WINNEMUCCA — While some continue to mull over their choices, others have made their way to the County Clerk’s front desk to officially become candidates for public office. The DA, sheriff, and the one open county commission seat all became contested races this week.

The campaign for DA has officially become a three-way race. Kevin Pasquale filed his candidate’s paperwork on Thursday (March 4) to challenge current office-holder Russell Smith.  Local attorney Mike Macdonald filed earlier this week. 

The DA’s office is a partisan one.  Smith filed to run on the Republican ticket, Macdonald for the Democratic ticket, and Pasquale will run on the Independent Party of America ticket – so all three will pass through the primary and advance to the general election.

Pasquale is originally from Paradise Valley but now lives and practices law in Fallon.

He has long followed the news from home, he said, and has become concerned about some of the issues – issues he’d like to see as part of the election discussion -- like  the proposed new landfill, child support enforcement, and legal representation to county boards – just to name a few.  He said when governing boards have confidence in their legal representation they listen.

For the last ten years Pasquale  practiced civil law but for 12 years before that he was the district attorney of Churchill County  and was a deputy DA for 18 months before that. He commented, “I’ve prosecuted every kind of case from dogs barking to homicide.”

He acknowledged the experience of all three candidates but said he brought the most to the office.  “All three candidates have a track record, but there are very few in the state whose track record will compare to mine,” Pasquale said.

Pasquale called his opponents good guys and said was looking forward to the campaign.

The sheriff’s race also become crowded on Thursday. Sheriff Ed Kilgore previously filed for reelection and Andy Rorex filed to challenge. Now Bob Davidson Sr. has filed, as well. The office is non-partisan and only the two with the most votes will advance to the general election after the primary in June.

Davidson said his background in both law enforcement and business was just what the sheriff’s office needed.  Over his long career in law enforcement he worked everything from patrol to investigations; as a businessman he pointed to his successful business operations, which included managing construction crews of a hundred men or more.

“I think the department could use some administrative help,” Davidson said. “There are a lot of good deputies but they’re short on administration .. you need someone who can take care of the business.”

Davidson said he believes in running a tight fiscal operation and said the budget needs to be examined to see if there’s any trimming that could take place.

In addition, he hopes to develop programs like Winnemucca used to have that brought the young people and law enforcement together in a positive way.  Many, many people of a certain age will remember when Davidson was the local  juvenile probation officer. At that time there were more programs for young people and less juvenile crime, he said.  “Keep ‘em busy and they won’t have time to cause trouble,” he said with a laugh.

Filing to run for the seat being vacated by Commissioner Chuck Giordano, who’s term-limited out, is local resident Bill Douglas.  Douglas will challenge Jim French, who filed earlier this week.  Both are new to the political process.

Douglas said he decided to run for commissioner because he saw it as a way of serving the community and he thought he could make a positive impact.  He commented, “During this time of economic downturn there needs to be fresh ideas and an emphasis on fiscal responsibility.” As for the hot topic this election season, especially for those seeking a commission seek, Douglas said he thinks residents should be allowed to vote on the landfill issue.

Primarily, though, he just wants to help people, he said.  Serving as a commissioner would be an extension of the work he’s done throughout his life, which has always been in areas of service to community.

Formerly a law enforcement officer and a military man, Douglas went back to school to get his degree in education.  Now a licensed teacher, he works as a substitute teacher for Humboldt County School District. As a substitute he has traveled across the county, which allows him to see the needs of the whole as opposed to just one area of the county.

Douglas’s military service everything from military police to international police trainer, nuclear/biological/chemical warfare, and human resources. He’s worked across Nevada in law enforcement including the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office.  

Douglas felt this kind of varied background would serve him well on the county commission.