Four Republicans in primary to unseat Sen. Justin Jones in District 9

Four Republicans are vying in the primary for the opportunity to challenge Democratic state Sen. Justin Jones in November in District 9.

Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than 3,600 registered voters in the district, although a large nonpartisan bloc could decide the race in the general election.

Becky Harris is blessed with the endorsement of the Senate Republican Caucus, which makes it easier to raise money. But that didn’t scare off Vick Gill, Ron Q. Quilang or David J. Schoen.

Harris did not respond to repeated requests for an interview. A records check showed she switched from Democrat to Republican in 2004 and moved into the district in September. She ran for Assembly District 21 two years ago and won the primary but lost in the general election.

Gill, making his first bid for office, is a strong opponent of the federal Affordable Care Act.

“I do not believe Obamacare is working for Nevada. We’ve seen about 25,000 people kicked off health insurance and they expected to register 120,000, but only registered about 28,000 and we don’t know how many of those paid. It’s personal to me.”

Gill is a low-tax candidate. He opposes the proposed business margins tax, raising a cap on mining taxes and lifting a cap on property taxes. He believes the taxes passed in 2009, which were supposed to sunset yet haven’t, should be allowed to end.

Quilang, who was born in the Philippines, is running because “our state is moving backward instead of forward and there are not that many politicians representing small business and small business helps the economy create jobs.”

He had a Chapter 7 liquidation bankruptcy in 2003 in Arizona and lost his home to foreclosure in Nevada in 2008. In 2010 he was charged with felony theft, but when he paid restitution it was dropped to a misdemeanor in 2013.

He blamed his troubles on the economic dip and said he has bounced back and created small businesses that employ seven people.

He’s essentially anti-tax and said the most pressing legislative issues is gun control, which he is against. On other social issues he wants to study further the idea of legalizing recreational marijuana. He would vote no on legalizing gay marriage.

To help improve education, Quilang said money needs to be shifted away from administrators and into other needs.

Schoen, the youngest of the four, said he’s running because “I feel like younger voters are not being adequately represented. My larger concern is that I am deeply disgusted over the power grab.”

His website notes that he won’t be a party-line voter if elected and will listen to both sides of issues. He also is anti-tax, “although I would never say I would never vote for a tax increase.”

He believes more funds should be directed away from education administrators and into the classroom. He believes a state lottery for education should be passed. “Nobody has the right answers; everyone is worried about what makes the party happy,” he said.

He campaigns by walking door to door.

Contact Jane Ann Morrison at jmorrison@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0275.