Northern Nevadans create Constitution Party

CARSON CITY — A group of 20 Washoe County residents have filed the required paperwork to create the Constitution Party, a party that takes a staunch conservative stance on state spending.

Otilia Krapff, the executive director of the new party, said every state but Nevada already has a Constitution Party and she and the others want governments to downsize, taxes to be lowered, term-limits placed on federal elected officials and “people elected who say what they are going to do and stick with it.”

“We have the highest number of food stamp recipients in history,” she said. “My philosophy is we don’t bring up school kids with the cradle-to-grave philosophy that the government has to take care of you. We should learn how to take care of ourselves.”

While it is easy to file the required papers to create a political party with the secretary of state’s office, the Constitution Party must collect more than 10,000 signatures to place its candidates on the ballot. Krapff said they intend to file candidates in the election next year.

Although the Independent American Party expresses similar thoughts about government spending, Krapff said that party dwells too much on ending abortion, while the real effort now should be toward cutting spending.

While there are no Southern Nevada members yet, Krapff said party members are interested in forming a branch in Las Vegas.

“I helped to elect Brian Sandoval and I am very sorry I did,” she added.

Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900.