A LOT HAS happened since I told you last July that I was running for Governor. I announced my candidacy in Minden, then in Reno, and finally in the heart of my Senate District 7 here in Las Vegas. I did that to make the point that all Nevadans matter. In my administration, no person will be ignored and no community will be overlooked.

During the past six months I have traveled around the state visiting with people at bull sales and church socials, rodeos and pancake breakfasts, and listening to their concerns. We have raised over a million dollars, with 62 percent of the donors giving $100 or less. Contributions have come from 13 of Nevada's 17 counties and 32 different communities. What a grassroots effort it has been!

I've also received several important endorsements that I'm very proud of. The statewide Professional Firefighters of Nevada endorsed me and wrote: "Senator Dina Titus has a rock-solid commitment to public safety. She is strong, smart, and totally committed to the people of Nevada." Similarly, the statewide teachers' organization, the Nevada State Education Association, endorsed me for my long-time support of public education, writing "Dina has an unmatched record of accomplishment on education and an unwavering commitment to providing a top-notch education for every student." I'm also the pick of Nevada's cab drivers and various building trade unions. I anticipate getting other endorsements from senior groups in the near future.

I'm proud of my record in the Legislature—from improving services for the disabled to saving Red Rock from encroaching development, from cracking down on sexual predators to allowing the importation of more affordable prescription drugs from Canada. But this race isn't about the past; it's about the future.

I have a plan for Nevada's future. I want to be your E-Governor: E for excellence in education, renewable energy, economic development, the environment, and perhaps most important, ethics—because if we don't restore integrity in government, we'll never make progress in the other four E's.

Public officials, who are entrusted with the citizens' money, safety, and well-being, must be held to a higher standard. We must break the chain of corruption with its links to special interests and special favors. Every day we see new headlines about political scandals in Washington and here in Clark County. This is unacceptable and it underscores the urgent need for ethics reform. We must bring back a government we can be proud of, not ashamed of.

Don't let them fool you. This race is not about what's right and what's left. It's about what's right and what's wrong. We all know what's right: We learned it as children in kindergarten and Sunday school. The same moral principles should apply to politics. Next month, I'll write in more detail about my 12-step plan for a more ethical Nevada.

For now, let me say I'm working hard to earn your support. Nevada has a bright future but it will take someone with courage and commitment to lead us. The first time I ran for office in 1988, my slogan was "I think for myself and nobody owns me." That was true then and it's still true today!

For more information on my campaign for Governor, please visit my Web site at www.dinatitus.com or stop by my campaign headquarters at 4225 S. Eastern Avenue, suite 8—just south of Flamingo and across from St. Viator's school. The phone number is 369-0074. Call on me any time.