This morning, Chip Evans, former chairman of the Washoe County Democratic Party, announced his candidacy in Nevada’s Congressional District #2. No Democrat has yet held this seat, but it’s well passed time to fix that.
Chip Evans filed his candidacy papers on Saturday with the Federal Election Commission and formally announced his plans in Reno this morning. He’ll be challenging 2nd District Republican Mark Amodei in representing CD2.
CD2 is the largest of Nevada’s four districts and is largely rural in nature. Republicans have won this district since it was created in 1982, but in that time the Republican party has shifted so far to the right, it’s alarming and their ideology no longer truly represents the people throughout our district. Thus, it’s time for us to step up to the plate, invite our Independent neighbors to step up as well, and unseat Rep. Amodei who is fond of voting against anything that might help women and who votes a hard-right party line set by billionaires like the Koch Brothers.
A good summary of what Rep. Amodei sponsors and co-sponsors can be found on POPVOX, but don’t just go by the misleading title when you think to yourself, “good” or “not-so-good.” You can also find a good summary of his voting record on VoteSmart.
Republicans have been very good at crafting bill titles that say one thing, but that do something entirely the opposite. It’s no surprise that he’s voted to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) in whole or in part, at every given opportunity he’s been given. He’s voted to let women’s bosses decide whether female employees can have birth control. He’s played doctor to declare that fetuses feel pain and therefore, no pregnancy should be ended. He’s voted to approve the KXL pipeline (more than once) regardless of the risks to our nation’s aquifers for no benefits to ordinary Americans. He’s voted against multiple federal budget bills (essentially voting to shut down the government and/or put the US Government into default). And, he advocates for all federal lands to be turned over to the states,effectively terminating the BLM and all the services (firefighting, etc.) so the states could then sell them off (privatize them), depriving hunters and recreationists of the opportunities to use their favorite stomping grounds.
Chip, a former high-tech executive in Silicon Valley, saw his endeavors collapse during the 2008 financial crisis. He now hosts “The Chip Evans Show” airing Monday’s on KCKQ AM Radio in Reno. He says he knows his campaign will be an uphill battle but he wants to be a voice for Nevada’s working class families.
“Congress is no longer capable of providing solutions to the pressing issues that face Northern Nevada. We are all tired of the dysfunction, obstruction and partisanship in Washington. Congress needs to get back to working for families like yours and mine, not the special interests who enjoy unfettered influence on our electoral system. This will be a tough race, but with the current political environment, our hard work and a little luck, this is a winnable race, and I will do my part to run a first-class campaign you can be proud of.” — Chip Evans