There are four filed Republican candidates in this race. All four responded to this interview request – Sam England, Chris Forbush, Al Kramer and Incumbent PK ONeill. The winner of the Primary will face an Independent American Party candidate in the General Election.
I grew up in Ely, graduated valedictorian from high school, then left on a 2 year full-time mission to Brazil for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After two years, I returned and went to school for 8 years at BYU. I started and ran a personal training company during my undergrad while studying Portuguese, Political Science, and Business. I then went to Law School at BYU and graduated with honors debt free. I served as an intern for 2 full state legislative sessions while in school, once as the chief assistant to the Republican Majority Whip in the Utah House of Representatives and second as a legal research and drafting assistant to a state Senator while in law school. I am currently an independent contract attorney.
Assembly District 40 includes all of Carson City, Washoe Valley, and a small portion of south Reno. The district is heavily weighted in Republican favor.
I am running to remove PK O’Neill from office (he voted for the largest tax increase in Nevada history last session) and replace him with a true Constitutional Conservative who understands the proper role of government and sees, and is willing to fight against, the increasingly socialistic measures that are coming down the pike in Nevada.
Additionally, I am an attorney and I have spent the better part of the last 15 years studying the law, political science, and history. I am the most widely read candidate in this race in the political philosophy of the Constitution and the Founding Fathers. I am uniquely capable and qualified in this race to read and understand bills and push back against the attorneys in the state government, like Governor Sandoval, Mike Roberson, and others, that have steamrolled the rest of the legislature. Having worked two full legislative sessions, I am also the most experienced candidate, understanding all aspects of the legislative process.
4. There is a well noted and ongoing split among many in the Nevada Republican Party. Define your philosophy in regards to this ‘moderate conservative’ versus ‘tea party’ divisiveness.
I have only a few brief thoughts regarding the divisiveness of liberal Republicans (so-called ‘moderate conservatives’ which are better known as RINOs) versus conservative Republicans (tea party, which term seems to have fallen into some disfavor since the 2012 election). Liberal Republicans will be the death of the GOP if the GOP doesn’t turn around and start embracing its conservative principles again and standing firm on its platform. Real conservatives, those who love and revere our founding documents, our unalienable rights, our freedom, are removing their names from the GOP lists because the party has been hi-jacked by liberals that are tearing us apart. We have to stop the hemorrhaging by telling the less-conservative candidates in each race to get out, and by getting behind the best conservative people we can find up and down the ballot.
The Commerce Tax – I am presently gathering signatures from every person willing to sign the petition to get the Commerce Tax on the ballot as I knock doors in every precinct in District 40. If the petition fails, in the Assembly I will propose legislation to mitigate the damaging effects of the Commerce tax. An example would be the Commerce Tax’s $4 million threshold, over which companies are taxed on their gross revenue. Nothing in the current legislation prevents that threshold from being legislatively lowered. I will propose legislation to freeze the threshold.
Minimum Wage – They say “as goes California, so goes the rest of the nation.” Well, California just voted for a disastrous minimum wage increase to $15.00/hr. CA companies are already adopting technologies to now cut back on employees. The wage increase is killing jobs. I will fight against any proposed minimum wage increase in Nevada. I don’t want our government to legislate people out of a job under the pretext of helping them.
Gun Rights – I want to see Campus Carry adopted this time around and will oppose any further measures whose effect would further chill our 2nd Amendment right.
Question 1 – I am opposed to any new legislation that would infringe on the right to keep and bear arms, and that means the right to acquire or transfer firearms.
Question 2 – If the measure is approved by voters, then I, as a public servant, am obligated to follow the will of the voters in the matter.
See my response to Question 5.
If Nevada had control of the federally managed public lands and could, at will, develop the resources thereof, we could become the wealthiest state in the union. I encourage prudent development and use of natural resources within the state where possible and where it is done with the interest of Nevadans and the State of Nevada in mind.
Regarding coal power plants, the EPA has already promulgated such strict emissions regulations on coal-fired plants that the environment is under no danger. I have no positions against such plants as they operate within the bounds already set and I would encourage their continued energy production.
Vote for me. Visit my website at www.ChrisForbush.com. Contribute to my campaign and let’s put a real Constitutional Conservative back into the Assembly.