State lawmaker John Lee throws support to Connecticut senator
The underdog presidential campaign of Democrat Chris Dodd is getting a boost in Nevada today with the support of state Sen. John Lee, D-North Las Vegas.
Lee said Monday he’s proud to sign on as state chairman of the Connecticut senator’s campaign. “He shares my values. He shares my work ethic. He’s honest, and I know by his voting record he’s good for Nevada.”
The endorsement from Lee is one of the few Nevada elected Democrats to throw support behind a candidate not named Hillary Clinton. Clinton has hoovered up current and former state and local officials’ endorsements.
Democratic state legislators, however, have been slower to commit. State Sen. Dina Titus supports Clinton, while Assemblyman Richard “Tick” Segerblom is supporting John Edwards. The rest are still holding back as all the campaigns court them behind the scenes.
“Hillary’s getting the inevitability bandwagon going, but there’s still plenty of people out there who don’t want her to be the candidate,” said University of Nevada, Las Vegas political scientist David Damore.
Lee said all of the Democratic campaigns sought his support, but he was won over by Dodd’s personability and experience in Washington. Dodd is in his sixth term in the Senate.
“This is just coming from my heart,” he said. “I don’t think he’ll ever embarrass me. He’s someone who’s the same every day, not changing depending on who they’re talking to.”
Lee is finishing his first term in the state Senate, having previously served three terms in the state Assembly and run unsuccessfully for state controller. He owns a plumbing business and is a member of the executive board of the Boy Scouts of America.
Lee said he wasn’t bothered by Dodd’s current place in the Democratic field, where he draws little support in polls and trails in fundraising.
“There’s 190 days to prove our candidacy right now. I believe in 190 days things are going to happen with the other candidates that are going to favor us.”
Dodd will be in Las Vegas Thursday to open his state campaign headquarters at 2801 S. Valley View Bouelvard, #3, at 5:45 p.m.
