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The Las Vegas Sun’s endorsements for the 2020 general election

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The following are the Las Vegas Sun’s endorsements for contested races on the November ballot. We invite voters to refer to this list when filling out their mail-in ballots or to take it with them to the polls for early voting or for balloting on November 3.

KEY

D — Democrat

R — Republican

IA — Independent American Party

L — Libertarian

N/A — No party

(I) — Incumbent

The Sun’s endorsements are in bold.

 

NATIONAL

President and vice president

• Joe Biden/Kamala Harris — D

• Don Blankenship/William Mohr — IA

• Jo Jorgensen/Jeremy “Spike” Cohen — L

• Donald Trump/Mike Pence (I) – R

A vote for Biden and Harris helps re-establish a sense of order and decorum in Washington, put a stop to the revolving door of Cabinet members, end the bleed-out of much-needed government experts and watchdogs, stop the assault on the environment and immigrants, and put the nation back on a path toward greater equality.

Simply put, with Biden and Harris in the White House, the professionals return to the room and the chaos ends. Americans won’t need to worry about awakening to news of horrifying human rights abuses like family separations at the Southern border or the extrajudicial detainments of peaceful protests by unidentified federal forces in unmarked vehicles.

The hateful insanity of Trump and Trumpism has torn our nation apart from within and demolished our international reputation and power. Trump’s deplorable mishandling of coronavirus has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans and destroyed both the economy and normal American life.

It didn’t have to be this way, and it’s time to vote for American renewal.

Biden’s decades of service in the Senate and his eight years as vice president give him the skills and capabilities to lead the nation to recovery from President Donald Trump’s disastrous mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic. Biden worked alongside President Barack Obama in guiding the nation out of the recession; he can work with Harris to lead us out of this dark time as well.

Harris is an exceptionally well-equipped teammate for Biden. With her experience as a city prosecutor, state attorney general and U.S. senator, she understands government at all levels and would immediately be ready to occupy the Oval Office in the event something terrible happens.

Electing Biden and Harris will bring an end to Trump’s litany of abuses and his dangerous incompetency: his clear designs on establishing authoritarian power, the attacks on science and public health, the corruption of the Justice Department into becoming a legal weapon for sole use by the president, the weakening of social service programs that protect the lives of millions of Americans, the undoing of health care coverage and so much more.

There’s simply no comparison between Biden and Trump on any level. On policy, Biden won a crowded primary based in no small part on his comprehensive plan for his administration; Trump offers nothing but generalities and things that don’t exist, like a health care plan. In fact, the GOP opted not even to adopt a platform during its convention this year: It’s run bankrupt on morals and ideas and now exists only to serve Trump’s interests.

Biden is facile in foreign relations; Trump undercuts our allies and fawns around Vladimir Putin and other dictatorial leaders of nations that pose security threats to the U.S.

America needs Trump gone. The evidence is all around us in the deaths and suffering of COVID-19 patients, the racial tensions in our cities, the growing health and safety hazards stemming from human-caused climate change, the growth of white nationalism and right-wing militant groups amid encouragement by Trump, the undermining of our government and democracy, and our polarization and political hatred.

A vote for Biden and Harris brings capable, measured leadership back to the White House.

 

Congress

Congressional District 1

• Kamau Bakari — IA

• Joyce Bentley — R

• Robert Van Strawder Jr. — L

• Dina Titus (I) — D

Titus is coming off of a particularly strong term in which she protected Nevada from the resurrection of Yucca Mountain and the resumption of live nuclear testing, which also watchdogging the Trump administration over conflict-of-interest allegations stemming from the Trump business operation’s ownership of the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., a renovated post office building it leases from the federal government.

 

Congressional District 3

• Ed S. Bridges II — IA

• Steve Brown — L

• Susie Lee (I) — D

• Dan “Big Dan” Rodimer — R

In her first term, Lee emerged as the kind of consensus-driven leader Americans say they want: She’s a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus, for instance, which consists of an equal number of Republicans and Democrats. In complete contrast, Rodimer is a Trump-mold celebrity politician with practically no public leadership experience, a disturbing history of violence and an extremist-GOP agenda.

