LAS VEGAS -- Assembly Speaker John Oceguera announced Monday he's running for Congress. Former Congresswoman Dina Titus is expected to do the same soon.
But, where they will be running is still an open question.
This is what happens when the legislature doesn't finish it's work.
Imagine running for office without knowing where the district lines are, how many voters are registered republican or democrat, or even who your opponent might be.
That's the prospect that confronts Oceguera, Titus and pretty much every other incumbent and challenger thinking of running for office in 2012.
Although the democratically controlled legislature passed two redistricting maps on party-line votes, they were vetoed by Republican Governor Brian Sandoval. He said they were unfair.
The issue is now before a Carson City court.
In the meantime, would-be politicians have to declare their intent to run without some of the most basic information they need, including where their new district's boundaries are.
That makes it nearly impossible at this point to plan voter outreach or get-out-the-vote efforts, and severely complicates fundraising.
Speaker Oceguera says he'll start with a grassroots effort concentrated near his home in southern Las Vegas.
Former Congresswoman Titus said much the same thing. She noted she's represented much of the valley, either as a state senator or during her term representing the third congressional district, which she narrowly lost to Congressman Joe Heck in 2010.
Titus says the federal issues facing southern Nevadans cut across district boundaries, and she'll run in the district that contains the greatest number of her former constituents.
In the meantime, both Oceguera and Titus said the need to get a campaign up and running, not to mention raising money, is prompting them to make their announcements now rather than waiting for a final court ruling on the redistricting question.
