Primary 2010: What did we learn?
Ok, so we know who won. But did yesterday's vote tell us anything?
I wrote earlier about how the outcome of the supervisors races could give us a clue on how the public views the Nugget Project, AKA the Carson City Center Project.
Karen Abowd, the only candidate to openly support the project, did come in first in her primary with 31 percent of the vote in a six-way race.
But with her five opponents being undecided or against the project, what does that say for the general election? Will Abowd be able to pull enough of that other 69 percent to win in the general? Or, are those votes going to project skeptic Rob Joiner? It certainly wasn't the kind of decisive outcome that would give us at better grasp of where Carson City voters are in terms of this project.
One thing that is certain is this issue isn't going away. The timing of the P3 Development report coming back in August puts this issue front and center in the heat of the campaign. Even though the decision on the Nugget Project will likely be decided by the present board, it's big enough to use as an example of what certain people will do once elected.
That will certainly be true when it comes to the Assembly 40 race. Even though the state legislature has no dog in this fight, you better believe that it will be issue #1 between current supervisors Pete Livermore and Robin Williamson. Livermore is very likely to use the Nugget Project to paint Williamson as someone who wants to raise your taxes to feed big government. Williamson will likely counter that Livermore isn't stepping up to give Carson City the boost it needs for a brighter future.
The Ward 3 supervisor race surprised me a little. Day Williams has been very visible compared to John McKenna, but it's McKenna who cleaned up on votes. There is something to be said for having been on the ballot in the past, as McKenna was for his years on the school board. It's not all about the yard signs, at least during an off-season primary where the voters who do show up are more politically engaged than your typical once-every-four-years presidential voter.
And that gets us to the sheriff's race, where Bob Guimont was able to advance to the general election due in part to the vast number of signs he has around town. It seems like every street has a Guimont sign. But incumbent Kenny Furlong wrapped up 48 percent of the vote in the three-way race, and Guimont will have to work pretty hard to make up that difference in November.
More fun to come.
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