Oct. 15, 2006

Dina Titus '70, Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Nevada William and Mary is the alma mater of many former governors: Thomas Jefferson, Mills Godwin and John Dalton of Virginia, just to name a few. Come November, though, Nevada voters may choose to add their new governor to the list: Dina Titus '70. After graduating from the College in 1970, Dina eventually made the trek west to Las Vegas. Titus, a Democrat, has served as state Senate minority leader since 1992. Dina is a long way from Williamsburg, but she still holds the ideals of William and Mary close to her heart.

Degrees from other schools: master's degree, University of Georgia; Ph.D., University of Florida

Current place of residence: Las Vegas, Nev.

Current occupation: professor of political science, University of Nevada-Las Vegas; Nevada state legislator

Hometown: Thomasville, Ga.

You said that you tested straight into William and Mary from high school. Tell us more about that.
I was living in a little town in south Georgia and I was ready to do something else, so I didn't go to my senior year of high school. What I ended up doing was going to summer school at William and Mary and they admitted me in the fall. That's how I went in without a high school diploma. I've never gotten that diploma either: it kind of screws up statistics when I mark "high school dropout!"

How did you wind up in Nevada?
I came to teach at UNLV (The University of Nevada-Las Vegas). I taught one year in Texas and I really didn't like that. A position opened up at the university and I just applied for it and got the job. I've been here since 1977.

What's driving you to run for the high office in that state?
Well, I've enjoyed being in the legislature and I'm proud of my record there. It's time to ratchet it up a notch. I've been asked to run for Congress a number of times, but that wasn't what I wanted to do. I think you can accomplish more as governor, and in Nevada, we're still small enough of a state that you can really see the fruits of your labor. It's not like being in California, somewhere where it's hard to turn that ship around. I believe that the time is right. It's an open seat, registration is absolutely even and things are trending Democratic. There are a lot of people here who want to see a change, and I'm kind of the message of change.

How is it different than the other campaigns you've been involved with?
There are only 21 senators in Nevada -- so I have a pretty big district -- but it's all located here in southern Nevada. The Las Vegas Strip is in my district, so if you ever come to town and get in trouble on the Strip, call me. Certainly running statewide has taken a lot more organization; I run for the state Senate out of my garage. It's just my family and you usually hire one person; now we've got an office and a staff in both the north and the south. Nevada is a very urban state, most of the people live in just two parts of the state -- Reno and Las Vegas -- but there are little communities everywhere so you have to go real long distances just to talk to a few people.

What did you enjoy the most about your time as a state senator?
Well, it's been a great experience because Nevada has a part-time legislature. We only meet every other year, so I continue to teach and just take one semester off every other year to be in Carson City. Being in the legislature has made me a better professor and being a teacher has made me a better legislator. We also have internships: I get to take some students from UNLV to the legislature, so that's always fun. Some of my best bills, though: saving Red Rock [Canyon] from development, a natural area of hiking and climbing here in southern Nevada. I'm very proud of that and we have the toughest sex offender statute in the state's history, so that was a good thing to do.

How have your political views changed since your time at William and Mary?
I was there during the time when there were a lot of protests in Washington and the Vietnam War. I made a few trips to the Reflecting Pool for some demonstrations, but I enjoyed my time at William and Mary. I had two teachers in the government department, Margaret Hamilton and George Grayson (who went into politics in Virginia in the state legislature), who I've stayed in touch with after I left. I guess I would say that there are some things I did in college that I don't do now. I don't wear fringe, and I prefer Diana Krall to Led Zeppelin, but the basic principles are still the same.

Have you approached being a legislator differently because you have a background in education?
I tell you, certainly having a background in political science helps me from a policy standpoint in researching and figuring out good policy and analysis. Being in front of a big classroom for so many years helps me feel comfortable being in front of a crowd when I'm giving a political speech. One of the things that's been a disadvantage: professors always try to explain things and always answer questions as best we can, but sometimes with the press you shouldn't give them that much information.

Do you often come back to William and Mary? Have you visited recently?
I've been back fairly often. I have a cousin who lives in Williamsburg, and I go to Washington pretty often so I slip down there occasionally every couple years or so. Sometimes it's not for any organized event, but just because I like coming back down there. My husband is from the West, so he certainly enjoys seeing it. You tell anybody you went to William and Mary and that has a certain gravitas to it, it's such a well-known and respected school.

How is your family holding up through the process? How are things different for them?
Well, as we go 24/7, I don't have any children. I say all Nevada's children are my children. My parents still live in Georgia, but they're out here part of the year, so they're plugged in. I have a sister who's a teacher and she's helping me. It's definitely a family affair. My husband is a Latin American historian so we usually spend a lot of time in Latin America or in Spain, so this year, instead of being in Buenos Aires or Santiago, he's in Pioche or Panaca, Nev., so he's had to make that adjustment.

Did you always know you wanted to be involved in government or politics?
I came from a politically active family. I was fascinated with politics -- kind of a political junkie. I knew that's what I wanted to study. At one time I wanted to be a journalist, and at one time wanted to be a lawyer. I'm very glad I decided to be a professor instead, but it was always with political interests.

Do you consider Nevada a "red state?"
No, I don't. People in Nevada are big ticket-splitters, they don't vote a straight party line. We went for Lyndon Johnson, then went for Republican presidents up until Clinton, then went back for Bush. In the state, we've got a divided legislature and the congressional delegation is divided. Especially for state races, I think they're even less likely to vote party line or ideology and more likely to vote for the person that they like and the person that they know.

Do you feel like there's any added momentum because you've got the William and Mary background and experience?
I think so, certainly that's an inspiration. I still know the Patrick Henry speech -- "are we so pusillanimous a nation to stand idly by while our brethren are in the field?" -- and that's kinda how I feel. I can't stand idly by, so I guess it did have an impact -- it's certainly part of who I am. People will tease me about a Southern accent, or being in the "ivory tower," but I'm not apologetic at all. I'm proud of that record.

Any presidential aspirations?
I have to get elected governor first.

Who is your most famous constituent?
Liberace lived in my district as well as Wayne Newton. The whole strip is my district, so I represent the Pyramids, the Eiffel tower, the Imperial Palace. I figure if I can represent all the world, I can certainly represent all of Nevada.

Editor's Note: Dina Titus lost her bid to become governor of Nevada.