 

Congressional District 4

• Jonathan Royce Esteban — L

• Steven Horsford (I) — D

• Jim Marchant — R

• Barry Rubinson — IA

Horsford is coming off his second term in the House after serving eight years in the Nevada state Senate, and the value of his leadership experience has become evident. A prominent case in point came this year when he spearheaded the defeat of a horrendous proposal to allow the U.S. Air Force to expand its live-bombing training range into 855,000 acres of the Desert National Wildlife Refuge.

 

STATE LEGISLATURE

Senate District 4

• Esper M. Hickman — R

• Dina Neal (I) — D

Neal, who served well in five terms in the Assembly, is a strong choice to move over to the Senate.

 

Senate District 5

Remember

Election Day is November 3.

Register to vote at nvsos.gov/sosvoterservices/Registration/Step0.aspx.

Early voting runs from October 17-30, at locations across Clark County.

Mail-in ballots will be sent to active Nevada voters automatically.

Absentee ballots can be requested until October 20.

• Carrie Ann Buck — R

• Tim Hagan — L

• Kristee Watson — D

Watson is a promising newcomer with experience in private business, education advocacy and activism on gun violence. Voters should note that Buck lost election to the state Senate in 2016, then helped drive a groundless recall attempt against her opponent.

 

Senate District 6

• April Becker — R

• Nicole Cannizzaro (I) — D

Cannizzaro won her first term in 2016, when she ground out a tough race against Victoria Seaman, who at that time was an assemblywoman seeking to make the jump to the Senate and now is a Las Vegas city councilwoman. Cannizzaro then unexpectedly took on the challenge of serving as Senate leader — the first woman to hold that position in state history — in 2019 after former Sen. Kelvin Atkinson resigned amid a corruption scandal. Cannizzaro handled herself with aplomb throughout and has earned another term.

 

Senate District 11

• Joshua Dowden — R

• Dallas Harris (I) — D

Harris served the district well after being appointed in 2018 to fill former state Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford’s seat.

 

Senate District 18

• Liz Becker — D

• Scott T. Hammond (I) — R

Becker would be a major improvement over Hammond, a rubber-stamp vote for the extremist right.

 

Senate District 19

• Pete Goicoechea (I) — R

• Tiffany “Gholson” Seeback — IA

Stable leadership is at a premium at the Statehouse, and Goicoechea has it in spades after 18 years in the Legislature. We endorsed him in 2016, and we’ll do it again this year.

 

Assembly District 2

• Heidi Kasama — R

• Radhika “RPK” Kunnel — D

• Garrett LeDuff — N/A

At a time when science is under assault, all levels of government need more candidates like Kunnel. A former biochemistry professor, she holds a Ph.D. in cancer biology and also is a UNLV law school graduate.

 

Assembly District 4

• Richard McArthur — R

• Connie Munk (I) — D

Voters in this district selected the best candidate in 2018 when they chose Munk over McArthur. In this year’s rematch, Munk is an even stronger choice given her two years of legislative experience.

 

Assembly District 5

• Brittney Miller (I) — D

• Mack Miller — R

Voters narrowly elected Brittney Miller in 2016 but then gave her a comfortable margin in 2018, a clear sign they were happy with her performance. She continues to serve capably and deserves a third term.

 

Assembly District 6

• Katie Duncan — R

• Shondra Summers-Armstrong — D

We’re endorsing both of these exceptional candidates: Summers-Armstrong boasts an admirable record of public service, including as a commissioner on the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority; and Duncan, the founding president of the Historic Westside Chamber of Commerce, has been a longtime leading advocate for her community.

 

Assembly District 7

• Cameron “C.H.” Miller — D

• Anthony “Tony” Palmer — R

Miller gets the nod because of his connection to the late Assemblyman Tyrone Thompson, who became one of the most respected leaders in Carson City before his death last year. Miller served as a campaign aide for Thompson.

 

Assembly District 8

• Edward “Eddie” Facey — R

• Jason Frierson (I) — D

Frierson has been an exceptional leader as speaker of the Assembly, working equally well with both former Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval and current Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak. The state needs this kind of steady-handed, measured leadership during these chaotic times.

