Longtime western Nevada resident Gary Schmidt has announced he will challenge P.K. O’Neill in the Assembly District 40 race.
P.K. O'Neill
O’Neill has already announced he is seeking a third term representing District 40 which includes Carson City, Storey County and part of south Washoe County.
“It’s been one of my life’s greatest honors to serve in the Nevada Assembly and I’m looking forward to serving again” O’Neill said in announcing his re-election earlier this month. “We’ve done some great things during my time in the legislature, but I feel there is a lot more work that needs to be done. Our state has been through a lot these past few years and I am dedicated to seeing Nevada not just persevere through it but thrive moving forward.”
O’Neill was first elected to the Nevada Assembly in 2014, he served one term. In 2020 O’Neill ran and was elected for a second term. He is a founding member of the Nevada Legislative Freedom Caucus.
This will be Schmidt’s fourth run for a seat in the Nevada Legislature. He most recently lost in the Republican primary against incumbent Ben Kieckhefer in 2018. In addition, he ran for a seat on the Washoe County Commission in 2008.
Schmidt has been involved in commercial real estate and development for years. He has property in Washoe County as well as a home in Storey County. Among his properties is the Reindeer Lodge on the Mount Rose Highway, which he operated as a bar and live entertainment venue for decades.
“Our liberties are being assaulted by the elitist establishment elected officials and swamp-dwelling bureaucrats,” Schmidt said.
During his decades as a businessman in western Nevada, Schmidt became well known for suing governmental entities claiming violations of the open meeting, public records and other laws.
Schmidt describes himself as, “a lifelong fighter against oppressive, intrusive, abusive and arrogant government.”
