Catherine Cortez Masto (D)
CARSON CITY, Nev. (Legal Newsline)-Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto is among names being mentioned for a possible federal judgeship.
Also being mentioned as possible replacements for U.S. District Judge Brian Sandoval are: Nevada Supreme Court Chief Justice James Hardesty and Washoe District Judge Brent Adams.
Sandoval announced his resignation last week. He is widely believed to be considering challenging Gov. Jim Gibbons in the 2010 Republican gubernatorial primary.
It is tradition that the state's two U.S. senators recommend to the White House a list of possible nominees. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and John Ensign, R-Nev., have not signaled whom they might be considering.
The Associated Press reported Wednesday that historically nominees to the U.S. District Court in Reno have come from northern Nevada, said Carl Tobias, a former UNLV law professor now teaching at the University of Richmond School of Law in Virginia.
"Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, a Democrat, is effective and popular," Tobias said. "But she may be wanting to do other things than serve on the bench."
From Legal Newsline: Reach staff reporter Chris Rizo at chrisrizo@legalnewsline.com.