Leavitt facing 2 challengers in bid for re-election

A Democrat and a member of the Independent American Party are facing off against the Republican incumbent in Assembly District 23.

Republican Glen Leavitt, who was first elected in November 2018, is a longtime Boulder City resident and works for the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada. He previously served as chairman of the city’s Planning Commission.

Democrat Brent Foutz was one of eight candidates vying for a seat on the Boulder City Council in the 2019 municipal election, but lost. A retired Spanish and geography teacher, he did not return several interview requests from the Review Journal.

Last year, Foutz was found guilty of trespassing and resisting a public officer at the Nevada State Veterans Home in Boulder City, where he was volunteering. He is appealing his conviction.

Bill Hoge, who is running as an independent, ran for Nevada state treasurer in 2018. He also served as a Republican in the the California Assembly and has a record of voting against increased taxes.

Leavitt said that his primary focus this upcoming session, if re-elected, would be to promote legislation that would help kickstart small businesses and the economy.

He said he was disappointed with the results of the two special sessions held this summer to address issues related to the pandemic.

“We should have focused more on looking at programs that we could reduce costs on, rather than looking to maybe tax,” he said.

Leavitt said that there were new programs put in place last session that the Legislature might be able to revisit in the upcoming session to help cut back costs.

He prided himself on building relations with other lawmakers while still promoting his ideals in the last session, and had been a cosigner on 63 bills. He said he believes his votes align with the viewpoints of his constituents.

“I truly believe this is a public service job, I don’t believe it’s for anything but to serve the people that we do,” he said.

But Hoge disagreed, saying Leavitt doesn’t represent his constituents and “leans much more to being a Democrat than he does a Republican.”

Added Hoge: “I’m just the guy that can take him out.”

Hoge said he supports a limited government, with the least amount of taxes, and criticized Gov. Steve Sisolak for ordering some businesses to shut down to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

In the midst of the economic crisis in Nevada, Hoge said that the state’s expenses have to be cut. He suggested the state look at every one of its agencies — except law enforcement — and cut expenses by at least 10 percent.

As a last pitch to his constituents, he said he has the background and history of sticking to his word.

“No bologna, no lies, no misrepresentations, I will do exactly as I say I’m going to do,” he said. “And when people understand that, they will vote for me.”

Contact Briana Erickson at berickson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5244. Follow @ByBrianaE on Twitter.