Nevada primary election voter guide: Veterans, painter, pageant winner among Senate hopefuls

Reno Gazette Journal

Nevada U.S. Senate candidates (clockwise) Sam Brown, Catherine Cortez Masto and Adam Laxalt.

U.S. Senators serve six-year terms, and their main functions include passing laws, confirming judicial nominees, allocating spending and representing the interests of their home states.

Nevada voters will elect one member this year to the Senate in what is shaping up to be one of the country's premier contests, as the seat currently held by Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto is among the key targets for Republicans hoping to regain Senate control.

Dive in: Casting your ballot? Read opinion columns from Northern Nevada's candidates

More: GOP Senate hopefuls Laxalt, Brown trade blows over Trump's election loss in first debate

June's primary election will narrow down the crowded field to one candidate per party. Learn more about those candidates below.

Democratic candidates

Catherine Cortez Masto

After serving two terms as Nevada's attorney general, Cortez Masto, 58, was elected in 2016 to the U.S. Senate, becoming the country's first Latina senator. Although the freshman senator is not expected to face a serious primary challenge in June, Cortez Masto herself has predicted a tough reelection fight in the November general election.

Years lived in Nevada: Basically my whole life

Education: University of Nevada, Reno — Bachelor of Science in Finance (go Pack, go!); Gonzaga University School of Law — Juris Doctor

Previous offices held: Nevada Attorney General, 2007-2015

Social media: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Campaign website: catherinecortezmasto.com

Key endorsements: Planned Parenthood Action Fund; League of Conservation Voters; Sierra Club, Toiyabe Chapter; American Israel Public Affairs Committee; AAPI Victory Fund; Care In Action PAC; EMILY's List; End Citizens United; Human Rights Campaign; International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 720; Latino Victory Fund; National Wildlife Federation; Nevada Association of Public Safety Officers; Nevada Law Enforcement Coalition; Nevada American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations

During your first term, how many pieces of your sponsored legislation were ultimately signed into law, and which had the greatest impact on Nevadans? Please elaborate.

The people of Nevada are my top priority, and I’ve passed dozens of bills that reflect our state’s needs and have been signed by President Biden and President Trump. These measures make a difference in Nevada by promoting clean energy jobs, providing local law enforcement officers with resources for training and equipment, and combating human trafficking.

This past year, I’ve secured funding to fight wildfires and to give our firefighters a much-deserved pay increase. I also worked with Republicans and Democrats to get a new veterans cemetery in Elko after 10 long years of Nevada veterans waiting for its approval.

In light of a recently leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that would reverse Roe v. Wade, would you stand behind any federal restrictions on abortion, and what exceptions, if any, do you support?

Nevada's laws keep the government out of a woman’s decision to have an abortion. I support federal legislation protecting a woman's right to choose just as we have done in our state.

If you are reelected to a Senate that ultimately shifts to Republican control, how will you work with members of the other party to pass legislation?

My job is to deliver for Nevadans, and I have consistently worked with my Republican colleagues to get the job done – regardless of which party is in the majority

As Nevada’s attorney general, I worked closely with our Republican governor to combat human trafficking in our state and keep Nevadans safe, and I’ve taken that same approach in the Senate. Even in a divided Senate, I have worked across the aisle to rescue our state’s economy during the pandemic, to support our law enforcement, and to reduce the cost of solar and create new clean energy jobs.

In a Suffolk University/RGJ poll of 500 likely Nevada voters, about 40% said their standard of living is worse now than it was four years ago. Looking back on your first term, what measures/regulations did you support to help bolster the Silver State's economy? And what more could you do if you are retained by voters?

My focus is creating jobs, lowering costs, and giving Nevadans a break.

I have passed major legislation to invest in solar energy and create clean energy jobs in Nevada, strengthen American manufacturing, and bring jobs home from overseas. There are thousands of jobs coming to our state through our bipartisan infrastructure law, which will fix our roads and bridges, expand broadband, and combat our wildfire crisis.

I will continue leading efforts to hold Big Oil companies accountable for rising gas costs, bring down prescription drug prices, and help build more middle-class housing in Nevada.

Allen Rheinhart

Age: 64

Years lived in Nevada: 25 years, since 1997

Occupation: Painter/sculptor

Previous offices held: None

Previous offices sought: Nevada governor; U.S. Senate

Social media: Facebook

Campaign website: allenrheinhart.com

Key endorsements: None

If elected, what key issues would you prioritize, and how do plan to address those issues?

A prioritized issue would be affordable housing for every American (with the money coming from taxing billionaires who have made an absolute killing during the pandemic) along with solidifying a living wage of $22.20. A living wage is not $15 an hour. A living wage is $22.20 with a cost-of-living adjustment. No human being in the richest nation in the history of humanity should have to work more than one job to survive. They should not be a working 80-hour weeks to just survive.