 

Assembly District 9

• Barbara Altman — R

• Steve Yeager (I) — D

Yeager set himself apart with his leadership on criminal justice reform, where he spearheaded several significant policy changes as chair of the Advisory Commission on the Administration of Justice.

 

Assembly District 10

• Jonathan Friedrich — IA

• Chris Hisgen — R

• Rochelle Nguyen (I) — D

Having served the district well since being appointed in late 2018, Nguyen has earned a full term.

 

Assembly District 11

• Beatrice A. Duran (I) — D

• Eric Krattiger — R

Another midterm appointee, Duran brought valuable perspective to the Legislature through her career in the service industry and as a Culinary Union staff member.

 

Assembly District 12

• John Cardiff Gerhardt — N/A

• Jeremy A. Graves — R

• Susan Martinez (I) — D

Martinez, a 30-year employee in the hospitality industry, won this seat by a comfortable margin in 2018 and is an even better choice this year after two solid years in the Legislature.

 

Assembly District 14

• Maggie Carlton (I) — D

• Robert Wayerski — R

Carlton is another longtime legislator whose experience and steady presence are important amid the current turmoil. She first went to Carson City after being elected as a senator in 1998.

 

Assembly District 15

• Stan Vaughan — R

• Howard Watts (I) — D

Watts is seeking reelection to the seat he first won handily in 2018. Now, with his legislative experience, he’s the hands-down choice for another term.

 

Assembly District 16

• Cecelia González — D

• Reyna “Alex” Sajdak — R

Voters in this heavily Democratic district gave González a loud show of support in the primary, where she beat a crowded field by an impressive margin of 26 percentage points. Enough said: González gets our recommendation.

 

Assembly District 17

• Jack Polcyn — R

• Clara “Claire” Thomas — D

Only seven candidates received a vaunted endorsement from the Assembly Democratic Caucus during the primary, and Thomas was among them. That speaks volumes about the capabilities of U.S. Air Force veteran and longtime case manager with the Clark County District Attorney’s Office. She’s our choice.

 

Assembly District 18

• Venicia Considine — D

• Heather Ann Florian — R

See above. Considine was also among the seven endorsed by the Assembly Democrats. Voters liked her, too, as she won a very close victory in a tough primary.

 

Assembly District 21

• Cherlyn Arrington — R

• Elaine Marzola — D

Marzola is the clear fit for this Democratic-leaning district, which rejected Arrington and Republican ideology in 2018 when she ran unsuccessfully against Ozzie Fumo.

 

Assembly District 23

• Brent Foutz — D

• Bill Hoge — IA

• Glen Leavitt (I) — R

In 2018, Leavitt ran and won on the strength of his public service as a Boulder City planning commissioner and as a public affairs analyst for the Regional Transportation Commission. We endorsed him then, and he’s our choice this year after two years of solid service in Carson City.

 

Assembly District 28

• Natasha Bousley — L

• Edgar Flores (I) — D

District 28 voters clearly like what they see from Flores, who’s seeking his fourth term after twice running unopposed, and getting 78% of the vote the only time he faced a rival. He’s the open-and-shut pick this year.

 

Assembly District 29

• Lesley Elizabeth Cohen (I) — D

• Steven E. DeLisle — R

Cohen seeks a third term after unseating a Republican incumbent in 2016 and then defeating him again in 2018. She has served the district well and should get another two years in the Assembly.

 

Assembly District 34

• Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod (I) — D

• Jay Thomas Carlson — R

Bilbray-Axelrod is another popular figure in her district, having won her first term handily in 2016 and then winning by an even bigger margin in 2018. She’s given her district no reason to make a change.

 

Assembly District 35

• Jay Calhoun — R

• Michelle Gorelow (I) — D

Gorelow is looking for a second full term after being appointed to the Assembly in 2017 and then winning her first term in 2018. She’s been a good addition to the Legislature and should get another term.

 

• Assembly District 37

• Shea Backus (I) — D

• Andy Matthews — R

Backus was among several Democratic candidates swept into office in 2018 as Nevada voters rejected Trump-style extremism in favor of candidates who prioritized good public policy over party ideology. She’s the choice again this year over a Republican whose endorsements are a who’s-who list of the extreme right in Nevada.

