Whoa. Is the top Democratic candidate challenging GOP Rep. Jon Porter on the verge of dropping out of the race? That’s what the Ralton Flash says. Here’s the House Race Hotline (sub. NOT req’d, for now) summary:
Clark Co. prosecutor Robert Daskas (D) is “on verge of dropping out of race” against Rep. Jon Porter (R), according to NV analyst Jon Ralston. An announcement is “expected soon,” but he’s likely to cite “personal reasons” for dropping the race. The DCCC is “already courting” state Senate Min. Leader/’06 GOV nominee Dina Titus (D).
If accurate, this would be a big setback for Democrats. Daskas’ fundraising pace has been decent, and he’s sitting on $450K cash-on-hand as of April 1st (good enough to earn him a 44% CoH competitiveness rating), and any late-entering challenger would start out well behind the curve in the money race.
Dina Titus has already declined a chance to run against Porter this cycle, so I’m not sure if she’d be a willing replacement here.
If confirmed, this would be a disturbing turn of events in this D+1 district.
UPDATE: Yup, he’s definitely out. Here’s the statement from the Daskas campaign:
Citing family considerations, Robert Daskas has announced his decision to withdraw his candidacy for Nevada’s Third Congressional District. The Daskas campaign has every confidence that another strong, viable candidate will enter the race and unseat incumbent Jon Porter. Daskas thanks everyone for their support and asks supporters to stay focused on the common goal of changing our representative in the Third Congressional District. Democrats now hold a 22,500 voter registration advantage over Republicans in the district.
Nevada’s filing deadline: May 16
Later Update: The Politico says that Titus is in:
Democrats have already recruited a new candidate, Nevada Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, who may announce as soon as tomorrow that she’s entering the race. Titus has statewide name recognition, and Democrats hope that she can raise enough money quickly to challenge Porter in November.
“Dina Titus would be an excellent candidate with unparalleled experience and support from people in Nevada’s 3rd congressional district,” DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.). “Her vision, strength, and ability to get things done for Nevada would make her a powerful voice for change.”