I will prioritize traction on reparations (H.R.40 Reparations Bill) for both Native Americans and African Americans. The bill currently addressing only the issue of African Americans, I plan to add Native Americans to the bill. It has languished in the House for over 23 years now (with zero sponsorship in the Senate that I'm aware of). I have zero trepidation of hammering home issues that affect Native Americans and African Americans. Unlike others whose names will go unmentioned, Allen Rheinhart isn't afraid to prioritize issues regarding people of color — in particular Black people.

In a Suffolk University/RGJ poll of 500 likely Nevada voters, more than half polled in Clark County and nearly two-thirds of those in Washoe County said climate change impacts them daily. What will you do in office to help curb climate change?

When we speak of climate change, one has to just love Greta Thunberg and her diligent work on behalf of saving our planet. Again, the Green New Deal introduced by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden (both of Oregon) has languished in both Houses of Congress, really, with nothing being done about ending our dependency on fossil fuels. These fuels from hell, I like to think of them as, must be replaced by fuels from the heavens: namely wind, solar, geothermal, biomass (from plants) and hydropower (from water). Such a pivot will be the same as getting off the crank telephone and going to cellular phones, metaphorically speaking. It will change the dynamic, create giant areas of employment and save us from ourselves, because we're destroying the one planet that we all share (ideally, equally, but such is not the case).

In the same poll, about 40% said their standard of living is worse now than it was four years ago. What measures and regulations would you support to strengthen the economy?

Since the start of the pandemic, the wealth of the wealthiest people in the planet has grown to nearly $2 trillion. Now why is that? The answer is them taking advantage of society. Their collective rapacious greed is malevolent. Therefore, there should be a tax on billionaires as well as their many trusts that they use as shelters. And, equally, there should be taxes on those making more than $50 million a year, a bill that has been introduced/endorsed by both Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. My political orthodoxy is to the left of both Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. I am a dyed in the wool Democratic-Socialist and will shout it from the highest mountain.

Corey Reid

Age: 36

Years lived in Nevada: 16

Occupation: Bartender, UNITE HERE Local 165

Education: Associate's degree in hotel and restaurant management

Previous offices held/sought: None

Social media: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Campaign website: reid4senate22.wixsite.com

Key endorsements: None

If elected, what key issues would you prioritize, and how do plan to address those issues?

I would support incrementally increasing minimal wage alongside cost of living, and inflation. However, doubling it overnight would hurt small independent business immeasurably. I would also support state and county minimum wages. A high school kid working an after-school job sweeping at the movie theater in Elko doesn't need to make $15 an hour.

I would prioritize clean energy, I'm especially excited for the new hydrogen factory coming to North Las Vegas, I would however be a bit more cautious about how we go about it than some other Democrats, we need to remember until we are fully clean we still need coal, and oil to keep functioning as a country.

In the same poll, about 40% said their standard of living is worse now than it was four years ago. What measures and regulations would you support to strengthen the economy?

Unfortunately, I feel like that can of worms has already been opened. Businesses have turned to understaffing and a “do more with less” attitude, rent has never been higher, and it's at least partially due to sweeping regulations, which is why I would support more incremental changes. That way, the economy can adjust accordingly, and people wouldn't lose their jobs.

Stephanie Kasheta

Kasheta did not respond to the RGJ questionnaire, but in an opinion column published by the USA TODAY Network, she described herself as a writer, educator and activist. She earned an MFA in fiction writing from Emerson College and previously taught English at the College of Southern Nevada. As for her candidacy, she wrote: “I filed for senator with money I begged off the street and the inane belief that voices like mine deserve to be heard, no matter how the capitalists attempt to mute them.”

Republican candidates

Adam Laxalt

Laxalt, 43, served a single term as Nevada’s attorney general between 2015 and 2019. In 2018, Laxalt ran an unsuccessful bid for the governor’s seat once held by his grandfather, the late Sen. Paul Laxalt. Laxalt, also the son of former New Mexico Sen. Pete Domenici, co-chaired former President Donald Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign in Nevada. Now, Laxalt is running his U.S. Senate campaign as a Trump-backed candidate.

Years lived in Nevada: Born in 1978 in Reno (Editor's note: Laxalt was raised in Alexandria, Virginia, and moved back to Nevada in 2011)

Occupation: Attorney

Education: Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor, Georgetown University

Key endorsements: Donald Trump; Ron DeSantis; Ted Cruz; Tom Cotton; Gun Owners of America; Club for Growth; American Conservative Union; Nevada and National Right to Life; Sean Hannity; Las Vegas Police Protective Association; Public Safety Alliance of Nevada

Social media: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Campaign website: AdamLaxalt.com

If elected, what key issues would you prioritize, and how do plan to address those issues?

