Nevada: Guedry Eyeing 2010 Challenge to Titus

John Guedry (R), a top executive for City National Bank, said this week that he’s seriously considering challenging freshman Rep. Dina Titus (D) in 2010 for her suburban Las Vegas 3rd district seat.

Guedry, who has already announced his plans to leave his post as executive vice president and Nevada region manager for City National Bank, said he intends to announce a decision on the race by the end of June. He added that he’s already been in contact with the National Republican Congressional Committee and former Rep. Jon Porter (R), who lost the seat last year to Titus.

Guedry, a University of Nevada at Las Vegas graduate, has worked in the financial services industry for more than 20 years and has lobbied on behalf of the banking industry through his work with the Nevada Bankers Association.

If he does run, Guedry said, his business and banking background would be a key asset at a time when the country is going through its worst financial crisis in recent history.

“I feel like there’s a lot of issues in our economy,” Guedry said. “Las Vegas and the state of Nevada are suffering just tremendously with some of the decisions that have been made in the business community and in the political arena.”

The NRCC has called Titus — who defeated Porter 47 percent to 42 percent in a district that President Barack Obama won with 55 percent — a “top target” in 2010. But no GOP candidate has yet stepped forward to challenge the freshman.

Besides Guedry, other GOP names being mentioned are businessman and former Clark County Republican Party Chairman Brian Scroggins, former Nevada Controller Steve Martin and James Dean Leavitt, a lawyer and regent for the Nevada System of Higher Education.

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