VOA标准英语10月-Parties Vie for Vote in Swing State of Nevada

Nevada is one of a handful of so-called swing states that could decide the U.S. presidential election. Nevada voted for the Republicans in 2000 and 2004, but Mike O'Sullivan reports from the town of Pahrump in rural Nevada, a shift toward Democrats² may make a difference in this election.
　

Pahrump Nevada

Democrats have an advantage in Las Vegas, Nevada's biggest city, where unionized casino workers and Latino residents usually vote Democratic.

Republicans have the advantage in rural Nevada, but Democrats are closing the gap through an active program of voter registration³. Democrats now outnumber Republicans in Washoe County in northern Nevada, home to the city of Reno, and Democrats claim a majority of voters throughout the state.

Nevada Republican Party chair Sue Lowden is expecting a close election, but says Republican John McCain can win by appealing to independents and moderate Democrats.
　

Sue Lowden

"It is going to be a nail-biter," said Sue Lowden. "It is going to be a tough fight through and through. It is going to be a squeaker. And we do believe that we will win as Republicans. This is traditionally a very conservative state, and we believe despite the new numbers that have recently shown the Democrats outnumbering the Republicans, despite that, we believe that John McCain has appeal across the aisle⁴ [among Democrats]."

The battle for Nevada may be decided⁵ in places like Pahrump, a sprawling⁶ desert town of 40,000. Located 100 kilometers northwest of Las Vegas, Pahrump has suffered from a souring economy and downturn in tourism.
　

Lelar Hillman (r) with a voter

Democrat¹ Lelar Hillman is a volunteer for Barack Obama who is working to motivate voters.

People are paying attention. Some voters in Pahrump watched the recent candidate debate from a local bar.
　

James Endersby

The debates convinced Republican James Endersby, a retired⁷ firefighter, to vote for Democrat Obama.

"McCain, I thought, was too high-strung, moody⁸, and I thought that I did not really think he would make a good president, so that is basically why I changed over," said James Endersby.
　

Foreclosure signs in Nevada

Voters say they are worried about the economy. Nevada has the highest home foreclosure rate in the country and its housing market is stagnant⁹. Nevada Republican Party chair Sue Lowden says McCain is best able to tackle these problems.

She says that as a Westerner, the Arizona senator is familiar to voters here. And she says he sides with many Nevadans on many issues, for example, embracing the right to gun ownership.

The Republican official says McCain also appeals to disappointed Democrats who once supported Hillary Clinton for president.

"Frankly¹⁰, he is attracting a lot of Democrats," she said. "There are a lot of Hillary Democrats out there who really want John McCain to win. So it is an unusual year. And it is going to be unpredictable.
　

Matthew Jarzen

Both parties are hoping to attract young voters, like 21-year old Matthew Jarzen, a history major at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He says students are engaged in the election.

"There is a significant portion of students who are active, who are aware of what is going on, mainly because of the media attention given to this particular election, the history that could be made from it," said Matthew Jarzen.

He notes the election will result in the nation's first black president if the Democrats win, and the first woman vice¹¹ president if the Republicans win. Jarzen says most of his classmates support Obama, but he does not. He believes McCain would keep taxes low while Obama would raise them. He says McCain will keep government lean and efficient.

"I mean, in the short time I have been alive and paying attention to what is going on around me, I have seen government get more and more irresponsible as time goes on," he said. "The recent financial crisis is probably a good representative of that."

Both presidential candidates have spent time in Nevada, and officials of the campaigns say the volunteers and voters are excited.
　

Margery Kay Behrens

Margery Kay Behrens is hairdresser in Parhump and Obama volunteer, and she supports the candidate's stands on issues from health care to education. She is telling her friends they need to vote this time.

"I believe that this election is probably the single most important election we have had in at least 200 years," said Margery Kay Behrens. "And if people do not get out and vote, first of all, they do not have a right to complain. And second of all, they will have me to deal with afterwards. Better get out and vote.

Voter registration efforts have led to controversy¹² in Nevada and several other states, where a group that works for the Democrats is accused of falsifying some registration applications. But voter affiliation¹³ is just one factor in election. More than 200,000 Nevadans have no party ties, and many people here as in other states vote across party lines.

Nevada state polls show Obama with an average two-percent lead, but one poll shows the candidates tied, and the race may be tightening¹⁴.

Nevada supported Democrat Bill Clinton for president in 1992 and 1996, and backed Republican George W. Bush in the two most recent elections. Campaign officials say the state could go to either party this year.

1 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

2 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

4 aisle   

n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道

参考例句：

• The aisle was crammed with people.过道上挤满了人。
• The girl ushered me along the aisle to my seat.引座小姐带领我沿着通道到我的座位上去。

5 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

6 sprawling   

adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着）

参考例句：

• He was sprawling in an armchair in front of the TV. 他伸开手脚坐在电视机前的一张扶手椅上。
• a modern sprawling town 一座杂乱无序拓展的现代城镇

7 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

8 moody   

adj.心情不稳的，易怒的，喜怒无常的

参考例句：

• He relapsed into a moody silence.他又重新陷于忧郁的沉默中。
• I'd never marry that girl.She's so moody.我决不会和那女孩结婚的。她太易怒了。

9 stagnant   

adj.不流动的，停滞的，不景气的

参考例句：

• Due to low investment,industrial output has remained stagnant.由于投资少，工业生产一直停滞不前。
• Their national economy is stagnant.他们的国家经济停滞不前。

10 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

11 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

12 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

13 affiliation   

n.联系，联合

参考例句：

• There is no affiliation between our organization and theirs,even though our names are similar.尽管两个组织的名称相似，但我们之间并没有关系。
• The kidnappers had no affiliation with any militant group.这些绑架者与任何军事组织都没有紧密联系。

14 tightening   

上紧，固定，紧密

参考例句：

• Make sure the washer is firmly seated before tightening the pipe. 旋紧水管之前，检查一下洗衣机是否已牢牢地固定在底座上了。
• It needs tightening up a little. 它还需要再收紧些。