Joe Biden and Catherine Cortez Masto are taking our country in the wrong direction. Prices on gasoline, groceries and everything else are soaring. I'll fight to stop the reckless spending causing record inflation, and I'll work to remove leftist limitations on American energy resources that increase prices at the pump. Crime is out of control in our states and along our border. I'll stop the onerous attempts to defund our police and fight to ensure our border is actually secure.

Would you stand behind any federal restrictions on abortion, and what exceptions, if any, do you support?

Editor's note: Laxalt did not respond to this question, which the RGJ sent to the top U.S. Senate candidates after a Supreme Court draft opinion that would reverse Roe v. Wade was leaked to the public. However, Laxalt was asked about abortion restrictions during this televised debate on May 9 with opponent Sam Brown. Below is the answer Laxalt provided during that debate:

Let me first say why I'm pro-life. My mother had me out of wedlock in the 1970s. She was only in her early twenties. No college degree. She got a tremendous amount of pressure to not bring me into this world, and, fortunately, she made the decision to bring me here. So I'm always going to ... hope people are going to have a chance to live like I had. As far as the future of Roe, it is quite clear that Roe v. Wade was invented by the Supreme Court. Scholars have known that forever. That's been taught in law school since I went to law school a few decades ago, and it was always better left returned to the states.

In a Suffolk University/RGJ poll of 500 likely Nevada voters, about 40% said their standard of living is worse now than it was four years ago. What measures/regulations would you support to bolster the Silver State's economy?

I hear nearly every day from Nevadans struggling under this economy. It's worse here than almost every other state. Inflation was 8.5% nationally in April, but 10.4% in the Mountain West region according to the Bureau of Labor statistics. Nevada gas prices are a full dollar higher than the national average, according to AAA. Nevada's unemployment rate is higher than nearly every other state. Many Nevada families continue to struggle because of government-mandated economic shutdowns during the pandemic. I will fight to reduce energy prices by using American energy resources, and I'll pursue tax incentives for small businesses who struggled under COVID while giant corporations flourished. I'll oppose the government mandates that hurt Nevada families, and I'll oppose the runaway deficit spending that's driving inflation.

If you move on to the November general election, why should voters from different parties vote for you?

The pain caused by inflation, gas prices and mandates affects everybody. This is why Nevadans from both parties are extremely unhappy with the direction this country is headed. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto is making these problems worse. I cleaned up after Masto as her successor in the Nevada Attorney General's office, and I will do so again as her successor in the U.S. Senate. She voted to slow domestic energy production, I will vote to empower it. She supported mandates that made people choose between their beliefs and their jobs, I will protect working Americans from government overreach. She voted for trillions in reckless deficit spending, I will oppose it.

Sam Brown

An Army veteran who was severely injured and burned by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan, Sam Brown, 38, retired from the military in 2011 after more than five years of active-duty service. The West Point graduate and his wife now live in Reno, where, until recently, they had owned and operated a company providing medications and other critical services to veterans. Brown sold the company shortly after entering the Senate race last summer.

Years lived in Nevada: Over four years

Current occupation: Small business owner

Education: Bachelor of Science, United States Military Academy - West Point; Masters in business administration, Southern Methodist University

Previous offices held, if any: N/A

Previous offices sought, if any: Texas State Assembly, 2014

Key endorsements: Nevada Republican Party; North Las Vegas Police Officers Association

Social media: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Campaign website: captainsambrown.com

If elected, what key issues would you prioritize, and how do plan to address those issues?

As Senator, I’ll prioritize:

Rebuilding our economy to create real jobs and stop socialist agendas, inflationary spending, and massive debt hurting working families.
Securing our borders and enforcing immigration laws to end the border crisis.
Supporting veterans by building more effective support networks in the areas of healthcare, education, and occupational readiness.
Protecting every legal vote through election integrity laws and Voter ID.
Defending the Second Amendment and every right guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution.
Enacting term limits to get rid of career politicians and hold our leaders accountable.
Creating national school choice and giving parents the power to make their own decisions when it comes to the education of their children, while supporting teachers and incentivizing better curriculums.

As a conservative Republican, I am a strong proponent of free and fair markets. I believe that the economy has been over politicized, which has created a culture of mistrust within the business community. I would immediately get to work on the deregulation of certain industries, such as healthcare and energy, to promote competition and innovation which would ultimately result in lower costs for Americans. I would also work to ensure that wasteful government spending is cut and our nation’s finances are finally put in order. For too long, career politicians have used taxpayers as their bailout for irresponsible spending. Nevadans need relief now and we need to do more to support — not burden — small businesses. I started a small business that assists veterans when the VA can't provide critical medications. I've seen firsthand that more government can't be the answer to our economic problems. If we enact commonsense solutions that get government out of the way and make it easier for businesses to operate, then we'll unleash the full power of Nevada's, and America's, economic engines.

