Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Reid debates cardboard cutout of Sandoval

Upping his why-won’t-you-debate-me antics, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rory Reid brought a cardboard cutout of his Republican rival Brian Sandoval to a speech this morning.

Talking to a gathering of insurance industry executives, Reid criticized Sandoval for agreeing to only three of the 12 debates the Democrat wants to put on the calendar.

“At first I thought he might be a little shy,” Reid said about Sandoval’s refusal to agree to all the debates. “Then I thought maybe he had a bad sense of direction.

“But I figured it out last week,” when Reid provoked Sandoval into an impromptu debate at a meeting before the sub-contractors association in Las Vegas. “It’s not that he’s shy or can’t find the place. He doesn’t have anything to say.”

A campaign staffer then brought in the cardboard cutout of a grinning Sandoval. A few audience members laughed somewhat nervously at the stunt.

Although he bills himself as the serious, policy-driven “man with a plan,” Reid’s resorted to a number of such stunts recently in an attempt to draw Sandoval into the fray.

Sandoval has largely stayed hunkered down in fundraising mode, giving fewer speeches and making fewer campaign stops than Reid, according to a Sun analysis of the candidates' schedules.

Sandoval has agreed to three debates, one in Elko and two in Las Vegas. A Reno debate has not yet been scheduled.

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy