Sheriff Joe McGill hosts second reelection campaign event
A packed room gathered last weekend at the Calvada Meadows Airport in Pahrump to hear incumbent Nye County Sheriff Joe McGill speak at his second reelection campaign event.
“I was thrilled with the turnout,” McGill told the Pahrump Valley Times after the event wrapped up.
The campaign meet-and-greet was held Saturday, Jan. 24. Before the event’s official 11 a.m. start time, most of the chairs were already taken, and as the event moved along, more people filled the room. Altogether, the meet-and-greet saw 72 attendees.
“Welcome, everybody. Next time that we do something like this, I’m going to try to get a smaller room,” McGill joked with the large crowd at the start of his speech.
After the sheriff was introduced by his wife, Tammy, McGill took center stage to speak. During his remarks, McGill talked about his long background in law enforcement, improvements he has made in office such as staffing increases, his appointment last year to the Nevada Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission, and the connection he has been able to build with the community as sheriff.
“I am humbled every time I go to the grocery store, every time I walk into a convenience store and buy a soda. People recognize me. People stop and talk to me … People in this community absolutely are appreciative of the things that we do,” McGill told the crowd.
Throughout the talk, the audience asked questions about topics including dog attacks, drug arrests, deputy training and wild horse-related traffic accidents. McGill explained the difficulty surrounding defending oneself against dog attacks and clarified the departmental difference between animal control and the sheriff’s office.
When addressing questions about the amount of drug arrests, McGill explained that while small-time drug arrests are frequent, his deputies work hard all day to solve and address all crimes. Asked about horse-related car accidents, McGill said he would like to see the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) add fencing in certain areas so the wild horses and burros would not get hit.
“They were listening, they were focusing, there were no side conversations going on. I think that the questions that were asked were very relevant,” McGill said at the event’s conclusion.
After listening to the sheriff speak, the crowd enjoyed food and drinks while mingling with McGill.
“I think it was very informative,” said attendee Susanna Johnson after McGill’s talk.
McGill was elected as Nye County’s top law enforcement officer in 2022 after defeating incumbent Sheriff Sharon Wehrly. McGill, a Southern Nevada native, worked 26 years with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. After retiring in 2013, he began working as a part-time and reserve deputy with the Nye County Sheriff’s Office.
The incumbent sheriff officially announced his bid for reelection in September of last year at a campaign kickoff event. McGill held his first reelection campaign-meet and-greet in early November 2025.
Diane Sauter, who was running for sheriff this year and also ran in 2022, dropped out of the race earlier this week.
For more information about Sheriff Joe McGill’s reelection campaign, visit Re-Elect Joe McGill on Facebook.
Contact reporter Elijah Dulay at edulay@pvtimes.com
