By Selwyn Harris

Pahrump Town Board Member Harley Kulkin announced his intentions yesterday to run for the Nevada Senate District 19 seat.

Kulkin filed to run for the office one day prior to the deadline for candidates wishing to throw their respective hats into the electoral ring.

Kulkin said his decision was based on the fact that he feels that Pahrump can be better represented by a local official.

“At a county level, Pahrump is the biggest town but we basically have the north deciding what Pahrump gets and doesn’t get. We won’t get into that but that’s the way it works. We had Senator McGinness up in Fallon representing us and when was the last time he was down here. It sure would be refreshing for us to have someone local representing us at a state level. We certainly need the help,” he said.

Kulkin said he believes most people who run and get elected into office have the best intentions but they make decisions about issues they know very little about, much to the detriment of their constituents.

“I think I can bring something new to it. It’s not that we don’t need all of the different types of experience, but when it comes to just the working guy and what he needs to raise his family, I think the government is way out of touch,” he said.

Kulkin, a registered Democrat, also noted his decision will not affect his duties as a town board member, a position he has held since 2010.

“I don’t see any changes at the moment, but I think it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to try to promote that. Just like when I used to have a community show on television, I never promoted my business. People would ask me why and I told them I’m not here for that, I’m here for the community. This is kind of like the same thing,” he said.

Unlike Mike Darby, a town board member who resigned his position as chairman to run for the Nevada District 36 Assembly seat, Kulkin said he will not leave the town board until the election cycle has run its course.

“If I’m lucky enough to get elected, then that takes another course, but I won’t be resigning,” he said.

Darby, meanwhile, has since changed his mind and decided not to run for the assembly.

Kulkin has not yet set a date for his official campaign kick-off.

He noted he still has much work to do behind the scenes.

“I have to put some things in order and get some handouts printed. I imagine in a month or so I’ll probably officially kick it off. I feel very strongly that in the days gone by, that the Democratic Party was the party of the working people championing their causes, but I think they lost their way and it’s about time someone got them back on track and I’m the guy,” he said.

In 2004, Kulkin unsuccessfully ran for Nye County’s District 1 Commission seat.

He lost to Midge Carver by 922 votes.

He lost again in 2006 by nearly 500 votes to Laurayne Murray for the District 36 Assembly seat.

Kulkin said he will not face an incumbent in his current bid as Senator Mike McGinness will be termed out in January.

He also made mention that Fallon, McGinness’ home, is no longer part of the new district.

Last October, District Judge James T. Russell approved maps which created new election districts for the Silver State’s four congressional, 21 state Senate and 42 Assembly districts.

“For election purposes, the new district is in effect now but as of Nov. 7, that will be the official new district, so there’s not an incumbent. I do believe a guy from Eureka, a Republican, has filed to run and someone from Elko, who is an Independent has also filed to run,” he said.

Kulkin’s reference to the former, is Nevada District 35 Assemblyman Pete Goicoechea from Eureka.

Goicoechea served 16 years on the Eureka County Commission before being elected to the Nevada Assembly in 2002.

Meanwhile, Darby relayed that his decision not to run for the Assembly was prompted by family issues.

“We have some family health issues and what I have always stressed was family comes first. I’m just going to finish out my term and then devote my time to helping my wife take care of her dad,” he said.

Darby was elected to the town board in November 2008.

He had no comment on Kulkin’s decision to run for the Nevada District 19 Senate seat.

PVT Senior Staff Writer Mark Waite contributed to this story.