There’s no place on earth like Las Vegas. We deserve representatives that understand our unique community.

There is truly no place on earth like Las Vegas. When our city was founded in the middle of the desert a little over a century ago, no one could have imagined what it would become today. The only way to understand a community is by being a part of it for a significant amount of time, and that is especially true for a city as unique as Las Vegas.

When choosing who will represent you in the Nevada legislature, it makes sense to select a person with deep ties and understanding of our community rather than a newcomer. For example, it is impossible for a newcomer to understand how our city’s rapid development over the past three decades impacted our community and how we can plan for development over the next three decades. It is impossible for a newcomer to have the same emotion behind calls to invest in public education when they have not experienced our public schools firsthand. It is impossible for a newcomer to have the same passion about protecting our environment when they didn’t grow up hiking the trails at Red Rock and Mount Charleston. It is impossible for a newcomer to have the same motivation to pursue flood control in our community because they don’t remember the days when nearly every rain storm brought a death at the Charleston Underpass. And it is impossible for a newcomer to have the same commitment to fighting for a living wage when they have never “lived” paycheck-to-paycheck working in our city’s service industry.

I am running to represent the people of Assembly District 4 because being born and raised in Las Vegas, serving the community that is my home has been my priority since I was attending classes at UNLV. My family has lived in Las Vegas since the 1960’s while my wife’s family has resided here since the 1910's. I have attended our public schools, colleges, and universities. I have worked retail on Fremont Street, selling merchandise to drunk tourists night after night for slightly more than minimum wage. I worked at the Sahara Branch of the DMV as a technician, where as a State employee we had no right to unionize. I have volunteered with local progressive organizations like the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada to register voters to ensure more people participated in our government. And as an attorney, I have provided pro bono legal services to members of our community so they can protect their rights.

My opponent in the Democratic primary for Assembly District 4 only recently moved to Las Vegas, residing here for a mere 3 years. Further, she has refused to take any firm stand on the issues facing our community, perhaps because she has not lived in our community long enough to familiarize herself with the nuances of the issues facing Las Vegas and Nevada.

When we’re talking about a one-of-a-kind community like Las Vegas, it’s clear we need representatives that understand our city’s unique history and potential. On election day, be sure to vote for candidates that can look you in the eye and honestly say, “Home means Nevada.”