6 anti-tax GOP Assembly candidates sue over primary defeats

John Locher / AP

Six Republican Assembly candidates who lost their primary elections on June 14 are challenging the results in court.

The candidates have filed so-called “statements of contest” in Clark County District Court on the grounds that there was a possible malfunction with the voting machines. They are asking the court to order that the electronic vote tallies be compared against backup paper records.

The candidates include Diana Orrock, Steve Sanson, Connie Foust, Tina Trenner, Mary Rooney and Blain Jones.

"The candidates are seeking law-authorized joint reviews to ensure we know the full truth for each race,” said Assemblyman Brent Jones, who supported the six anti-tax candidates in their races. “This would be an audit on both sides of the election system to discover why some inexplicable electronic results were reported in this year’s primary.”

The candidates have suggested that there are “large and consistent discrepancies” between voter turnout numbers and reported vote tabulations.

All of the six candidates lost their races by significant margins, according to vote totals reported online.

Sanson, in District 13, lost to Assembly Majority Leader Paul Anderson by a wide 37-point margin. Foust challenged Assemblyman Chris Edwards in District 19, but lost by 22 points.

Blain Jones lost to Assemblyman Derek Armstrong by 11 points in District 21. In District 9, Orrock had challenged Assemblyman David Gardner, but lost by 8 points. Rooney lost to her opponent Nick Phillips in District 41 by the same margin. Assemblyman James Oscarson prevailed against Trenner in District 36 by a slim 3-point margin.

Under Nevada state law, the court must set a hearing date for between five and 10 days after the statements are filed.