State Sen. Aaron Ford wrapped up a day of Northern Nevada campaigning with an event at Bleu Café in Carson City on Friday.
More than 100 Democrats crowded the restaurant/bar on East Winnie Lane to hear Ford and Rep. Jacky Rosen speak. But Rosen’s staff said she had to return to Las Vegas for an unspecified family emergency in mid-afternoon. She left after a brief visit to Virginia City.
Ford told the crowd Nevada needs an Attorney General, “that is always going to put families first.” He said that applies whether the family is fourth generation Nevadan, a single mom or “someone who’s been here a day.”
He criticized Nevada AG Adam Laxalt, who is running for governor, and Laxalt’s former First Assistant AG Wes Duncan, who is Ford’s opponent in the Attorney General’s race in November, for their refusal to try to implement the voter approved gun background checks.
“They’re both saying we can’t implement the background checks,” Ford told the crowd. “I will work with anybody to implement that bill.”
He said he also will work to strengthen consumer protection in Nevada and to implement and enforce the laws of the state.
But he said Democrats can’t just focus on one race.
“It’s not just Aaron Ford running for Attorney General,” he said. “It’s Jacky Rosen for Senate. It’s Steve Sisolak for governor, up and down the ballot.”
Rosen’s representatives said she would return to Northern Nevada in the near future to talk with voters about her race against incumbent U.S. Sen. Dean Heller.
Rosen and Ford spent most of the day in Reno, visiting with Communications Workers of America call center employees who they say are at risk of losing their jobs to offshore workers. They objected to corporate heads trying to lay off Nevada employees and ship their jobs overseas.
They also toured Reno Behavioral Healthcare Hospital, a facility that opened earlier this year and focuses on treating patients with behavioral health issues. The hospital offers inpatient and outpatient programs for mental health and addiction treatment.