Even after district was redrawn to be competitive, Senate Dems give it the cold shoulder

(Photo: April Corbin Girnus/Nevada Current)

Policy, politics and progressive commentary

The Nevada Democratic Senate Caucus, which has a credible chance of winning a veto-proof majority this year, has yet to endorse a candidate in Senate District 18, while Republicans in the primary race have a sizable lead on fundraising, endorsements and party support from Gov. Joe Lombardo. 

The district, which was left vacant after the term-limited Republican State Sen. Scott Hammond resigned in October, was previously considered a solidly red district in past elections. 

Democrats redrew the district in 2021 and made it more competitive. 

SD 18 currently has 30,866 active registered Democrats, 33,663 active registered Republicans and 32,729 active registered nonpartisans.

Former Clark County Fire Department Chief John Steinbeck, who is endorsed by Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, Assemblyman Richard McArthur, and businessman Josh Leavitt, who is endorsed by Hammond, are running in the Republican primary. 

Steinbeck has raised $69,542, according to campaign finance reports. Leavitt has raised $17,875, and McArthur has raised $21,000.

On the Democratic side, Ronald Bilodeau, who finished a distant second in the SD 18 Democratic primary in 2020, and first-time candidates Iman Joseph and Donald Connors have reported no campaign contributions.

The Nevada Senate Democratic Caucus has not endorsed any of the three Democratic candidates ahead of the June 11 primary.

“SD 18 is on our list of emerging districts and one we’ll continue to monitor as we enter the General Election,” Greg Lademann, the executive director for the Nevada Senate Democratic Caucus, said via email.

Nevada Current also asked the caucus how it planned to be competitive in SD 18, in a campaign cycle with a veto-proof majority on the line, if Democratic candidates aren’t raising money?

The caucus declined to answer. 

Meanwhile, Connors and Bilodeau said they have yet to make any connections with the caucus. Joseph was unavailable for comment.

Further underscoring a seeming indifference to the district from Democratic officials and stalwarts, groups typically aligned with Democrats are making endorsements – not in the Democratic primary, but in the Republican one.

Leavitt has received a primary endorsement from the Nevada Conservation League while Steinbeck received one from the AFL-CIO. 

Both Leavitt and Steinbeck were the only Republican Senate candidates to receive endorsements from either group. 

The last time the district was contested – prior to redistricting – when Republicans held a far greater voter registration advantage in SD 18, the Nevada Democratic Senate Caucus endorsed Liz Becker months ahead of the primary. 

Less than 11,000 people voted in that primary in which Becker crushed Bilodeau, receiving nearly 90% of the vote.

Hammond won the seat in the general election with 56% of the vote.

With the Republican voter registration edge narrowed after redistricting, Republican primary candidates acknowledge the seat is more competitive than in prior campaign cycles.

“Both sides have a big stake in SD 18 going one way or another,” Leavitt said.

Steinbeck said the district won’t be an easy win. 

“Republicans do outnumber the Democrats in that area but independents are even with Republicans almost,” he said referring to nonpartisan voters. The Republican nominee will have to  “appeal across the aisle and certainly to the independents to win this seat,” Steinbeck predicted.

McArthur didn’t respond to requests for comment. 

On the Democratic side, Connors also views the seat as “very competitive.” While Democratic voter registration still lags both Republicans and nonpartisans, “the numbers aren’t that bad,” he said. 

“I am stunned Democrats haven’t done more to select a candidate,” he said. “This is one of the seats that if they actually do win it, and I think it’s very winnable all things being equal, this would make them a veto-proof legislature.”

Democrats already hold a veto-proof majority in the Nevada Assembly, and hope to retain it after the November election. Combined with a veto-proof Senate, Democratic lawmakers could enact a legislative agenda and/or stymie that of Gov. Joe Lombardo.

But both Connors and Bilodeau said they’d prefer Democrats use the process of compromise and finding bipartisan solutions rather than just relying on veto overrides. 

Bilodeau said since the Republicans have already garnered a lot of support “it is going to be an uphill battle” to be competitive in the race going into the general election.

“I hope after the primary (the Nevada Senate Democratic Caucus) will jump in and say, ‘hey, we want to challenge the Republicans,” he said. “That’s yet to be seen. I’m waiting to see what happens.”

‘Cherry picking who they want’

Leavitt criticized Lombardo’s endorsement of Steinbeck and is arguing that he is a better choice to ensure the district remains a Republican seat. 

“I think it’s pretty well known that the Lombardo machine is cherry picking who they want as loyalists to be up there,” he said. “I look at that and I think that is the wrong approach. Legislators need to work for the people and not the governor.”

Leavitt added that there has been “pressure that has been put on me to drop out from a variety of people aligned with the governor.” Leavitt declined to name names.

Steinbeck pushed back, saying if elected he’s not going to be a Lombardo “yes man.”

“The governor asked me to come up there because he knows how effective I am,” he said. “He understands I’m effective at making policy and also at getting a group of people to work in a cohesive manner and find compromise. He didn’t ask me so that he could run to control me. He asked me to run so I could be an asset.”

Leavitt said a 2011 investigation of Clark County firefighters abusing sick leave and overtime pay could make Steinbeck, the former fire chief, vulnerable to Republican attacks. 

“I think Lombardo’s team made an error and miscalculated when choosing who was their loyalist,” Leavitt said. “They completely forgot that 2011 firefighter scandal.”

Leavitt pointed to information on Transparent Nevada that shows Steinbeck’s base pay in 2009 was $71,346 and overtime pay was $80,515.

“This is something that could be brought to attention and put Republicans at risk,” he added.

Steinbeck dismissed Leavitt’s claim, saying he wasn’t the chief of the department at that time, and that while others were disciplined, he wasn’t one of them. 

“I have no discipline for overtime within my entire career or improper use of sick leave for my entire career,” he said. “He’s grasping for straws on that.”

And if Democrats do win a veto-proof majority?

Steinbeck said one of his “biggest concerns about a veto-proof majority is to see some of the policies come through that the governor has already had to veto.” 

That included Assembly Bill 298, which capped rents at 10% for one year for seniors older than  62 and Nevadans relying on disability insurance benefits

He also worried Democrats would enact criminal justice reforms. 

“When we take a look at L.A, Portland, Seattle and the law enforcement posture they’ve taken in those cities and the incredible detrimental effects that’s had, my fear is that kind of policy could be pushed here,” Steinbeck said.

Leavitt said he understands wanting to protect the power of the governor’s veto. However, he said wants to focus more on finding compromise on legislation, saying “Democrats and Republicans want to solve the same problems, just with different approaches.”

“The mantra is protect the veto,” he said. “The veto is a good tool to have but if it’s used, it’s a failure of the legislation. You didn’t compromise. You didn’t work together.”

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