Two Cegavskes could be together in Legislature

CARSON CITY -- Adam Cegavske would rather not set a record if he wins election this fall to the Assembly District 35 seat in Clark County.

If the 31-year-old Republican wins and his mother, state Sen. Barbara Cegavske, R-Las Vegas, loses the race for the 4th Congressional District seat, then it would be the first time in state history that a mother and her child served together in the state Legislature. Barbara Cegavske is in the middle of her four-year Senate term, so she would return to the Legislature if she loses.

"Our plan is for her to win the congressional seat and for me to serve in the Legislature," said Adam Cegavske, who has been to every legislative session for 20 years, often sitting next to his mother in the Senate chambers. "We are really excited."

Typically his mother would embarrass him as she bragged about his achievements in high school, college and now as a government teacher at Southwest Career Technical Academy in Las Vegas.

Legislative records show that Sen. Gilman Folsom and his son, Frank, served together in the Legislature in 1891 and 1893 and are they only parent-child duo to hold that distinction. Former Assemblywoman Gene Segerblom, D-Boulder City, and her son, current Assemblyman Tick Segerblom, D-Las Vegas, both served in the Legislature in recent years but not at the same time.

"I want to make a difference," Adam Cegavske said. "We need to improve education, create more jobs and help people avoid foreclosure."

Making his first bid for public office, Cegavske said he is a conservative who does not support tax increases "at a time when we are trying to get industry to create jobs." But he won't sign a pledge not to increase taxes.

He said Nevada needs to "widen its tax base" while trying to hold taxes down across the board. He does not favor increasing taxes at all on single industries.

Working at the technical academy has showed him the importance of technical schools that can help prepare students for jobs, and he wants to expand vocational education.

"A lot of the kids at my school get good-paying jobs right out of school," he said.

An avid lacrosse and ice hockey player, Cegavske coached his high school team to the state lacrosse championship last year.

He is running for a seat in southwest urban Clark County that was carved out of a district largely represented by Republicans Scott Hammond and Lynn Stewart.

As part of redistricting, the county gained a rural district that had been represented by Assemblyman Pete Goicoechea, R-Eureka. The boundaries of the districts represented by Hammond and Stewart were altered to create the new Southern Nevada district.

Democrats hold a 700-voter registration advantage in District 35.

Cegavske said that disadvantage does not bother him because Republicans tend to vote in larger numbers than Democrats, and independents probably will decide the race. He knows of no Democrat opposition at present.

Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.