Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Former Nevada GOP chair in hot water for endorsing Democrats

Laxalt Rally on Election Eve

Christopher DeVargas

Republican candidate for Congress Danny Tarkanian, and his wife Amy Hanson Tarkanian, speak to supporters during a rally on the eve of election night, Monday Nov. 5, 2018.

Amy Tarkanian, the former chairwoman of the Nevada Republican Party and noted conservative television pundit, is receiving backlash from her party after she endorsed two Democratic candidates instead of Republicans ahead of the Nov. 8 midterms.

Tarkanian, formerly a Las Vegas resident and the wife of Douglas County Commissioner Danny Tarkanian, shared a letter this week on social media from James McKalip, chairman of the Douglas County Republican Central Committee. In the letter, McKalip says the endorsements are against the central committee’s bylaws and says its executive board is planning to recommend her removal from the central committee.

Tarkanian, who is a regular contributor to programs on Fox News and Newsmax, crossed party lines to support Democrat Zach Conine’s run for reelection over Republican Michele Fiore for state treasurer. Tarkanian is also part of the “Republicans for Ford,” a group of notable GOPers supporting Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford’s reelection against the Republican nominee Sigal Chattah.

McKalip said the executive board would take up the matter to “protect the integrity of our Republican brand.”

Tarkanian was invited to appear Aug. 11 at the county GOP board meeting in Gardnerville to discuss the situation.

He left the door open to Tarkanian to take care of the matter on her own.

“You are welcome to submit your resignation to me in writing should you desire to bring this process to an immediate conclusion,” McKalip wrote.

In an interview, Tarkanian said she didn’t plan on doing anything in response to the letter.

“I don’t feel that I should waste my time,” Tarkanian said. “If these people are willing to treat me this way, then I’m not going to give them the time of day, but I am still a Republican.”

Tarkanian also said she was not even sure if she was a member of the committee.

“I think I am, but I’m not sure,” Tarkanian said. “I don’t go to their meetings at all. I think maybe I’ve gone to two meetings since I’ve been up here, and we lived here for three years. It’s kind of funny that they would feel this is something that would affect me.”

Tarkanian endorsed the incumbent Conine for treasurer, who she said in a statement was a “qualified,” “smart and experienced leader” and criticized the Republican nominee, Las Vegas City Councilwoman Michele Fiore, who was issued subpoenas by the FBI over her campaign finances in 2021.

Tarkanian also endorsed Ford rather than Republican Sigal Chattah, who had said in text messages that were leaked that Ford should be hanging from a crane.

After Tarkanian made those endorsements, the Nevada Republican Party took to criticizing her, calling her a “failed chair” who has strong ties to Gov. Steve Sisolak and other Democrats.

Tarkanian was the chair of the Republican Party from June 2011 until February 2012 when she resigned to avoid a conflict of interest when her husband, the son of legendary UNLV basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian, ran for a seat in the U.S House of Representatives.

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