I live in one of the most beautiful and diverse areas in the United States; Northern Nevada. When I moved here in 1986, it was pretty redneck. This was somewhat difficult for me having grown up in 1950’s and 60’s Los Angeles, California. I always enjoyed discussions at the bar after work, or at house parties when politics were discussed with passion, but not with anger.
In the 32 years I have lived here, I have witnessed enormous changes. In 2010 I was part of the management team for the decennial census in Washoe County. I learned of great change which had occurred in a relatively short period of time.
Northern Nevada was becoming more diverse. An influx of residents from California, Washington, and Oregon produced a less right wing population.
In 2016 my state turned blue. Although Northern Nevada remained split between the right and the left, southern Nevada, which is the most populated part of our state, gave their electoral votes to Hillary Clinton, and elected the first Hispanic woman senator in history; a Democrat. In addition our state, which has numerous gun shows, approved background checks for ALL gun purchases. We also approved the use of recreational marijuana. I am proud; common sense prevailed.
Dean Heller is the senior Senator from the “Battle Born State.” He has proven himself to be a Trump lackey and has failed to represent the people of one of the poorest states in the Union. He has bowed to every destructive proposal by his fuhrer. Heller is one of only eight Republican senators who is up for reelection in November.
Jacky Rosen is the presumptive Democratic candidate. An announcement today has given her additional optimism for a victory on November 6th. Danny Tarkanian, the son of former UNLV basketball coach, Jerry Tarkanian, who won the NCAA Championship in 1990 when they destroyed Duke by a score of 103-73, will not participate in the state senatorial primary. Today the younger Tarkanian decided to run for Congress, virtually giving the Republican Primary to Heller. This may be an early Christmas present to Ms. Rosen. Heller’s popularity has virtually disappeared in Nevada.
If any candidate supports Trump’s vile, immoral, and destructive agenda, he or she must be forced to retire. The future of our nation is in the balance.
I may not have been born in Nevada, but this is my state of choice. It’s physical beauty, it’s desire for freedom in every way possible, and its rejection of attempts by the federal government to control our lives gives me enormous pride and undivided loyalty to my state. And please; for the last time; my state is ‘Nevada,’ not ‘Nevaada.’
Republicans declared war on the working class decades in the past. Heller is a general in that war. He has not represented the people of my state for his entire career. His personal ambitions and the future of his party are his only priorities.
Please vote in November and defeat the enemy. Republicans are the party of the rich; they don’t care about you and your family.
Op-ed by James Turnage
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