Our endorsements

Here are the Reno News & Review endorsements for the midterm elections of 2010. Our strategy for endorsements is simple: 1) If the incumbent is doing a good job, like Harry Reid, leave him or her in the position. 2) If the candidate is directly responsible for the mess our city and state are in, vote for the challenger (even when the challenger is a horrible candidate, like in the Reno Ward 4 race). 3) If one of the candidates is more concerned with restricting civil liberties than with solving money problems, go with fiscal concern. 4) There are few races where we endorsed an unopposed candidate, read that as you will. Finally, there’s a handy printable pdf that also shows our columnists’ views on these races at www.newsreview.com/binary/be97/renoendorsements12.pdf .

There are races, such as those for lieutenant governor and Reno municipal judge in department 4, in which we did not endorse. We believe they each provide two good candidates, both of whom will serve the public well.

Federal, State & County Partisan Offices:

U. S. Senator, Harry Reid; Representative in Congress, District 2, Nancy Price; Governor, Rory Reid; Lt. Governor, two good candidates; Secretary of State, Ross Miller; State Controller, Kim Wallin; Attorney General, Catherine Cortez Masto.

State Senators: District 1, Sheila Leslie; District 2, Allison Edwards; District 4, Ben Kieckhefer; District 5, Joyce Woodhouse; District 8, Tammy Peterson.

State Assemblypersons: District 24, David Bobzien; District 27, Teresa Benitez-Thompson; District 30, Debbie Smith; District 31, Richard “Skip” Daly; District 32, Jodi Stephens.

Federal, State & County Nonpartisan Offices

Supreme Court Justice, Seat A, James Hardesty; Regent, University of Nevada, District 11, Jason Geddes; School District Trustees, District C, Barbara Clark.

Washoe County Offices

Washoe County Commissioners, District 2, Betty Hicks; District 3, Kitty Jung; District 5, Garth Elliott; County Assessor, Joshua Wilson; County Clerk, Amy Harvey; District Attorney, Roger Whomes; Public Administrator, Don Cavallo; County Recorder, Paul Cain; County Treasurer, Tammi Davis.

Mayor, Bob Cashell; Councilmember Ward 2, Brandi Anderson; Councilmember Ward 4, Ed Hawkins; Municipal Court Judge, Department 3, two good candidates.

City of Sparks Offices

Mayor, Ron Schmitt; Councilmember Ward 2, Robert Lopes.

Ballot Measures

State question 1, no; State question 2, no; State question 3, no; State question 4, yes; Washoe County Question 1, no; Washoe County Question 2, no, but not because we’re against consolidation in theory; the question is advisory and was written to elicit yes votes; City of Sparks Question SP3, no.