Several Nevada Assembly races feature intriguing matchups

Although a handful of Nevada Assembly races favor Democrats, several factors make for intriguing matchups.

The road to a supermajority for Democrats — a mark the party narrowly missed in the last election cycle — could be paved by the success of a 23-year-old schoolteacher and the defeat of a former click-bait blogger.

The party’s Assembly caucus says it is running aggressive campaigns even though voter registration numbers swing in its favor.

“We don’t want to take any district for granted,” said Paul Selberg, executive director of the Nevada Assembly Democratic Caucus.

Not an automatic win

Democrats hope to retain control of districts 21 and 41, which both have flipped from blue to red to blue in each of the last three elections.

Republicans are allocating resources in District 21 because it could be important for future elections.

Incumbent Ozzie Fumo is looking to hold off Republican Cherlyn Arrington, who unsuccessfully ran for the seat in 2010.

In 2016, Fumo unseated then-incumbent Derek Armstrong to represent the southern valley district.

Voter registration numbers for both parties are closer in District 21 than other districts on this list. Of the roughly 35,200 voters registered in the district, Democrats account for about 13,700. Republicans account for about 11,300, but nonpartisans, who make up nearly 8,000 voters, could give Arrington an opportunity to make up ground.

“She’s definitely out walking and is a grassroots-type candidate,” said Eric Roberts, executive director of the GOP’s Assembly caucus.

Fumo, however, has spent more than 10 times more money than Arrington.

In the southern valley’s District 41, Democratic incumbent Sandra Jauregui, 34, is trying to ward off Republican Paris Wade, a former click-bait blogger who bills himself as a digital entrepreneur.

Wade, 28, said he decided to run after Facebook shut down the page for his blog, Liberty Writers, for violating the social media platform’s policies.

Democrats have about 3,000 more registered voters in District 41, but the more than 9,000 independents will play a factor in who wins.

Roberts said Wade could make up some ground in the race.

“He knows social media and he understands how to get an audience there, and I think that’s where he can make some serious inroads,” he said.

Potential for surprise

Democrats have a voter registration advantage of about 5,500 over Republicans in the three-candidate race to represent the eastern valley’s District 12.

Republican Richard Fletcher, a former Metropolitan Police Department captain, and Independent American Party candidate Mary Martinez — who has only raised $100 — combined haven’t spent nearly as much as Democrat Susan Martinez.

Fletcher brushes off the fundraising disparity, pointing to his work knocking on doors six days a week.

“Money doesn’t always equate to a handshake,” he said.

Roberts called Fletcher one of the party’s hardest-working Assembly candidates and said District 12 has plenty of potential for a GOP upset.

Uphill battles

Democrats have put energy behind a young candidate to represent a portion of the northwest valley. Selena Torres, 23, is a political newcomer who works as a high school English teacher. Torres has the financial backing of unions, casinos and California tech investor Arthur Rock.

“I think Nevada is looking for the next generation of young, energetic and diverse leaders, and she checks all those boxes,” Selberg said.

This will be a tough district for Stephen Sedlmeyer to win, but having a candidate on the ballot gives Republicans a reason to vote in the district.

Roberts said the party has “close to zero percent chance” of winning the seat.

“If anything, I’m giving the people in this district a choice because it can’t be a one-sided race,” Sedlmeyer said.

Political first-timer Republican Tina Peetris is fighting an uphill battle to claim District 8 in a race against Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson, who has outspent her by more than $270,000. Peetris, a retail executive on the Strip, has largely self-funded her campaign.

“That would just be a really difficult one for me to see us winning,” Roberts said.

Frierson is looking to return to Carson City for his fourth term in office to represent part of the southwest valley. He was first elected in 2010, and re-elected in 2012 before losing to Libertarian John Moore in the following election.

“He learned a lot of valuable things from that election cycle,” Selberg said.

Frierson won the seat back in 2016 and was named Assembly Speaker before the 2017 legislative session.

For more information on the candidates, visit reviewjournal.com/voter-guide-2018.

Contact Blake Apgar at bapgar@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5298. Follow @blakeapgar on Twitter.