By Mark Waite
Frank Carbone upset two-term county Commissioner Gary Hollis by 348 votes, a winning margin of 55.7 percent to 44.3 percent, Tuesday night.
Carbone polled 1,698 votes in the Nye County Commission District 2 race; Hollis had 1,350 votes.
“I knew it was going to be close,” Hollis said. “I had a record I ran on; they have a right to make up their mind. The commissioner’s seat does not belong to the commissioner, it belongs to the people. I’m man enough to take my licks and accept whatever the people want.”
Hollis didn’t know how Carbone would fare as a commissioner.
“I don’t know very much about the guy, nice guy though,” he said.
Carbone, a retired aerospace worker, said people wanted different choices.
“It feels great. It’s nice to know that there are so many people out there that are willing to take a chance on someone who is pretty much unknown,” he said.
In the District 3 county commission race, Donna Cox, president of the Concerned Citizens for a Safe Community, edged out Ken Searles, a Nevada electoral delegate, 1,596 votes to 1,488 votes, a margin of 51.75 percent to 48.25 percent.
Fifth District Judge Kimberly Wanker won a ringing endorsement from Nye County voters after her appointment by Gov. Brian Sandoval last year; she had a two-to-one lead over attorney Nancy Lord in the southern Nye County vote count. Wanker tallied 10,204 votes to Lord’s 5,177 votes, which don’t include northern Nye County. She will fill in the last two years in the late Judge John Davis’ unexpired term. An election will be held in 2014 for the full six-year term.
“I’m always flattered. I campaigned hard and I went to everywhere in the jurisdiction. I think I won Mineral County with 68.1 percent of the vote and 71 percent of the vote in Esmeralda County,” Wanker said. “I love what I do. I work hard, at this point I’m just trying to take it all in, it’s hard to believe, I’ve been campaigning since January. I’m very grateful to the voters,” she said.
Former Nye County Chief Civil Deputy District Attorney Ron Kent trounced Louis De Canio, winning 8,266 votes, 61.13 percent, to DeCanio’s 5,256 votes, 38.87 percent in the Pahrump Justice of the Peace race.
DeCanio wasn’t conceding the race while waiting at the county courthouse. It was his third unsuccessful attempt at the Pahrump J.P. seat.
“I got a great response from the town, one-on-one when I talk to people,” DeCanio said.
Kent said it was a hard-fought campaign for over 10 months since the early judicial candidates’ filing period in January.
“When I first started practicing law, I hoped at one time to be able to take the bench. I think most attorneys who are dedicated to the law at one time they want to take the bench. That was the case for me. I’ve been successful in this campaign. I want to thank the voters for allowing me the opportunity,” Kent said.
The ballot question asking to terminate the current Pahrump town board form of government narrowly passed, with 7,294 voters in favor, or 50.8 percent, while 7,063 voters were opposed, or 49.2 percent.
Despite passage of this question, two new town board members were also elected Tuesday night. Amy Riches was the top vote getter with 5,940 votes; Bill Dolan finished second with 5,622 votes. Current board chair Vicky Parker lost her seat. She came in fourth place behind Frank Maurizio. Parker earned 5,011 votes, and Maurizio had 5,410.
Nye County voters overwhelmingly voted against a ballot question to raise the gas tax from four cents per gallon to seven cents, by 12,795 votes to 3,747 votes, a margin of 77.35 percent to 22.65 percent. It was the second time the question went before voters. The vote against was 78 percent to 22 percent in 2010.
Republican James Oscarson, the marketing manager at Desert View Hospital, won Nye County by a margin of 64.49 percent to 35.5 percent over Democrat Anthony Wernicke. Oscarson was ahead 9,765 votes to 5,377 votes.
“I’m very pleased, I’m honestly very humbled. It’s a huge responsibility and I’m looking onward to the challenge and the task of representing people in Assembly District 36,” Oscarson said.
Nevada Assembly Minority Leader Pete Goicoechea, R-Eureka, also handily won election, with 45.6 percent of the Nye County vote, 7,032 votes; Democrat Harley Kulkin won 4,859 votes, or 31.5 percent, while Independent American Party candidate Janine Hansen had 3,518 votes, or 22.8 percent.
Nye County voters went Republican in higher profile races. Former Gov. Mitt Romney polled 10,241 votes, 59.89 percent, to President Barack Obama’s 6.242 votes, 36.5 percent.
U.S. Den. Dean Heller, R-Nev., trounced U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., in the U.S. Senate race in Nye County, by a margin of 55 percent to 30.9 percent after the early and absentee vote. Heller was ahead 9,267 votes to 5,206 votes not counting northern Nye County totals.
Republican Danny Tarkanian took 55.9 percent of the Nye County vote for the new Congressional District 4 seat, Democratic State Senator Steve Horsford of North Las Vegas was well behind with 31.03 percent. Tarkanian had 9,274 votes to Horsford’s 5,148 votes, not counting northern Nye County results which weren’t available by press time.
CAN NOT BELIEVE RON KENT IS NOW PAHRUMP JUSTICE OF PEACE!!! WHAT A MISTAKE THIS IS. THIS GUY IS NOT, NOT RIGHT FOR THIS JOB!! BIG MISTAKE.
LOL The other option was worse.
No, he wasn’t. The other guy didn’t lose his job in the DA’s office for sexual harassment like Ron Kent did. He also isn’t a fall down drunk, like Ron Kent is. Now we got someone on the bench who I say will be recalled, for his actions, since I don’t believe he has reformed his ways.
yes he was the worse choice….
he is a bully and now a 3 time loser…
he and harley should run together someday and they can both lose together…
Further proof that the Almighty delights in endlessly grinding his heel into Nye County. We are surely doomed.