 

Assembly District 41

• Victoria K. DaCosta — IA

• Sandra Jauregui (I) — D

• Erika Smith — R

Jauregui has become someone to watch in Carson City, particularly in her leadership on gun violence. The October 1 survivor has played a prominent role in recent advancements in gun safety policy in Nevada, and gets our endorsement for a third time.

 

Assembly District 42

• Alexander Assefa (I) — D

• Liz DelSignore — L

• Sayed “SM” Zaidi — N/A

It’s great for a region as diverse as Southern Nevada to be represented by leaders like Assefa, an immigrant from Ethiopia who arrived in the U.S. with practically no money or grasp of English but went on to earn a college degree and own a small business.

 

STATEWIDE

Nevada Board of Regents

When it comes to the regents, the most important vote isn’t on the candidates, it’s on Ballot Question 1. It’s critical for that question to pass, as it would pave the way for a restructuring of the highly problematic board and for reforms of the higher-education system.

As is, Nevada is saddled with a board of regents whose history is riddled with corruption, abuses of authority, incompetency and a refusal to operate transparently. It’s holding back Nevada from recognizing the full potential of our universities and colleges.

Question 1 would remove the regents from the state constitution, where the wording over their authority has been interpreted as making them in essence a fourth branch of government. Eliminating the regents from the constitution would allow state lawmakers to gain oversight over them, which is expected to result in major changes that could reduce the size of the 13-member board and limit the members’ powers.

Such reforms are long overdue, and we give our strongest endorsement to Ballot Question 1.

With that, though, here are our thoughts on this year’s candidates.

District 2

• Lois Tarkanian

• Bret Whipple

We endorse neither candidate, but believe each is capable due to their longstanding ties to the state and their record of public service. Tarkanian is a former Las Vegas City Council member and the wife of the late UNLV basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian; Whipple, an attorney, served on the board of regents from 2003 to 2008 and is a fourth-generation member of a well-known Nevada ranching family.

 

District 3

• Byron Brooks

• Swadeep Nigam

Nigam brings the qualifications the board needs, having served on the Nevada Equal Rights Commission, the Las Vegas chapter of the NAACP and other community boards.

 

District 5

• Patrick Boylan

• Nick “Doc” Spirtos

This race screams out the need to pass Ballot Question 1. Boylan and Spirtos are wholly unfit—Spirtos because he opposes the current plan for the desperately needed UNLV School of Medicine academic building; Boylan because of a torrent of anti-Muslim posts on his Twitter feed. We are endorsing neither.

 

State Board of Education

District 1

• Angelo Casino

• Tim Hughes

Hughes offers an exceptional résumé that includes experience in the Teach for America program and executive leadership at TNTP, a teacher training program.

 

District 4

• Rene Cantu

• Mark Newburn (I)

At a time of turmoil and uncertainty for Nevada students and their families, stability on the board is important. That’s why we’re endorsing Newburn, who has been a steady hand.

 

LOCAL

County Commission

District A

• Michael Naft (I) — D

• Michael Thomas — R

Handpicked by Gov. Steve Sisolak to fill the seat that Sisolak vacated in his run for governor, Naft got off to a strong start and has earned a full term.

 

District B

• Marilyn Kirkpatrick (I) — D

• Warren R. Markowitz — IA

• Kevin M. Williams — R

Kirkpatrick is the lockdown choice. As the commission chairwoman, she has provided strong and steady leadership before and since the pandemic.

 

District C

• Stavros Anthony — R

• Ross Miller — D

In a race between candidates with strong name recognition, Miller holds the edge due to his experience as former Nevada secretary of state and his moderate political sensibilities. The right-wing politics of Anthony, a Las Vegas city councilman, puts him out of step in our progressive community.

 

District D

• William McCurdy II — D

• David L. Washington — No party

McCurdy won over voters in a power-

packed primary, and he’s the overwhelming choice here. With four years of service in the Nevada Assembly and three years as chair of the state Democratic Party, he would be an ideal addition to the commission.

