Nevada Assembly District 2

Veteran Republican Assemblyman John Hambrick faces political newcomer and Democratic challenger Owen Carver in the race to see who will represent District 2.

Hambrick, seeking his fifth term in the Assembly, fended off a tough primary challenge in June to move on to the general election. He was targeted by Republican opponents of the new commerce tax, part of a $1.5 billion tax increase that was the largest in state history and was sought by Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval. Hambrick voted for the levy to help fund education.

Carver, a small-business owner who formerly worked for Zappos, is new to politics. He won a four-way Democratic primary in June.

Carver faces a challenge in District 2, which has an 1,800-active Republican voter-registration advantage.

Hambrick, who served as Assembly speaker in 2015 when Republicans took over after 30 years of Democratic control, said if he wins re-election he will continue his efforts to combat human trafficking.

He co-sponsored Assembly Bill 153, which is known as the safe harbor bill that provided protections for sexually exploited children in Nevada.

Hambrick also was instrumental in getting legislation passed that eliminated the imposition of a life sentence without the possibility of parole for youth under the age of 18 who are convicted of a crime.

“I know I’ve done a good job for my district,” he said. “I am looking at some juvenile justice legislation to change the sentencing guidelines so judges can have more flexibility.”

Hambrick opposes both the gun background check measure, Nevada Question 1, and the recreational marijuana proposal, Question 2.

Carver said he wants to apply the latest digital and other technologies, along with innovative thinking, to the challenges facing business and government.

A good example is a program offered in 94 Las Vegas-area schools called “Green Our Planet,” in which students work on outdoor vegetable gardens and learn a variety of subjects, including STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), health and nutrition in a hands-on environment.

The nonprofit group involved in the program helps raise the money and students are showing improved achievement at little cost, he said.

“I work in the Vegas tech scene and I’ve seen the power of technology to change the world,” Carver said. “We need to get someone in the Legislature who understands that.”

Carver said he has not decided on Question 1. More needs to be done to curb gun violence but “I’m not 100 percent sure Question 1 will move the needle.”

He supports Question 2 primarily because governments are wasting millions of dollars on a correctional-judicial system to incarcerate nonviolent offenders. Carver said it would also eliminate drug cartels and provide revenue to the underfunded public education system.

Contact Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-461-3820. Follow @seanw801 on Twitter.