(Steve Sebelius, Las Vegas Review-Journal) – Nevada’s next election is a long way off on the calendar, but nearing quickly for politicians planning to run for governor.
On the Republican side, Attorney General Adam Laxalt is clearing the field: U.S. Sen. Dean Heller is going to run for re-election, and Lt. Gov. Mark Hutchison won’t seek a promotion. Although Laxalt won his 2014 race by just 4,750 votes, he’s been busy keeping his campaign promise to sue the federal government a lot.
On the Democratic side, the 2018 governor’s race will be one of the first tests of the Harry Reid machine after Reid’s retirement.
Back in 2014, the machine produced a flop: No high-profile candidates decided to run, and None of These Candidates won the primary. Will there be another flop in 2018? Here’s a few candidates the party might embrace.
Clark County Commissioner Steve Sisolak. He’s got a sizable war chest, he’s mid-term (in his final term) on the county board, and he’s earned a reputation as a conservative Democrat. He opposed a sales tax increase for police, before a rising crime rate convinced him more cops were needed. (He eventually voted for a tax to hire officers in connection with the NFL stadium sought by Review-Journal owner Sheldon Adelson.)