LOL>>>You must be Decanio’s supporter
Jams who would you propose we put in there?
We voted on the choices we had, there is nothing wrong with Kent, and he will do a fine job, and mind you, I voted for the other guy in this race.
I’m glad to see we booted the town board down to advisory only, perhaps that will be a wake up call to all the progressive groups trying to experiment in making us some kind of huge city and fairgrounds and amusement parks. Also glad that we have Amy Riches in there to block any of these progressive ideas that will take away our rights and freedoms here in town.
Sorry, but Pahrump is not a test tube to try out lefty ideas and see how much you can change us. Many of us moved here because we liked less government, we liked freedom and we do not want your idea of utopia.
While I am none to happy about the election on the national scale, Pahrump did very well this time and we will reap the benefits of freedom for a long time to come, no matter what the alarmists say.
The left wing folks have a whole country to “change” and push around, Leave Pahrump alone.
The makeup of the BOCC is changing, hopefully for the better. Only time will tell.
Also, the vote for the Town Board, I believe, was an advisory question. The BOCC will need to take this up and decide if the they want to downgrade the board. This should be interesting.
Young Tark lost again. Hopefully he can find gainful employment to pay off his families’ debts.
Louie, what can I say. Please, stay home.
As for the rest, a mixed bag, but can they do any worse than what has already been done? Again, only time will tell. If not, we have another shot at them in 4 years.
Good luck, Pahrump.
Amy
I hope you work getting an ordinance in place for the preservation of the wells folks have as soon as possible.
The people voted loud and clear. I was happy to see Hollis ousted. He lost me when he fought hard to threaten me and my property to Yucca Mountain nuclear waste storage. Parker deserved being ousted. If the Town Board challenge to the voter approved Question 2, then we will probably have some recall petitions floating around. Eventually democracy does work despite what the board believes in it’s heart.
I’m curious as to what the BCC does with the overlapping local government positions and any facilities that can be moth balled. I’m sure there is taxpayer money to be saved.
It’s a great day to be a citizen of Pahrump.
To striykermt:
It is hard to say Don’t worry. I am already working on it. I know how scary it is.
But i promised you that i would find a way to protect our wells
I will keep my word. I now work for the people.
To SAMSAN thank you for all your support. I won’t let you down.
Amy Riches
I don’t think any of us should be setting up poor Amy Riches for failure. The operation of our wells are strictly governed by state law. A paltry little town ordinance will never trump state water law. Amy, before you waste any time on this you better get up to speed on what you can and (mostly) can’t do in this regard.
To Snidely Whiplash
First of all i am not poor, Secondly a lot of research has already gone into this.
Thirdly I don’t make promises in a campaign that i don’t intend to keep.
Fourth i will not name names right now. Because i don’t want to jeopardize the work that i am doing.
But i have other people working with me on this That are in high positions.
It will not be done overnight BUT IT WILL BE DONE
What is your problem with me ???
I truly am for the people and i WILL KEEP MY WORD.
AMY RICHES
I stand corrected, apologize for trying to protect or defend you, and wait with breathless anticipation as you write ordinances that will overturn state law. Best of luck to you.
TO SNIDELY WHIPLASH:
It is me who owes you an apology, I’m sorry
I assumed that you were attacking me, I am a rebel and i am very passionate.
I don’t want to be like the other town board members,
Who like to pass ordinances with more and more restrictions on our freedoms.
I am for LESS GOVERNMENT and more rights.
This is what i don’t get.
How can a person on a town board be egotistical.???
I feel it is a very humbling experience That the people put so much trust in me.
I want to work with the people, Not lord over them.
I promise you that i will listen to you. I want to vote the will of the majority of the people. To anyone who needs to talk to me my phone# is (775) 727-7340
My cell is (775)513-4880 My e-mail is bill-amy@hotmail.com Again i apologize
Amy Riches
Snidely is right on riperian rights issues. They fill hundereds of law books, and some lawyers specialize in them. Aside from those hurddles We have the UN’s agenda 21 breathing down our throats and one of the first items on their agenda is to control our rural water. But. Amy is a one of a kind advocate for the people and will leave nothing undone to protect our wells. It’s gonna be fun to watch the sparks fly.
Holy wow wow. Is this the latest fear today….that the UN is going to invade Pahrump and steal our wells????????? ROTFLMAO.
To bungicord:
Thank you for your faith and support, I will let you in on one thing.
My team and i are in the process of repealing the use it or lose it water law.
Which means if you have say 50 acres of agricultural water rights.
If you don”t use that water, In order to keep your water rights- You have to open a valve and let the water flow out to whatever degree of water you don’t use.
That is not only a waste of water but it is absolutely insane.
We must protect our wells and water as well as our right to bear arms.
Don’t get me started because you know me i won’t shut up once i am on a roll.
AMY RICHES
I forgot one other thing. Most of .
us me included don’t own our water rights.
What i am doing with my team is protecting our wells.
So that no one can meter them or come in and cap them.
Or force you to hook up to or onto any city or sewer lines.
And i want it to be tied to the property so that in the event you sell your home or lease your home. That well is protected.
AND NOTHING CAN BE DONE TO IT WITHOUT THE PROPERTY OWNERS PERMISSION
THIS IS MY INTENTION
AMY RICHES
Hi Amy,
Congratulations on your win!!! or Should I say our win. Best of Luck to you.
To iccons : THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONGRATULATIONS AND SUPPORT
AMY RICHES