Sandoval ready to take helm of Nevada
By Ray Hagar, Reno Gazette-Journal
As Nevada prepares for Monday’s inauguration of Brian Sandoval as governor, a sense of hope stirs among some state leaders.
They hope Sandoval’s tenure will be marked by cooperation and compromise and not the rancor that existed under the administration of Gov. Jim Gibbons.
“Everybody feels positive,” said Dan Klaich, chancellor of Nevada’s higher education system. “I think everyone has been exhausted by the confrontations over the past four years and wants to give the governor-elect every shot and opportunity to be successful.
“But that doesn’t make the problems go away,” said Klaich, referring to the state’s nation-leading unemployment, foreclosure crisis and a projected $1.1 billion budget deficit that Democrats say could rise to as high as $2.9 billion. “So, while everybody feels strongly about solving the problems, it still means that there are very large problems out there to solve.”
Sandoval said he was pleased to hear about the positive attitude as he prepares to be sworn-in as Nevada’s first Hispanic governor.
“I embrace that,” said Sandoval, 47. “I am glad people feel that way because they are going to get a governor, staff and an administration that is going to wake up every day and think about what they are going to do for the people of this state.”
Monday will be a day Sandoval said he’ll never forget.
It will be the crowning moment of a fast-rising political career that has seen Sandoval go from state assemblyman, Gaming Commission chairman, Nevada attorney general, federal judge and now governor in 16 years. It was just 30 years ago that Sandoval was the student-body president at Bishop Manogue High in Reno.
