, but the GOP hopes Boulder County Treasurer Sandy Hume will get in the race as well. The primary is Aug. 14. One of the best races in the Rocky Mountain region will take place in Colorado's 6th district in the Denver suburbs, home to Columbine High School, where Democrats think they have an excellent chance of taking out gun-control foe Tom Tancredo . Tancredo's likely opponent, businessman Ken Toltz , is already going after the first-year Republican, accusing him of urging that gun control votes be pushed back in Congress until after the April 20 anniversary of the Columbine shootings.