(Jill Douglass) – I was born on Eglin Air Force Base, one of the largest military bases in the world. And a vivid childhood memory is of my mother crying when my father told her he was being deployed to Vietnam.
As a military wife and mother, my heart aches every time we lose a service member. My sons have served in Korea, Afghanistan, Qatar, Italy, and Africa. The fear of that dreaded knock on the door is always present.
My dad came home, but not everyone was as fortunate.
The Purcell family, who were members of our church, lost their only son, Charles, in the war. He was just 19. His poem, “Depressed,” was entered into the House Congressional Record two weeks before he died.
Seeing this engraved on his headstone, when visiting my grandparents’ grave, reminds me that freedom isn’t free. And we ALL have an obligation to defend it.
Growing up, discussions around politics, religion, and taxes were common in my family. So it’s no surprise I’ve been passionate about politics since I turned 18 and cast my first vote.
As someone who believes in minimal government and maximum freedom, I’ve watched with growing concern as issues like a weakened military, open borders, disrespect for law and order, government overreach, failing schools, and rising crime have affected our country.
You’ve probably heard the saying, “All politics is local.” It means that political decisions often come down to the needs and concerns of the people right where we live.
You’ve likely also heard people say they avoid getting involved in politics. However, whether we like it or not, we are involved. Politics affects every aspect of our lives.
From our daily routines to our jobs and even our personal choices, all are shaped by decisions made at the local, state, and national levels. And the way we vote has real consequences – as we were forcefully reminded after COVID hit.
On March 17, 2020, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak’s executive order shut down Nevada, labeling some of us “essential” and others “non-essential.”
Schools, churches, businesses, and casinos closed. People were out of work and the image of a dark, empty Strip is still etched in my mind. The governor even took over healthcare, restricting doctors from prescribing certain treatments for COVID.
My state senator, Nicole Cannizzaro, went along with all of it without question, harming Nevadans in the process.
I had had enough. Sitting on the sidelines was no longer an option.
Most people think of grits as a food. However, GRITS also stands for “Girls Raised in the South.”
That’s me. A small-town girl from the Florida Panhandle whose high school is in a town called Niceville.
But being raised in the South made me resilient, with a strong sense of tradition and perseverance. I have a tenacious drive to overcome challenges and achieve goals. My determination has been shaped by the values of hard work, community and a distinct Southern grit!
After a 30-year career where I worked my way up to become the first female Agency Vice President in my company’s history, I retired. I was free—free to fight for the Nevada and America I love. So volunteering with local groups and becoming more active politically became a focus.
Together with friends we formed a women’s club and dove into community activism—working on campaigns, canvassing neighborhoods, organizing fundraisers, and educating others about critical issues. We were determined to make a difference.
Nevada’s 2023 legislative session was a turning point for me.
Gov. Lombardo came in with great ideas to help all Nevadans, but he faced resistance from people like Democrat Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro. She blocked many good bills from even getting a hearing.
On April 26, 2023, a hearing on AB400 – an education reform bill – was held. Sixty children showed up to participate in state government, eager to share how opportunity scholarships had given them better school options. But they were ignored.
These kids, who were the most affected by the bill, were not even given the chance to testify. It was then I realized how out of touch some elected legislators such as Sen. Cannizzaro are. For example…
- Our schools are failing, especially for lower-income families. There are 200 failing schools in Clark County alone. Yet Sen. Cannizzaro opposed Gov. Lombardo’s efforts to give parents more choices.
- Most Nevadans want to crack down on crime, but Nicole opposed efforts to roll back laws that have contributed to its rise. She voted for AB236, releasing thousands of criminals from jail and increasing the drug trafficking limit 25x.
- She also opposed a proposal to ease the burden of inflation on our seniors by offering a gas tax holiday. And she supported banning gas-powered homes and businesses, which would mean even HIGHER costs for Nevada families.
- Like you, I believe in making it easier to vote but harder to cheat. Voter ID is supported by over 70% of Nevadans, yet Nicole said no.
The 2023 legislative session showed me that the voices of Nevadans are not being heard. But we can change that. We can vote out those who don’t have our best interests at heart.
Do you have a favorite saying? One of mine is “Great things never come from comfort zones.”
It took a giant leap for faith, but I stepped out and stepped up to run against Nicole Cannizzaro because at this moment in time the stakes are simply too high. We have an opportunity to make a real difference for all Nevadans by firing the Senate Majority Leader and restoring the people’s voice in our state government.
And our grassroots campaign has a legitimate path to victory.
Over the past eight years Nicole has struggled to engage with voters, and 85% still don’t know who she is. Four years ago she won by a mere 631 votes. Today, voter registration trends are moving in our favor as the Democrat advantage shrinks.
Nevada has been my home for 30 years. Three of my sons live here, and two of my grandchildren. My in-laws are buried in the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City. I know this won’t be easy, but nothing I’ve ever accomplished has been.
I believe Nevada is more a “purple” state and Nevadans want balanced government. The worst thing for our state would be for one party to have a supermajority in both the Assembly and Senate. Please help me prevent that by defeating Nicole Cannizzaro.
“Home means Nevada” for me and you. Together, we can cancel the Democrats’ “culture of corruption” in Carson City and make Nevada stronger and more prosperous for all. There’s no one who will work harder or invest more sweat equity than I will.
Thank you for taking the time to read this column. I wanted you to know more about me and why this race is so critical to all of Nevada. I hope you’ll join me in this journey. Let’s make history together.
Ms. Douglass is the Republican nominee for Nevada State Senate District 6. For more information, please visit www.jilldouglass.com. Her personal cell phone is (702) 497-3352 and her personal email: jd4ins@gmail.com.
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