2014 election in full swing as races set

All countywide elected officials are running for office this year and two county commissioners, with a big field of candidates running for Nye County assessor and District 5 county commissioner.

The filing period ended at 5 p.m. last Friday, except for the judicial candidates, who filed in January.

At the top of the ticket in a non-presidential year, first term U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., has eight opponents in his bid for re-election. He faces fellow Democrats Sid Zeller and Mark Budetich Jr. in the June 10 primary; Assemblyman Crescent Hardy, R-Mesquite, Niger Innis and Carlo Poliak compete in the Republican primary; Independent American Party candidate Russell Best and Libertarian Steve Brown advance to the Nov. 2 general election.

Gov. Brian Sandoval, a Republican, faces perennial candidate Eddie “In Liberty” Hamilton, Gary Marinch, William “Bill” Tarbell and Thomas J. Tigbe in the Republican primary. Nine Democrats filed to run: Charles Chang, Frederick Conquest, Stephen Frye, Bob Goodman, Chris Hyepock, Fernando Lopes, Allen Reinhart, John Rutledge and Abdul Shabazz. Independent American Party candidate David Van der Beek, from Pahrump and Green Party member David Gibson round out the ballot.

State Sen. Mark Hutchison, R-Las Vegas, is running against former state senator Sue Lowden and Chris Dyer in the Republican primary for lieutenant governor. Pahrump Town Board member Harley Kulkin and Assemblyman Lucy Flores, D-Las Vegas, will face off in the Democratic primary. Mike Little is running as an Independent American Party candidate.

Some state elected officials are playing musical chairs due to term limits.

State Sen. Barbara Cegavske, R-Las Vegas, Democratic State Treasurer Kate Marshall and Green Party candidate Timothy Reinhardt are running for secretary of state. State Controller Kim Wallin, a Democrat, will face Republican Dan Schwartz and IAP candidate Kress Cave in the state treasurer race. Republicans Barry Herr, former Assemblyman Ron Knecht and Cort Arlint are seeking the state controller job, as well as Democrats Andrew Martin and Michael Schaefer, Tom Jones is the IAP candidate. Secretary of State Ross Miller, a Democrat, is running for attorney general against Republican Paul Laxalt and IAP candidate Jonathan Hansen.

First-term District 36 Assemblyman James Oscarson, R-Pahrump, is unopposed in his bid for another two years.

Fifth Judicial District 1 Judge Kimberly Wanker is unopposed, she is seeking her first, full, six-year term. But District 2 Judge Robert Lane faces opposition from local attorney Lillian Donohue in November. First-term Pahrump Justice of the Peace Kent Jasperson faces opposition from Anita Springs, Nathan Gent will still be on the ballot in that JP race but he announced after the filing period he is withdrawing from the race after being hired as a public defender.

Five candidates are running for county assessor, all Republicans. First-term incumbent Shirley Matson faces personal property appraiser/collections clerk Sheree Stringer, retired Virginia assessor Richard Marshall, restaurant owner Leo Blundo and Albert “Nick” Bradshaw IV, a Tonopah resident. The top two candidates will advance to the November general election, unless one candidate wins more than 50 percent in the Republican primary.

Six candidates are running for the county commission District 5 seat. Incumbent first-term commissioner Dan Schinhofen has opposition from Pahrump Town Board member Bill Dolan, Walt Grudzinski and Dave Caudle in the Republican primary. The winner will face former County Manager Rick Osborne, the sole Independent American Party candidate in the county races and Bob Howard, a Democrat, in November.

It is an all Republican field running for District 4 county commissioner, two-term incumbent Butch Borasky faces Julie Hargis, Gary Bergman and former Nye County Facilities Manager Bob Jones in his bid for a final third term due to term limits. This race also could be over in June if one candidate wins more than 50 percent in the primary.

First-term incumbent District Attorney Brian Kunzi, a Democrat, will run in a rare Democratic primary against former Clark County Family Court Judge Nicholas Anthony Del Vecchio, the winner faces Republican Angela Bello, a Las Vegas attorney.

Former Chief Deputy Clerk Sheila Winn, a Democrat, is running against her former boss, County Clerk Sam Merlino, a Republican, in November.

Two Republicans will square off in the general election for public administrator: deputy public administrator Robin Dorand-Rudolf and Bob Pilkington. Butch Dole filed but later withdrew.

Nye County Recorder Deborah Beatty and Nye County Treasurer Richard Billman are both unopposed.

A crowded field of 10 candidates are seeking to succeed three-term sheriff Tony DeMeo in a non-partisan race, five are current or former sheriff’s department employees: Assistant Sheriff Rick Marshall, former Capt. Bill Becht, canine deputy Gregory Curtin, detective Eric Murphy and deputy Tom O’Donnell. District Attorney investigator Sharon Wehrly, former customs officer Carlo Verdi, former California corrections officer Galen Morgan, investigator Mark Zane and perennial candidate Ray “The Flagman” Mielzynski round out the field.

Incumbent Edna Jean Forsgren has opposition from Tammy Otero in the Nye County School Board Area 1 trustee race. Andy Alberti Jr. filed to run against incumbent Pamela Lewis Hiller for area 5. Mike Floyd is unopposed in running for re-election to area 3, while Area 7 trustee Tim Sutton is running unopposed.

There will be no Pahrump Town Board election as that board will likely revert to advisory status Dec. 31, after which commissioners will appoint members. Two candidates are running unopposed for Amargosa Valley Town Board: Joe Cohan and Robert Little. Jay Dixon and Elizabeth Keefner are running for Round Mountain Town Board. Duane Downing and Douglas Farinholt are seeking election to the Tonopah Town Board.

Amina Anderson, Ryan Gallagher, Robin Revert and Gary L. Reed are running for the Beatty General Improvement District. Anderson is also running for the Beatty Water and Sanitation district board along with Boyd Madsen, Brian Mallory and Jeannie Sullivan-Ybarra.