 

Clark County School District

District A

• Lisa Guzman

• Liberty Leavitt

Guzman and Leavitt finished 1-2 in a crowded primary, and with good reason: Both are exceptional candidates. We recommend either.

 

District B

• Jeff Proffitt

• Katie Williams

Proffitt would be a strong addition to the board due partly to his experience in technical and career education: He’s the training director for a Sheet Metal Workers Local 88 union educational apprenticeship program. He’s also the spouse of a CCSD special education teacher.

 

District C

• Evelyn Garcia Morales

• Tameka Henry

District C voters have two strong choices in Morales and Henry, both of whom have been strong advocates for education in Clark County. But Morales gets our endorsement for her leadership role as executive director of the Fulfillment Fund Las Vegas, a nonprofit that facilitates college access and academic achievement to students of all backgrounds, and leader of outreach programs for after-school tutoring and drug prevention for the YMCA of Southern Nevada.

 

District E

• Lola Brooks (I)

• Alexis Salt

Both of these candidates are excellent, but Brooks gets our endorsement for providing much-needed stability in leadership on the board. Brooks has been an even-handed trustee, as she demonstrated when she helped derail an irrational effort to oust CCSD Superintendent Jesus Jara this year.

 

JUDICIAL

State Level

Note: on state-level judicial races, voters have an option to select "none of the candidates."

 

Supreme Court Justice D

• Ozzie Fumo

• Douglas Herndon

• None of these candidates

Fumo and Herndon would each be a great addition to the court, for entirely different reasons. Fumo’s résumé includes 20 years as a practicing trial attorney and four years of commendable leadership in the Nevada Legislature, while Herndon boasts 15 years of experience as a Clark County district judge and 14 years as a local prosecutor.

 

Court of Appeals Judge 3

• Bonnie Bulla (I)

• Susan Bush

• None of these candidates

Bulla has served Nevada well since being appointed to the Court of Appeals in 2018.

 

District court

Department 1

• Jacob Villani

• Bita “Marie” Yeager

Voters have their pick of two excellent candidates who bring strong experience to the court from different realms: Villani as a prosecutor, and Yeager as a public defender.

 

Department 2

• Carli Lynn Kierny

• Richard Scotti (I)

Scotti has made the news for the wrong reasons, including an outburst in which he tossed a pocket U.S. Constitution at the wall in 2017 in frustration over a prospective juror. He apologized, and we think he has learned from his mistakes, but we also believe Kierny would be an acceptable pick for voters who believe otherwise.

 

Department 3

• Adam Ganz

• Monica Trujillo

Trujillo’s commitment to public service is impressive. She has been a local public defender for 12 years, after clerking for the Public Defender Office in the District of Columbia during law school.

 

Department 4

• Phil Aurbach

• Nadia Krall

Aurbach is our pick due to his breadth of experience: 42 years as a civil attorney in Las Vegas.

 

Department 5

• Veronica Barisich

• Terry Coffing

Coffing has an edge in experience, including service as a judge pro tem and sitting on the state bar association’s board of governors.

 

Department 6

• Jacqueline Bluth (I)

• Todd M. Leventhal

Bluth is among several talented appointees by Gov. Steve Sisolak who have earned a full term.

 

• Department 8

• Trevor Atkin (I)

• Jessica K. Peterson

Atkin is also a Sisolak appointee, coming to the bench last year after a standout career as a practicing attorney.

 

Department 17

• Anna Albertson

• Michael Villani (I)

With 13 years of strong experience on the district court bench, Villani is the clear choice.

 

Department 18

• Mary Kay Holthus (I)

• John A. Hunt

Another very strong Sisolak appointee, Holthus came to the bench in January 2019 after 19 years with the Clark County District Attorney’s Office, including 16 with the Special Victims Unit.

 

Department 19

• Crystal Eller

• William “Bill” Kephart (I)

Kephart is a fixture in the local legal community, with three decades of experience as a prosecutor, a justice of the peace and, since 2010, as a district judge.

 

Department 20

• Dawn Allysa Hooker

• Eric Johnson (I)

Johnson is our choice due to his five years’ experience as a district judge and prior experience as a federal prosecutor battling organized crime and racketeering.