In light of a recently leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that would reverse Roe v. Wade, would you stand behind any federal restrictions on abortion, and what exceptions, if any, do you support?

I'm pro life, and I always will stand on the side of protecting life. I gained a true appreciation for the value of life when I was in Afghanistan and nearly lost my own to a Taliban bomb. As a senator, I'll continue to protect life by voting against any federal funding of abortion and by voting to confirm justices who protect life.

If you move on to the November general election, why should voters from different parties vote for you?

As we have seen in recent months, the Biden administration’s policies are out-of-touch and negatively impacting Nevada and the entire nation. Inflation is at an all-time high, our international standing has diminished, and we are more divided than ever — further increasing our nation’s vulnerability. I am not a political elite; I am from a middle-class family that understands the consequences of failed leadership and poor policy decisions. I am running with a people’s agenda and to be a champion for everyday Nevadans who have been left behind by political elites. I’ve met adversity in my own life. I know America needs its own recovery, and it will come from the people, not the political class. I will seek to unite America, and I will take on those who divide us. I will empower people, not government, to come together and heal our nation. I will be true to our Constitution and faithfully serve the people of Nevada. And it will be my sworn duty to deliver the solutions we have needed from our leaders for so long. Duty to our country inspired me to pledge my life to service, and I am committed to restoring power to the people.

Bill Hockstedler

An Army and Air Force veteran, Hockstedler, 60, now works as a business executive in the health care industry. He is a first-time political candidate.

Years lived in Nevada: When sworn in I will be working on my 5th year in Nevada

Occupation: Vice President of Strategic Development (Healthcare Executive)

Education: Western Kentucky University & University of Alaska

Previous offices held or sought: None

Social media:Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Campaign website: Victory2022.org

Key endorsements: None, I did not seek them and will not except endorsements, I will not be bought

If elected, what key issues would you prioritize, and how do plan to address those issues?

There are two (2) key issues to start with because if those are not accomplished little else can be done regardless how well intentioned we are. Number one is to ensure that we maintain our economic dominance above all countries especially those that are bent on the destruction of the United States of America. We can do this by securing our sources of food, medication, and all raw materials and repatriating our manufacturing of all essential products. This will bring jobs to Americans and contribute to ending human rights abuses around the world bringing credit and standing to America from around the world. Second with our economic dominance comes tremendous responsibility and America is looked to as the beacon of morality and always trying to do the right thing. We need to maintain our military dominance for the purpose of using that strength as a deterrent to unwarranted.

The first step is to move the Republican Party away from being a pawn of the dirty energy industries and to stop pretending science is something one needs to believe in like Santa Claus. It is one of the starkest disconnects between the party and Republican Americans. A tremendous opportunity stands before us to be the leader of innovation towards a completely green energy grid — providing high-paying jobs — energy independence — energy security and new export markets. Once elected, I will introduce a bill to create the foundations of the new green economy that will be paid for by industry partners.

In the same poll, about 40% said their standard of living is worse now than it was four years ago. What measures and regulations would you support to strengthen the economy?

Our economy is now driven mostly by mega-corporations while small businesses that have always been the heart and soul of our economy are facing greater headwinds than ever before. I plan to introduce legislation to provide better support of smaller enterprise. Innovation thrives in smaller enterprise, so we need to ensure America continues to be the land of opportunity. I also plan to introduce a bill to completely overhaul and simplify the tax code to ensure that no matter how rich an individual is or how much profit a corporation has made they will pay fair taxes.

Sharelle Mendenhall

Mendenhall initially said she would participate in the RGJ's voter guide but ultimately did not respond to the questionnaire. Born in Bakersfield, California, and raised in a small Oregon town before moving to Nevada, Mendenhall is a former beauty pageant winner who went on to start a talent agency representing models.

The following Republican candidates also did not respond: William “Byron” Conrad, Tyler Perkins, Carlo Poliak and Paul Rodriguez

Other candidates

The following candidates did not respond to the questionnaire: Joseph "J.J." Destin (Nonpartisan); Barry Lindermann (Nonpartisan); Barry Rubinson (Independent American); and Neil Scott (Libertarian)

Rio Lacanlale is the Las Vegas correspondent for the Reno Gazette Journal and the USA Today Network. Contact her at rlacanlale@gannett.com or on Twitter @riolacanlale. Support local journalism by subscribing to the RGJ today.