At Las Vegas town hall, Fiorina emphasizes she’s still in the race

By Megan Messerly

Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016 | 2:11 p.m.

Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina stumped at the Siena Community Center in Las Vegas today, attempting to dispel the notion of a waning campaign after she was bumped from the main stage at last week's Republican presidential debate.

Speaking to a crowd of about 200 supporters, the former Hewlett-Packard CEO continued to couch herself as a political outsider with the wherewithal to push into Washington politics. Acknowledging her poll numbers, Fiorina said she’s fighting against “household names” who have spent tens of millions of dollars on television ads.

“Last time I looked, not a single vote has been cast,” Fiorina said. “You have a caucus. You know how you get me from fifth to second: Vote for me. Honestly, that’s what it’s going to take.”

During the town hall, Fiorina tackled a number of issues — including religious freedom, gun control, abortion and the federal ownership of land in the West — saying that the American people have been told to “shut up and be quiet” about them.

In an interview after the event, Fiorina reiterated support for a program to transfer ownership of Nevada’s federally owned lands, about 84 percent of land in the state, to the state government.

“We ought to start a federal transfer program,” Fiorina said. “The federal government doesn’t clear the timber lands effectively and they don’t manage water particularly better.”

Clashes over federal ownership and regulation of public land have resurfaced over the past couple of weeks as the sons of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy lead an armed standoff and occupation in Oregon.

Fiorina also lauded the state’s embattled school choice program, calling it a “great new program” and praising Gov. Brian Sandoval's support of it.

“Parents have to have resources so their kids have choices,” Fiorina said.

Last week, a judge granted a preliminary injunction, ordering the state treasurer to stop implementing the program weeks before money would have started being disbursed to parents for private school tuition.

Fiorina also promised reform of several government programs, including Social Security and Medicare, as well as an overhaul of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Instead of focusing on her Republican opponents during the town hall, Fiorina took repeated shots at Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton. In a double swipe at Clinton and Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump, Fiorina said, “Hillary Clinton is what crony capitalism looks like on the inside. … Donald Trump is what it looks like on the outside.”

Fiorina will head north for a town hall in Reno at 3 p.m. today at the Lakeridge Golf Course. Tomorrow, she returns to Las Vegas for a coffee meet and greet at 8 a.m. at the Peppermill Fireside Lounge.