- Susan Ruch
- 7 days ago
- 5 min read
I want to address an issue that seems to have some people in an uproar over the town hall that we held on April 27th, 2026. The town hall was open to candidates running for offices in Carson City and statewide, as well as in Congressional District 2. We informed the Republican candidates that we were holding the town hall, but it was advertised in numerous public places. We did not specify in our advertisement that only Republicans could speak. Therefore, nonpartisans were able to attend. Remember, this was a Republican event, so it was
unlikely a Democrat would choose to attend. In the end, yes, a Democrat attended who is running in a nonpartisan race. She spoke, and this gave everyone the opportunity to see that by her views, she is left-leaning. We also interviewed two Democrat candidates running for non-partisan offices and we appropriately labeled them as Democrats at the beginning of the interview; additionally we clearly stated that we are not endorsing either of them and only support Republicans for any office even non-partisan offices. Once more, your ballot indicates non-partisan.
I ask: how does the average person know who these candidates are and what their platforms are without them being interviewed? The average person does not even know who their Assembly-member or Senator is let alone all those down-ballot candidates. People look to us to help them get the information they need to determine who to vote for. Outside of incumbents, we are not to support a Republican candidate over another Republican until after the primary, and then we are to support the Republican you choose as the victor. But by then, people have voted for the person with the most signs and the most money to spend, but are they the best candidate? It is really time to evaluate this process for the future. Our Board felt this was an excellent opportunity for people to hear the candidates speak by inviting them in for interviews and recording them. John Pack and Lucia Maloney did a great job with sincere dedication to the process. They were fair with the questions and allowed the candidates to speak freely on topics that you're never going to hear in a well practiced 5-minute campaign speech.
If you do not like the system of labeling candidates as non-partisan (of course they are partisan!), we must refine it through legislation, ensuring that even candidates running for non-partisan offices must declare which party they are with. The sole purpose of these interviews is to educate our voters. If you have not listened to the interviews, please do. You still have time if you have not voted. Our mission is to build an educated voter base, so please visit our website at https://www.carsoncityrepublicans.com/news and select the offices you're interested in. One favorite saying I use is: “If you do not know your past, you're doomed to repeat it.” I like to reflect on the past and consider what has been done; I respect our history, but I do realize that times have changed, especially with social media. Therefore, we need to educate voters in different ways. We need to utilize social media, but true dialogue with candidates before the primary is priceless, so that we are actually able to elect the best candidate for the position. If we are going to drain the swamp, then we cannot vote for a swamp potential. If you have other ideas we are open to them, the important thing is getting the candidates elected that best represent our values.
We are headed towards 16,000 Republicans in Carson City, so candidates should be proud to be Republicans, want to share their values, explain where they stand on important issues, and be proud to be Republicans. Only by standing up, being bold, showing that we know our principles and what we hold dear, and explaining how we're going to help the citizens of Carson City and the state of Nevada can we grow the party and move forward. Please vote early so we don’t call and ask you to vote. We have endorsed all Republican incumbents,
Governor Joe Lombardo, Lt. Governor Stavros Anthony, Nevada State Controller Andy Mathews, State Senator Lisa Krasner, Clerk-Recorder Scott Hoen, and Sheriff Kenny Furlong. You will not see the Lt. Governor or State Controller, on your Primary ballot because they do not have a challenger and go right to the general election. In the case of the Sheriff and Clerk-Recorder they are nonpartisan offices so does not show up on a primary ballot. We also have the list of Governor Lombardo-Endorsed Candidates. We will have our traditional booth at the polls, so stop by and see us, 9 AM to 6 PM.
June 5, we return to the Feisty Goat for our First Friday. We will be there from 6 PM to 9 PM. There will be live music and lots of good friends. If you would like to share an appetizer with friends, we would greatly appreciate it. The Feisty Goat is located at 1881 E Long Street. We hope to see you there.
June 6, 11 AM to 3 PM, if you have not voted in the primary, please step up and vote. We can assist you by picking up your ballot, driving you to the polls, and helping you make the correct choices about whom to vote for. We are here for you. On Saturday, June 6, we are hosting our annual ICE CREAM Social with root beer floats and ice cream sundaes at our headquarters, 1971 California Street, from 11 to 3 pm. While you are here, bring your ballots and drop them off in our secure ballot box. Our root beer floats are always a favorite treat.
Monthly Movie Night June 19, held at the Carson City Republican Party Headquarters, 1971 California Street. The door opens at 5:30 PM, and the movie starts at 6 PM. We serve pizza and salad with beverages. We do ask for a $10 donation to cover the cost of the Pizza. This month, we will be showing the very important movie “Capital Punishment.” Everyone who attends is always so grateful for the powerful documentaries we show.
Do you like parades? We will be putting together a float with the Governor for Carson Valley Days on June 13 and the 4th of July in Virginia City. It is great American fun to walk in the parades, share candy with the children, and show our true patriotism. Lincoln the Elephant will be on the float, so if you would like to join in the fun, let us know. Call 775 841-1800 to help decorate the float or walk in the parade. We will need help with decorations for sure, and it’s fun to walk in the parade.
Once more, it is your privilege and duty to vote, and we need to ensure we vote for people who share our values. You cannot sit this one out. What can we do to help you get out and vote? Call us at 775-841-1800 to request assistance.
Thank you for your continued support, and please stop by the polls and say hello. We will be on the southwest side of the community center.
Thank you, God Bless you, Carson City, Nevada, and the United States of America.
Susan Ruch, Your Chairman
