Close-to-the-vest game will work for Sandoval for only so long

The idea to resign his judgeship and run for governor didn't actually originate with Brian Sandoval. Political consultant Pete Ernaut, a longtime friend, planted the seed this past summer.

"I didn't say no, but I didn't say yes," Sandoval now says. But he started to think about it. Nevada was in horrible shape financially, hit harder by the recession than most states, and polls showed Gov. Jim Gibbons, also a Republican, is unlikely to be re-elected.

But as a sitting federal judge, Sandoval couldn't go about it the same way most candidates do by testing the waters for support because federal judges are prohibited from engaging in partisan politics. They can't even donate to candidates, which some of them see as a blessing. Can't go to political events, another blessing. Can't put up a sign or sign a petition. Can't, can't, can't.

He had to make a choice, get in or out. No middle ground existed.

Late in July, he wrote the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' Committee on Codes and Conduct for advice about what he could and could not do while still a judge. More can'ts. Can't poll, can't raise funds, can't announce.

On Aug. 14, Nevada's Chief U.S. District Judge Roger Hunt said Sandoval would be resigning Sept. 15, yet Sandoval couldn't even say why or what office he was seeking.

Finally, when he was free to talk, he called his opponents: Gov. Gibbons, state Sen. Joe Heck and that big lunk from North Las Vegas who won't return my calls to discuss a sensitive allegation. (Until then, he's the man with no name to me.)

Sandoval spoke with Heck and the other guy, but said Gibbons has yet to return his call, indicating the governor doesn't grasp the courtesy call concept, in which someone politely says he'll try to knock you out of the mansion.

Since announcing, Sandoval has been working on two things: raising money and getting up to speed on public policy after four years on the bench. A little more than three weeks out, he won't say how much he's raised or share one policy proposal, saying ideas fit together like a mosaic and he wants to be responsible about policy ideas he suggests.

He believes there are places to cut the state's budget, but you'll have to wait while he decides where. Meanwhile, he's meeting with budget experts, education experts and tax experts, working on his own policy ideas.

Sandoval rejected U.S. Sen. John Ensign's claim the senator recruited him to run, although they spoke. "He talked to me and said, 'Are you interested?'" Sandoval said.

After he decided to run, he called Ensign to tell him.

Nor has Sandoval asked Ensign for campaign help. Sandoval is not supporting Ensign like Sue Lowden, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate. But he's also not repudiating Ensign over his affair and allegations of violating lobbying laws.

"I'm going to let everybody reach their own conclusions about that situation," Sandoval said, refusing to be prodded into a position.

Sandoval said his core values are fiscal conservatism, small government, support of personal liberties and government doing more with less. Sandoval also identified himself as a pro-choice Catholic.

The former assemblyman, gaming commissioner and first Hispanic on Nevada's federal bench doesn't speak Spanish. "My parents purposefully didn't teach my brother and I Spanish," Sandoval said. They were bilingual and wanted him to be adept at English.

When he was attorney general, he took weekly Spanish lessons from a deputy attorney general. But it hasn't stuck. "If you don't use it, you lose it," he said.

During our interview, Sandoval passed on the chance to take a shot at the Democrat in the race, Clark County Commissioner Rory Reid, who is expected to formally announce next week and offer his "guiding vision." Hopefully that means specifics.

Because Sandoval has only been in the race less than a month, let's cut him some slack about positions. But that forbearance won't last long. If you say you want to cut the budget, not raises taxes and get people back to work, you better have an idea or two to back that up without waiting to complete the mosaic.

Just reacting to the other guy's ideas won't cut it for long.

Jane Ann Morrison's column appears Monday, Thursday and Saturday. E-mail her at Jane@reviewjournal.com or call (702) 383-0275. She also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/morrison.