Sen. Harry Reid's son running for Nevada governor

CARSON CITY, Nev. - As chairman of the powerful Clark County Commission in Las Vegas, Rory Reid, 47, is not exactly a newcomer to the public spotlight.

Even so, his name is often linked to that of his father, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. The younger Reid is hoping to simplify how he is introduced if he's successful in his bid for the Nevada governor's office.

He's expected to coast through the June 8 Democratic primary, with only one little-known opponent, to a spot on the November ballot. He's been campaigning for over a year, amassing more than $3 million and will have a hefty stash when the campaigning turns tough this summer.

The elder Reid, seeking a fifth term in the U.S. Senate, is in the crosshairs of Republican conservatives. Twelve GOP candidates have lined up for the chance to take him on after the primary.

The Reid name could provide a double bull's-eye on the ballot.

"In any other year, it would have been a benefit," said Kenneth Fernandez, assistant political science professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. "Only until this year have we seen it could be sort of a drawback."

Eric Herzik, a political scientist at the University of Nevada, Reno, said the Reid name has opened doors and attracted campaign donors for Rory Reid in the past.

"However, in this particular campaign, being on the same ballot with his father is not going to be a plus. Rory inherits everybody who doesn't like Harry," Herzik said.

Rory Reid doesn't buy it.

"I've been traveling around the state, talking to Nevadans for over a year," he said. "Nobody wants to talk about my dad. They want to know about me, what I'd do about jobs.