The RGJ Editorial Board endorses Democrat Teresa Benitez-Thompson for Nevada Assembly District 27.
Nine board members voted for Benitez-Thompson over her opponent, Republican Bonnie Weber. (One member abstained because of a personal connection with Weber’s family.)
District 27 includes Sun Valley and northwest Reno.
Reasons to vote for Benitez-Thompson
• She is well-informed on a broad range of issues – from the Lake Tahoe regional compact to the state’s Medicaid role – and looks at outcomes to measure success. She does not simply mention topics that need addressing but comfortably drills down in a way that makes those topics understandable, such as the way “medically fragile” seniors face an eight-month waitlist for receiving help.
• She understands how the Nevada Legislature works and how to get things done there.
• She prioritizes education with an eye toward achievement.
• An incumbent, she voted against the Las Vegas stadium deal and understands how its passage may negatively affect transportation projects in Northern Nevada. She has a plan for how the Legislature can act regarding Nevada Department of Transportation funding to protect needed road projects in the Reno-Sparks area.
• She is open to ideas on how to trim Nevada’s budget, given the expected deficit coming into the next session. She gained experience cutting the budget when elected to the Legislature in 2010 following the recession.
