John Lee, Dean Heller and Fred Simon agreed that if elected governor, they would all like to deregulate the mining industry, get rid of mail-in voting, institute policies friendlier to small businesses, and lower taxes.
Faith Evans/Nevada Appeal
The Carson City Republican Women had three special guests at their meeting on Tuesday. Republican gubernatorial candidates Dean Heller, John Lee and Fred Simon entertained luncheon guests with a debate largely centered on education and Nevada’s economy.
All three candidates listed education as one of Nevada’s greatest challenges.
Heller condemned Gov. Steve Sisolak for “(shutting) children out of their schools” during the pandemic.
He said if he were elected as governor, he would push for school choice and break Clark County School District into multiple districts. Currently, CCSD is the fifth largest school district in the United States. Heller also said that he supported vocational training in high schools.
“Not every child has to go to college,” he said.
Simon called Nevada’s current education system “Marxist” and said he would like to endorse more faith-based, conservative school board members.
“The next governor needs to work five days a week … stumping for school board members and commissioners at the local level,” he said.
He later added he would like to endorse a “better group of regents” for Nevada State Higher Education, and he would like to remove sex education from school curriculums.
Lee agreed with Heller that he would like to re-organize several school districts, including CCSD, and institute school choice.
“There are three things that we do at the state government: educate, medicate, incarcerate,” he said.
Lee said if he is elected governor, he would like to institute a half-elected, half-governor-appointed Board of Regents for NSHE.
All three agreed they would stand against teachers’ unions and push to remove sex education and Common Core State Standards from school curriculums.
Lee, Heller, and Simon also agreed if elected governor, they would all like to deregulate the mining industry, get rid of mail-in voting, institute policies friendlier to small businesses, and lower taxes.
In closing statements, they reinforced the values that they would bring to the office as governor.
“I’m a faith-based constitutional conservative. … (As governor) I will get up every day and do the right thing,” said Simon.
Heller echoed the sentiment.
“This is all about faith, family and freedom. That’s what the Republican Party stands for, and if we stand together, I assure you we can’t lose,” he said.
Lee struck a different chord. He called for voters in the audience to elect a governor who would work with other governors to protect freedoms within states.
“We can control this country from the bottom up. You cannot fix American anymore from the top down,” he said.