 

Department 21

• Tara Clark Newberry

• Jacob Reynolds

Reynolds boasts a slight edge in experience, but we think voters would be well-served by either candidate.

 

Department 22

• Susan Holland Johnson (I)

• Ben Nadig

Thirteen strong years of experience make Johnson our choice.

 

Department 23

• Karl W. Armstrong

• Jasmin Lilly-Spells

Lilly-Spells won the primary, no surprise given her strong experience as a public defender and with Court Appointed Special Advocates.

 

Department 24

• Erika D. Ballou

• Dan Gilliam

Ballou will bring a set of personal and professional experiences to the court that we believe is needed at this time.

 

Department 29

• David M. Jones (I)

• David López-Negrete

Jones is a Las Vegas native with four solid years’ experience as a district judge. He has earned another term.

 

Department 31

• Gary W. Call

• Joanna S. Kishner (I)

Kishner, another Southern Nevada native, has been on the court for 10 years and is a good community ambassador for the court, volunteering at schools and on local boards.

 

Department 32

• Rob Bare (I)

• Christy Craig

Bare has been a local judge for 13 years, starting in Las Vegas Municipal Court before his election to district court in 2010.

 

Family court

Department E

• Charles J. “Chuck” Hoskin (I)

• Thomas G. Kurtz

Hoskin has been an outstanding leader on the court, including six years as presiding judge.

 

Department G

• Benjamin Boone Childs Sr.

• Rhonda K. Forsberg (I)

Gov. Steve Sisolak made a great choice in appointing Forsberg to the court last year. She deserves a full term.

 

Department I

• Soonhee “Sunny” Bailey

• Michelle O. Tobler

Both candidates bring strong experience.

 

Department J

• Dedree “Dee” Butler

• Scott MacDonald

Butler brings 10 years of experience as a public defender, including working in family court as team chief of the Domestic Violence Unit and defending children in the juvenile delinquency department.

 

Department M

• Lynn Hughes

• Amy M. Mastin

Mastin brings strong experience as a family law attorney and hearing master in domestic violence court.

 

Department P

• Sara Dayani

• Mary Perry

Tough choice, but we believe Perry has the edge in experience with her 19 years of practice, service as a truancy diversion judge and more.

 

Department T

• Nadin Cutter

• Jason Stoffel

Voters can’t go wrong here: Stoffel brings 16 years of legal practice and service as a pro tem judge in family court, while Cutter has 11 years of legal experience.

 

Department U

• Bill Gonzalez

• Dawn Throne

Two great candidates: Gonzalez is a former family court judge seeking to rejoin the bench, while Throne has 23 years of practice in family law.

 

Department W

• Adriana Rincon White

• Stacy Michelle Rocheleau

Rocheleau gets our endorsement due to her edge in family law experience—20 years, versus 12 for White. These are both exceptional candidates, however.

 

Department X

• Heidi Almase

• Jim Davis

Davis, who boasts 15 years of practice in family law and 20 years of service in the Air Force, is a strong addition to the court.

 

Department Z

• Michele “Shell” Mercer

• Romeo Perez

Perez, with 22 years of family law practice in a firm he started himself in college, is our choice in this race between two capable candidates.

 

Justice of the peace

 

Las Vegas 12

• Shanon Clowers-Sanborn

• Diana L. Sullivan (I)

 

North Las Vegas 3

• Belinda T. “BTH” Harris

• Chris Lee (I)

 

Ballot Questions

QUESTION 1

Removing the Nevada Board of Regents from the state constitution, allowing legislators and the governor to restructure the problematic board — Yes

Question 2

Removing same-sex marriage ban from the constitution — Yes

Question 3

Inserting the Board of Pardon Commissioners into the constitution, requiring it to meet more often and establishing procedural and rules changes — Yes

Question 4

Enshrining a Voters’ Bill of Rights into the constitution — Yes

Question 6

Establishing a constitutional requirement for electric utilities to generate or acquire at least 50% of power from renewable sources by 2030 — We’re neutral

Note: There is no Question 5 this year. Supporters of a proposed Question 5 did not submit enough signatures to get it on the ballot.

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