Forbush endorsed by Carson GOP central committee

The Carson City GOP central committee voted Saturday to endorse just one of the Republicans running in Assembly District 40 — political newcomer Chris Forbush.

Neither of the two candidates considered as the frontrunners in the race, incumbent P.K. O’Neill and former Carson City Treasurer Al Kramer, won party backing at Saturday’s county convention.

O’Neill, listed as censured by the central committee for his vote to raise taxes in the 2015 session, wasn’t even on the ballot. Kramer failed to win an endorsement nod by just four of the 97 central committee votes, receiving just 61 ballots supporting him.

Forbush got 75 of the 97 votes.

Kramer afterward protested the central committee’s vetting process as requiring absolute commitment on too many issues. He said because he refused to be absolute on various questions including the minimum wage ballot question, he lost points.

The central committee also voted to endorse Maurice White over incumbent Supervisor Brad Bonkowski. White said maintenance and other programs need to be restructured but, in that crowd, a key factor in his support is the fact he’s the former chairman of the Carson City Republican Party.

Bonkowski rattled off a list of accomplishments including cleaning up city contracting procedures, doing an employee efficiency study, downtown revitalization and attracting businesses to the capital. But, in the end, he received just 22 committee votes to White’s 85.

The central committee also endorsed incumbent Jim Shirk — not surprising since he’s the only Republican in the race. He received 86 votes.

His opponent is John Barrette who’s registered non-partisan.

Chris Carver was endorsed by 87 of the 97 committee members in his bid for mayor. Republican Jerry Cinani received just 22 votes and Kurt Meyer wasn’t at the convention.

Incumbent Bob Crowell is a Democrat but the office is listed as non-partisan.

The top vote getter in the central committee’s endorsement election was David Carter who’s running for the seat on the state Board of Education currently held by former Assemblyman Pat Hickey. Hickey is running for the post he was appointed to after the death of Dave Cook. He’s strongly opposed by many Republicans for his Assembly vote last year to pass the education tax package. Carter received 95 votes.

Only about 130 of the more than 240 chosen to attend the county convention by the March caucuses turned out for Saturday’s convention at the Silver State Charter School auditorium.

By the time officials started counting the ballots, the convention was just five attendees above losing their quorum to do business.