Republicans have 2 choices in primary to face Democratic incumbent in Assembly District 29

Republicans in Assembly District 29 will have to decide between Amy Groves and Stephen Silberkraus in the June 10 primary to determine who will represent the Grand Old Party in the November election.

The June winner will face off against Democrat Lesley Cohen, a Henderson lawyer who was appointed in 2012 by the Clark County Commission after April Mastroluca resigned for family reasons.

Assembly District 29, which is in Henderson, mostly encompasses the area northwest of U.S. Highway 95 and the Las Vegas Beltway.

Groves, who runs a home owners association management firm and is a real estate broker, said on her website that the Legislature is burdening businesses by raising employment taxes and thereby torpedoing job creation.

“As a business owner I can see first hand how policies affect business growth,” Groves said in an email.

Groves supports vouchers for private schools so parents can have more choice about their children’s educations, her campaign website stated.

Groves stated on her website that she wants to hold schools accountable.

Also on her website, Groves stated that her business acumen will help her make tough decisions on state budget issues to keep spending under control.

Silberkraus said the state’s dismal national education ranking needs to be bolstered by focusing on improving science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. He also supports magnet and charter programs, as well as school vouchers.

Silberkraus described himself as a multimedia professional and author, has a keen interest in promoting science and technology education.

He worked with NASA to help document the decommissioning of the space shuttle Endeavour. He recently published a book about his experience, titled “The Space Shuttle Endeavour, Images of Modern America.”

Silberkraus said the key to fixing Nevada’s education problems is cleaning up school district’s bureaucracy and spending the money more efficiently.

To support job growth, Silberkraus wants to diversify the economy by branching out to the technology, manufacturing and biomedical fields to create a better future job market. Silberkraus said he would fight against the business margins tax, which he said will stunt and discourage business growth.

Silberkraus said he also hopes to support the convention, tourism and gaming industries.

“Growing the economy and developing new jobs is important,” he said, “but we can’t do that to the detriment what is the economic engine of our state now.”

Since moving to Henderson in 2001, Silberkraus said, he’s been heavily involved as a volunteer with the Police Department and as a Rotarian.

“Through that involvement, I have a very good understanding of our community and that’s what we need in a representative,” he said.

Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Follow @fjmccabe on Twitter.