Las Vegas voter panel wants negative campaigning to stop

Two weeks after Nevada’s primary election, members of a panel of newspaper readers say they’re fed up with the mudslinging, negative ads and flow of campaign cash meant to sway their votes.

But with the volatile political climate in Washington and the news of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy’s pending retirement, group members reflected on the significance of having their voices heard. The Review-Journal’s reader panel met for a second time Wednesday to discuss the June 12 primary and how national headlines have impacted their view of local elections.

Democrat Jim Sida said Kennedy’s retirement announcement has energized him to get more involved in politics.

“I’ll be more active than I’ve ever been,” said Sida, 68, a retired law enforcement officer. “It gives new meaning to the often-used phrase that elections have consequences.”

But Republican Howard Galin said he’s “pleased with what’s going on” nationally — including a pair of Supreme Court rulings upholding President Donald Trump’s travel ban and the decision that nonunion workers cannot be forced to pay public sector union fees.

“If labor unions would stay out of politics and concentrate on taking care of their members, this would never come up,” said Galin, 71.

The 11 attendees from varying political backgrounds, ages and occupations agreed on one thing: The divisiveness in Nevada politics is trickling down from Washington — and it’s got to stop. Nonpartisan Sherry Hobbs, 70, a retired health care executive, said she’d much rather hear from the candidates about what they’ll accomplish if they win.

“I get so tired of all the negativity, and it turns me off,” Hobbs said. “I want to hear what positive things the candidate can do, not what they think about their opponents or how badly they trash them.”

Candidates who run too many campaign ads generate suspicion from voters, said 68-year-old retired newspaper reporter Louis Filardo.

“How much campaign money do you have and who is it coming from?” Filardo said.

Democrat Levi Rothman, 40, said part of the problem is the Citizens United Supreme Court ruling that removed restrictions on political spending by corporations and unions.

“The money came from the fact that the Supreme Court of the United States, which was nominated by Republican presidents, allowed dark pools of money,” said Rothman, who owns a subcontracting company. “Citizens United destroyed any sense of free and democratic elections we have in this country.”

Despite unprecedented spending in the Democratic primary for Nevada governor, voter turnout was only 19.9 percent. More than half the members of the Review-Journal’s panel voted during the early-voting period. Voters in Clark County could go to any vote center this year for the first time in a statewide election.

“It’s amazing flexibility, and I’m shocked the numbers weren’t higher,” said Republican Will Bradley, 49, a commercial airline pilot who worked the polls in Clark County. “I think we’re one of the few states in the nation that now allows you to vote in any precinct you want.”

On Wednesday, the panelists also heard from Review-Journal education reporter Meghin Delaney, who answered questions about teacher salaries, school district budgets and testing requirements.

In response to several questions, Delaney said 88 percent of school budgets go to salaries and benefits. She also discussed the controversy over basing teacher pay on performance, including student test scores.

“Teachers don’t agree that that is the correct metric to use,” Delaney said.

The panel said there were few surprises in the primary election, though Filardo said he expected District Attorney Steve Wolfson to fare better against newcomer Robert Langford.

The reader panel will meet three more times before the general election in November.

Contact Ramona Giwargis at rgiwargis@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4538. Follow @RamonaGiwargis on Twitter.