Clark County Dems to select new chair, shake up leadership

As Clark County Republicans choose whether they need new leadership, Clark County Democrats soon will pick new leaders of the county party as well.

Members of the Clark County Democratic Party Central Committee will choose on Saturday a new chairperson as well as other party leaders who will see the party through the 2024 election.

Political organizer Shelby Wiltz and Carolyn Murray, currently the first vice chair of the party, are vying to replace Chair Chris Roberts, who is not seeking re-election.

Just a few months ago, Democrats elected new leaders of the state party, replacing Judith Whitmer with Assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno, signaling Democratic establishment regaining control from the party’s more liberal progressive wing.

Shelby Wiltz

Wiltz, who is running alongside a slate of other candidates running for county party seats, said she and her “mission slate” have three goals: unite, empower and organize.

Before moving to Las Vegas in 2018 to work as an organizing director for the state party, Wiltz worked on campaigns across the country, including Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and the Virginia governor’s races in 2013 and 2017, she said.

In 2018, she helped flip Republican seats blue and get Sen. Jacky Rosen elected, she said. After that, she became the caucus director for the state party and ran the caucus process. She now works remotely for a political communications and advertising firm as a consultant.

If elected, she wants to bring new voices to the table and make sure those who may not identify as Democrats but share similar values can participate in the party.

“Even though we’re all part of the same party, some people are going to be more moderate, some people are going to be more liberal, and there’s going to be a lot of people in between,” Wiltz said.

Historically, Clark County’s organizing has helped candidates win elections, Wiltz said, and she wants to build on that legacy.

“We prove that just because we’re a small state, just because it’s hot, (and) just because we don’t always get the resources, doesn’t mean that we’re not capable of winning elections and making sure that people in Nevada are safe and protected,” Wiltz said.

If elected, Wiltz wants to make sure President Joe Biden wins his re-election, but she also wants to help down-ballot races that have the most direct impacts on Nevadans, such as school boards and other local positions.

Carolyn Murray

Murray declined to comment for the story, but in her candidate declaration form said she has the experience and necessary skills to be an effective chair. She was elected first vice chair for the 2021-to-2023 term and served as a commission district representative in the executive board in the term prior. She also has worked on mayoral and gubernatorial campaigns and worked on President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign, according to her statement.

“In 2016 I joined the State Central Committee,” she wrote. “These meetings have given me the opportunity to have a greater understanding of the need for the Clark County Democratic Party to have strong leadership in place on the county and state level.”

If elected, she will work to have an “inclusive and productive working relationship” between the executive board and clubs and caucuses.

For a full list of candidates running for a seat in the Clark County Democratic Party’s election, visit its website.

Contact Jessica Hill at jehill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jess_hillyeah on Twitter.