James Settelmeyer, whose family has lived in Nevada since 1880, appeared to have an insurmountable lead in the race to replace Lynn Hettrick in the Nevada Assembly.
A rancher and farmer, he was encouraged and supported in his run for District 39 by Hettrick, the Assembly minority leader who declined to run again saying he needed to take care of several major business projects.
Settelmeyer, 35, received more than double the votes received by any of the other three Republicans from Douglas County voters: 3,988 to 1,404 for Richard Gardner and 1,255 for former County Commissioner Barbara Smallwood. John Dicks received only 231 votes in Douglas' final tally.
The district extends into Washoe County with a small piece in Incline Village. But Gardner had a victory margin there of only 56 votes, far short of the number needed to turn the race around.
Settelmeyer said he supports using some of the surplus in the Nevada treasury this year to take care of future obligations which could cost taxpayers much more if not dealt with now. He cited the growing obligation to cover retirement costs for district judges and the debt conservatively estimated at more than $1 billion to cover health benefits for retired state workers.
He said growth is another major issue.
"Growth and water are always major concerns, not just for Douglas County but the entire state," he said. "We need smart growth. We need to manage growth intelligently and that includes water."
In November, Settelmeyer will face JoEtta Brown, the Democrat who was unopposed in the primary.
• Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.