Nonpartisan office candidates mingle at ‘speed dating’ event
Candidates seeking local nonpartisan offices in this year’s general election gathered at the Pahrump Senior Center earlier this week to meet with the electorate.
“Community is important to them [the candidates] as well as to us voters. So, we appreciate that this is creating cohesion within the community,” Nye County Democratic Party Chair Ann Underdahl told the Pahrump Valley Times.
The event on Tuesday, Aug. 11 was the second public night of candidate ‘speed dating’ this month held by the Nye County Democratic Party. The previous evening on Aug. 4 featured this year’s Nye County Commission races, while this week’s event was dedicated to nonpartisan races.
“I think that they understand that Democrats live in this community along with Republicans and we all want the same things,” Underdahl said. “We want our families to be safe. We want to be able to have jobs that can give us an affordable living.”
Eight tables were set up at the senior center with people gathered at each one. Candidates had 10 minutes to speak with voters. After the timer expired, candidates moved to a new table. This repeated until each candidate met with each group.
“People here seem to enjoy the fact that they could talk face-to-face with the candidates,” Underdahl explained.
Pahrump justice of the peace, Department B
Michael Foley, the current pro tem judge in Department B and Scott Oakley were the top vote getters in June’s nonpartisan primary and both attended Tuesday’s event.
“To me it doesn’t matter what the letter is after your name. Everybody brings something to the table of value,” Foley said. “I have several Democrat friends that I’ve talked to and we’ve been 180 degrees opposed on something. But they tell me the way they think about it and I kind of look at it from a different angle and that’s really important to see it from a different perspective sometimes. I get along with everybody. It doesn’t matter to me whether somebody’s ultra-liberal or ultra-conservative, I can work with them.”
Oakley explained, “What I’ve learned is that we are Pahrump, we the people. The most important thing is that everybody has a name and everybody has a background here in Pahrump and if you don’t know the people in Pahrump, how can you be a civil servant? How can you even think about people in a different light? That’s my profession, to have an understanding about people. Everybody has different dynamics, different demographics and everything. That’s the reason why I do what I do.”
Nye County sheriff
The general election race for sheriff at the candidate speed dating event was present with incumbent Joe McGill and challenger Dan Pineau.
“It doesn’t matter whether they’re Democrat or Republican,” McGill told the Pahrump Valley Times. “They’re citizens of Nye County and so I need to do what I can to embrace them and if our opinions differ, that’s the great thing about America, we can have differing opinions.”
Pineau said, “Regardless of the party you’re with, we all need to work together. If you’re a Democrat or you’re a Republican, it doesn’t matter, but even when I get into office, I want to work well with everybody. It’s just a great opportunity to work well with the Democrats and the Republicans.”
Fifth Judicial District Court judge, Department 1
Incumbent Judge Kimberly “Kim” Wanker is seeking another term. Nathan Gent is challenging Wanker for the Department 1 seat this year. The two judicial candidates spoke with attendees at Tuesday’s event.
“I think it’s important that they know who I am and so giving them the opportunity to tell them one, why I should remain as the district court judge, what we’re working on as part of the courts and what I think makes a good judge,” Wanker explained. “So, those are really my three main areas that I talked about. Why should I remain as your judge? Why do I want to continue as your judge? And what makes a good judge? Those are the three things I think are important to ask any candidate running for this position.”
Gent said, “I truly believe that the courtroom should be a place of honor, dignity and respect, and that everybody deserves to be treated with kindness and respect and for their voices to be heard. I think it’s important that we all focus on the commonalities that we have in common. We are all Americans and we believe in the American dream and we want to allow people to be able to enjoy the beautiful rights that have been provided to us as Americans.”
Fifth Judicial District Court judge, Department 2
Robert Lane, the incumbent Department 2 judge, is running for reelection. Challenger Jason Earnest is seeking to become the new district court judge in Department 2. Both participated in the candidate speed dating event.
“[I attended] so I can meet and get to know people [that] I don’t get to meet and get to know that often,” Lane told the Pahrump Valley Times. “I’ve been doing this 25 years, so I regularly get invited to different groups’ functions, and I like to go, like tonight and meet the people and tell them who I am, get to know them.”
Earnest said, “District court handles not just criminal work, it handles probate, wills and trusts, family law issues, contract disputes, personal injury, a whole array of things. If they’re willing to come out and meet me, I’m willing to talk to them. So, I’m really impressed with the turnout here and I’m very appreciative of them coming today.”
For more information about the Nye County Democratic Party, visit Nye County Nevada Democrats on Facebook.
Contact reporter Elijah Dulay at edulay@pvtimes.com
