Sierra Club Has a Big Day at the Polls!
The results of Tuesday’s statewide Primary Election offered environmentalists lots of reasons to cheer. All three of the Sierra Club’s endorsed candidates at the federal level claimed solid victories, while six of the seven environmental champions supported by the Toiyabe Chapter succeeded in moving on to the November 6th General Election.
Congresswoman Jacky Rosen (D, NV3) became the Democratic Party’s official nominee for U.S. Senate by claiming 77% of the vote in a field of six candidates. She’ll face incumbent Dean Heller (R) in the fall – a race that has nationwide implications in the battle to control the upper chamber of Congress.
In the lower house contests, incumbent Congresswoman Dina Titus (D, NV1) cruised easily toward her goal of a fourth term in District 1 with 79% of the vote versus a single challenger. And in District 3, it was Sierra Club favorite Susie Lee who came out on top, besting her six opponents with 67% of the Democratic vote.
Nevada’s gubernatorial showdown between two well-established Clark County Commissioners resulted in the only Primary loss for a Sierra Club choice. By a margin of 39% to 50%, endorsed candidate Chris Giunchigliani (D, CD-E) fell short in her bid to become the state’s first female governor, losing to Steve Sisolak (D, CD-A) ahead of four other unsuccessful Democrats. The winner will now take on the GOP nominee, environmental foe and current Attorney General Adam Laxalt (R), in what many believe to be Nevada’s main event for November.
Elsewhere at the state level, two endorsed candidates – former Nevada State Treasurer Kate Marshall (D) running for Lieutenant Governor and current State Senator Aaron Ford (D, SD11) for Attorney General – were both winners with 67% and 68% of the vote, respectively. They will have spots on the ballot in the fall with current Assemblyman Nelson Araujo (D, AD03), who was unopposed on Tuesday and has the Chapter’s endorsement to unseat incumbent Secretary of State Barbara Cegasvke (R).
On the local level, Sarah Peters running for Assembly District 24 in Washoe County claimed a solid victory in a field of four Democrats, gaining 47% of the vote. With no opponent to challenge her in November, she will automatically claim a seat in the 2019-20 Legislature.
Then, over in Clark County, the duel for Commission District E was a tight one, but current State Senator Tick Segerblom (D, SD03) prevailed over his rival by a margin of just 181 votes, 50.7% to 49.2%. By contrast, in District F, former State Senator Justin Jones (D) made success look easy, gaining 66% of the vote.
The complete slate of Toiyabe Chapter endorsements for November’s General Election was announced on June 18, when Executive Director Michael Brune visited Nevada. The slate can also be viewed on the Chapter website by clicking on the Politics 2018 tab.