Recall dud, gubernatorial bid finish busy week in Nevada politics

It was a busy week for politics in Nevada. The recall efforts targeting a trio of state senators appeared to be heating up before coming up with a dud. And the crowded Republican primary field in Nevada’s most competitive congressional district got a little bigger when former local TV reporter joined the fray.

The recalls cometh … maybe?

Republicans backing the recall efforts were riding high back in October after submitting the needed signatures to push the recall against Joyce Woodhouse, the state Democratic senator from District 5 in Henderson, into a special election.

But Monday, lawyers involved in a federal case challenging the recalls filed an injunction asking the court to stop the recalls. U.S District Court Judge James Mahan set a hearing date of Nov. 29 for oral arguments in that case.

Meanwhile, the Woodhouse recall committee’s head, Stephen Silberkraus, filed a pair of complaints with the secretary of state’s office in which he questioned recall opponents’ tactics.

Then came the second recall, which ended not with a bang, but a fizzle.

The committee looking to oust Sen. Patricia Farley, I-Las Vegas, turned in less than a third of the needed 7,107 signatures to force a recall election. Farley would be up for re-election in 2018 but has said several times she is not seeking re-election in District 8, located in Summerlin.

That leaves just one more group of recall signatures left to be filed. The third recall targets Sen. Nicole Cannizzaro, D-Las Vegas, who represents District 6 in the northwest Las Vegas Valley.

The deadline for signatures to be turned in for the Cannizzaro recall is Tuesday.

New candidates

Former KLAS-TV, Channel 8, consumer reporter Michelle Mortensen joined the crowded GOP primary for Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District, which Democratic Rep. Jacky Rosen is vacating to run for U.S. Senate. Mortensen, who left the TV station days before her announcement, slammed her former profession in her campaign announcement, saying she was “fed up with the liberal media attacking conservatives and conservative values.”

Derek Uehara, who unsuccessfully ran for Henderson City Council in 2015, announced he will challenge former Las Vegas City Councilman Bob Beers in the Republican primary for state treasurer. Current Treasurer Dan Schwartz, also a Republican, is running for governor.

Kyle Chamberlain, a 29-year-old freelance photographer and videographer, said Thursday he will run as a Democrat in Nevada’s gubernatorial race. Clark County commissioners Steve Sisolak and Chris Giunchigliani are also running in that primary.

Endorsements

Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson endorsed Democratic attorney general candidate Aaron Ford.

Current Attorney general and Republican gubernatorial candidate Adam Laxalt endorsed Republican Wes Duncan in the attorney general’s race. Duncan previously served as Laxalt’s first assistant attorney general. Duncan’s campaign also announced receiving endorsements from 15 of the state’s 17 sheriffs last week. Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo and Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong have not yet weighed in on the race.

Contact Colton Lochhead at clochhead@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638. Follow @ColtonLochhead on Twitter.