2024 General Election: Nevada State Assembly, District 39

Ken Gray

 

Ken Gray
Republican
Residence: Dayton
Occupation: Assemblyman, Nevada Assembly District 39; Chief Master Sergeant (Ret.), U.S. Air Force
Age: 55
Contact: Phone: 775-220-1935; Email: Ken@Gray4Nevada.com; Website: www.Gray4Nevada.com

 Record of Service:
• Assemblyman, Nevada Assembly District 39, 2022–Present
• Chairman, Nevada Assembly Republican Caucus Executive Committee
• Member of Legislative Committees: Judiciary, Health and Human Services, Revenue, Tahoe Regional Planning Oversight, Legislative Committee on Veterans and Adults with Special Needs
• Chairman, Lyon County Board of County Commissioners, 2016
• Lyon County Board of County Commissioners, 2016–2022
• Vice-Chairman, Carson Water Sub-Conservancy District
• Commissioner, Comstock Historic District
• Member, Nevada Local Justice Reinvestment Coordinating Council
• Member, Quad Counties Legislative Committee
• Senior Field Representative, U.S. House of Representatives, Nevada Congressional District 2, handling military, veterans, public lands, and other issues
• Chief Master Sergeant (E-9, Ret.), U.S. Air Force, served two tours in Iraq and multiple overseas assignments, including in the Middle East and Europe

Education:
Chapman University: Extensive graduate work in Organizational Leadership and Human Resources
Excelsior College: Bachelor of Science
Community College of the Air Force: Associate of Applied Science Degrees in Electrical and Mechanical Technology, Allied Health Science, and Healthcare Management

Briefly describe the core duties of the position you are running for.
A state legislator I represent the interests of my district by creating, amending, and voting on state laws. I also help shape the state budget, address constituent concerns, and ensure effective oversight of government agencies to ensure laws and policies serve the public’s best interests.

 A brief statement about your platform
As a staunch conservative, I believe in smaller government, lower taxes, and less governmental interference. I am committed to restoring integrity to our election process by repealing flawed election laws passed in the last legislative session, requiring voter ID, and limiting absentee ballots to valid reasons.
I will work to repeal legislation that infringes on Second Amendment rights and support a Constitutional Carry law.
Protecting the unborn is a priority, and I will strive to make adoption more accessible and affordable.
Parents must have control over their children’s education, and funding should follow the student. Critical Race Theory and Social Emotional Learning must be removed from public education.
Nevada’s doctor shortage can be addressed by training more doctors and encouraging them to practice here without lowering standards.
I am passionate about supporting law enforcement, especially in honor of my father-in-law, a police officer killed in the line of duty.
As a veteran and the father of two veteran daughters, I remain dedicated to supporting our military and veterans.

What makes me the most qualified candidate?
I am the most qualified candidate for re-election to Assembly District 39 because of my extensive leadership experience and proven commitment to serving our community, state, and country. My lifelong dedication to public service, from my time in the U.S. Air Force, where I achieved the rank of Chief Master Sergeant, to my service as a county commissioner and now as an assemblyman, has equipped me with the skills, knowledge, and leadership qualities needed to effectively represent our district in the Nevada Assembly.
Throughout my career, I have consistently demonstrated strong, decisive leadership, especially in challenging and high-pressure situations. Whether making critical decisions in hostile environments during my military service or navigating complex legislative issues, I have remained focused on serving the people. My track record shows that I stand firm on my principles, never bending to political pressure or special interests, and always prioritizing what’s best for my constituents.
As an assemblyman, I have been a clear and effective voice for District 39, fighting to reduce government overreach, protect constitutional rights, and ensure fiscal responsibility. My understanding of how state legislation impacts local government and taxpayers is unmatched, with firsthand experience in dealing with unfunded mandates that burden local communities.
In addition to my legislative work, I am deeply committed to safeguarding our freedoms, supporting law enforcement, advocating for veterans, and defending the core values we hold dear. My father-in-law, a police officer, was killed in the line of duty, and as a veteran myself and father of two veterans, I understand the importance of standing up for those who serve.
With a proven record of service, unwavering principles, and a focus on “We the People,” I am prepared to continue serving effectively in the Nevada Assembly. Experience matters—and I have it.

