Almost a month after the general election and Nevadans are starting to get a feel for how Steve Sisolak will lead as governor.
He is not backing off his campaign promise to do something to control guns. And he and outgoing Gov. Brian Sandoval seem chummier than many thought, what with the governor opening his budget to Sisolak’s transition team.
And about his transition team: It’s a database of progressive Nevada politicians. Does that mean support for progressive bills that would have died under a Republican governor?
Rory Reid, son of Nevada’s former U.S. Senator Harry Reid, ran for governor as a Democrat in 2010. Warren Hardy is a lobbyist and former Republican Nevada state senator.
They joined State of Nevada to talk about Nevada politics.
Discussion Highlights:
Is Nevada a blue state?
Reid: I think as the state’s grown it has become much more urban and therefore diverse. And in the past, a Democrat has had to win Clark County by a substantial margin to hold his or her own. They’ve had to hold their own in Washoe County to win a statewide race.
It really was a great day for Democrats up and down the ticket. The real reason that happened was because they didn’t just hold their own in Washoe County they won it and they won it by substantial margins.
If Washoe County continues to vote Democratic… then I think that Nevada might be a blue state and Republicans won’t have a path to victory unless they find a way to change that.
Hardy: Unfortunately, I do agree with Rory on that… The dynamic has always been Clark County is a heavy stronghold for Democrats. The rurals are strongholds for Republicans and Washoe County tended to lean Republicans. That flipped this time.
The question for me is whether that is a permanent flip, which it could be given the fact that we have so many folks from California retiring and moving to the Northern Nevada area. In addition, you have Tesla and some of these other technology companies moving in and that is attracting perhaps a more progressive, liberal individual to Washoe County. If that occurs, then Rory is right – Nevada is a blue state.
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