Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Progress over chaos’: Obama, Dems stress getting out to vote in North Las Vegas rally

Obama Headlines Early Voting Rally

Steve Marcus

Former President Barack Obama poses for photos after speaking at an early voting rally at Cheyenne High School in North Las Vegas Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022.

Obama Headlines Early Voting Rally

Former President Barack Obama speaks during an early voting rally at Cheyenne High School in North Las Vegas Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Launch slideshow »

Former President Barack Obama’s message on Tuesday to Nevadans was simple: Vote.

“This election requires every one of us to do our part,” said Obama, who was the main attraction during rally at Cheyenne High School in North Las Vegas to energize supporters ahead of in next week’s midterm election.

“I get why you might be worried about the course of our country. But I’m here to tell you, Nevada, that tuning out is not an option. Moping and feeling cynical is not an option.”

Obama warned about the integrity of future elections, as well as the fate of social security and abortion access, if Democrats lose control of Congress. In the battleground state of Nevada, Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto is in a close contest with former Attorney General Adam Laxalt in a race that could determine the majority of the U.S. Senate.

The Senate is currently split 50-50 among Democrats and Republicans with Vice President Kamala Harris and her tie-breaking vote swinging the majority to the Democrats. Should Republicans pick up one additional seat in the midterms, they will control the chamber.

“If someone needs a ride, drive them,” said Nevada U.S. House Rep. Susie Lee, who is running for reelection in the 3rd Congressional District. “We’re running against people who are going to line up and ban abortion nationwide. We need everyone to get everyone out there because there is so much on the line. This election is about progress over chaos.”

Nevada Democrats are expected to be in close races up and down the ballot, including the showdown for governor between Democratic incumbent Steve Sisolak and challenger Joe Lombardo, and the Secretary of State contest between Democrat Cisco Aguilar and election-denier Republican Jim Marchant.

Obama was joined on stage in the Cheyenne High gymnasium by reinforcements with a similar message of urgency, including award-winning singer/songwriter John Legend. Legend, who has a residency at Caesars Palace, called on voters to reject cynicism and embrace candidates who advocate for “inclusion and hope.”

“We have a lot of power if we use it,” Legend said. “We’re at a real inflection point in this country. What happens in this election will affect what happens long after this election.

“Let’s break every voter turnout record in Nevada,” Legend continued.

Sisolak acknowledged Democrats in Nevada have an uphill battle to thwart challenges from their Republican counterparts. Multiple polls show Sisolak and Cortez Masto in close races.

The governor painted Republican challenger Joe Lombardo as a “corrupt,” and “bought-and-paid-for” politician who would take away funding from public schools and restrict abortion access.

“My opponent is trying to keep you in the dark the whole time on where he stands,” Sisolak said. “He doesn’t care about working families. He cares about his rich billionaire friends and major corporations that he wants to give a tax break to, and raise your taxes. He’s proved he’ll say and do anything to get elected, and he thinks you’re not smart enough to see the truth.”

In a statement, Lombardo campaign spokeswoman Elizabeth Ray criticized Sisolak for campaigning with celebrities instead of working for Nevadans.

“The sad reality is that Steve Sisolak would rather campaign with Californians and out-of-state politicians than fix the pressing issues facing Nevada,” she said.

Aguilar, the Democratic nominee for Nevada Secretary of State, riled up the crowd and called his Republican opponent, Jim Marchant, “the most dangerous candidate in America” for echoing former President Donald Trump’s false claim that the 2020 presidential election was rigged. Those claims have been repeatedly disproven, and continuing to perpetuate them casts Marchant’s fitness for office into doubt, Aguilar said.

“He is an extremist, a failed business owner … and a Trump-loving election denier,” Aguilar said. “You deserve a secretary of state who will be honest with you, and will respect the decisions you made at the ballot box.”

Rally attendee John Reece said ahead of the event that the future of democracy was at stake, because of candidates like Marchant. The 47-year-old Reece recently moved to Las Vegas from Texas, and said his voter registration card came in the mail on Monday.

“What’s at stake is our democracy itself,” Reece said. “That’s what’s at stake. None of the issues, none of them matter. Because if we don’t have a democracy, if we don’t have a country, if we don’t have a constitution, we don’t anything else. You can’t build a house if you don’t have a secure foundation.”

Another attendee, Donna Smith, 59, of Las Vegas said she agrees with Aguilar’s platforms and thinks voting should be as accessible as possible.

“I’m concerned about people not being able to come out and vote, or not being able to vote because of the roadblocks by others to get out and vote,” Smith said. “A lot of people don’t feel like their vote matters. So they don’t vote.”

Tuesday marked the first time Smith, who moved from California in 2020, saw Obama talk. In fact, she said, it was one of the reasons why she showed out in the first place.

“I’ve always been a big supporter of President Obama,” Smith said. “He’s just a good, kind, decent person. He just stands for what’s right.”