Erich Obermayr

 

Erich Obermayr

Democrat

Residence:  Silver City

Occupation: Author; cultural resource management specialist; semi-retired

Age: 76

Contact: historicinsight@gbis.com; https://www.electerich.com/

Record of service: I am currently Chair of the Silver City Citizen Advisory Board, in Silver City, Lyon County. I have served on the Board, as Chair, for a total of twelve years during the past 20 years.

Education: BA (with honors), University of Arizona 1986: double major in anthropology and creative writing.

Describe the core duties of the position you are running for.

A State Assemblyman represents his constituents in proposing, developing, and passing legislation establishing government policy, spending, taxation and, when the situation calls for it, sustaining or overriding the Governor’s veto.

A brief statement about your platform.

The key to my platform is to open our primaries to nonpartisan voters by giving them the option of completing and submitting a primary ballot of the party of their choice.  

A good education is the foundation for our children’s future success. I support fully funding Nevada’s schools, building on the record K-12 appropriation passed during the last legislative session.  We must also recognize that school districts outside Las Vegas and Reno require administrative and instructional flexibility to address their needs and objectives. I’m also aware from my family’s experience that the state’s smallest rural school districts present exceptional educational potential and opportunities. Small class size and individual attention are inherent in these schools. I would propose additional state financial support to attract and retain top quality teachers, develop innovative remote learning opportunities, and pool resources to provide special programs often only found in larger districts.  

Good health care is a right which no one should be denied because of their economic circumstances. Nor should anyone be financially ruined by the cost of care. Health insurance is the key to accessible, quality health care. It is appropriate for the state to provide low-cost insurance alternatives when the marketplace falls short.

What is one bill draft you would submit for the 2025 Legislature to better the district and why?
I intend to submit a bill draft amending NRS to open Nevada primary elections to nonpartisan voters.  Under my proposal, registered nonpartisan voters would be able to participate in the primary of their choice by picking which ballot—Democratic, Republican, or third party—to complete and submit. They could also cast a regular nonpartisan ballot. Ballots would be submitted as usual, either in person, drop box, or by mail.

To be clear, this would not create an open primary in which members of one party could vote in another party’s primary. Nor would it be linked to ranked choice voting, which I oppose. It would be a simple, stand-alone solution which would allow the approximately one-third of Nevada voters who do not belong to a political party and cannot now vote in the primaries to fully participate in the election process.    

The most immediate benefit would be to increase the number of people who vote in the normally low-turnout primaries. More importantly, it would encourage candidates to broaden their appeal beyond the hard-core party idealogues who now dominate the primaries. Candidates would still adhere to the principles of their party, but they would also have to appeal to a group of voters for whom issues, not party, are paramount. It might also select for candidates more open to compromise and bipartisanship, and perhaps start us toward making our politics less contentious and more constructive.

What makes you the most qualified candidate for this position?

I can provide the representation in the Assembly that our district deserves. An assemblyman’s job is to develop and pass legislation that raises the quality of life for all Nevadans. This requires specific action to advance economic opportunity, health, education, and public safety and protect our democratic republic and the rights and freedoms it provides. It starts at ground level, with the nitty-gritty of asking exactly what a bill does for ordinary people, what problems it solves, and what benefits it brings to their day to day lives.

I will be guided by the answers to these questions, not by ideology. Standing on principle is important, and in fact if you can’t do that you have no business asking for peoples’ votes. But I am 76 years old and if nothing else life has shown me everything is always more complicated than it looks. Successful legislation requires understanding these complexities, respecting the ideas and motivations of others, and the ability to recognize when and to what degree compromise is the best path.

Time and political capital in our 120-day legislative session are priceless commodities. I will not waste either on symbolic gestures or political theater. My commitment is to getting things done for the people of District 39, and every moment of my time and all my capital will be spent achieving that objective.