Opinion: Sheriff candidate Rey Reynolds addresses campaign rumor

Reynolds says rumor of him offering administrative position for endorsement is ‘100 percent completely false’

Rey Reynolds
Candidate for Clark County Sheriff

Editor’s note: In the race for Clark County Sheriff, Rey Reynolds and John Horch advanced from the Aug. 2 primary election to the Nov. 8 general election. Candidate Dave Shook finished third in the primary voting.

First, I want to say THANK YOU Clark County for advancing me past the primary election. Every vote is so special to me; I promise to continue to earn your vote through the general and beyond.

I also want to say thank you to Dave Shook. If you haven’t seen on social media, Dave has endorsed me in the sheriff race, and I have asked him to come beside me to help bring about the change that is desperately needed at the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

I want to address the rumors being floated, which say that Dave only endorsed me because I promised him a position in my cabinet. These rumors are 100 percent completely false, and they’re insulting, quite frankly.

During the campaign trail, Dave and I got to know each other, and I came to appreciate and admire his passion, intelligence, experience, and ideas to bring positive change to Clark County. Our platforms were similar, despite some minor differences. These differences are a good thing, because we can bring our thoughts together, learn from each other, and draw out the best ideas that are most likely to be fruitful and weeding out what probably won’t work. This is a healthy way to be inclusive of all opinions and work together to find the best solutions.

Dave and I both want a SAFE Clark County, and enforcement deputies, jailers, and support staff who feel heard and cared for. We both want to help the homelessness issue, to have a functional and safe jail, to support the citizens with a sheriff’s office that empowers well-trained deputies with the resources necessary to do their jobs.

As staffing levels plummet and crime skyrockets in our once-safe county, it’s clear the status quo is not working: We need real leadership in Clark County. No, I’m not in an administrative position. However, I believe I am the leader who will bring together the best of the best, starting with Dave, to make the changes necessary at CCSO. Working together, we can bring up staffing through better pay, improved working conditions, and boosted morale, offering a supportive environment to deputies. Increased staffing means better public safety, which means that deputies can proactively patrol and protect the community, not simply respond once crimes are already committed. They can only do this if we elect someone who can LEAD the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, not simply manage it.

The position of sheriff is nonpartisan: It isn’t Democrat vs. Republican. It’s not about how the candidates have voted or where they fall on the political spectrum. A sheriff takes an oath to uphold the Constitution for ALL citizens, not just the ones with whom she/he agrees. Dave and I don’t care about who we’ve voted for; we care about each other’s integrity, our love of the deputies, our vision to make Clark County safe again.

This country was founded by people of many different opinions and ideas, and they were able to bring out the best of all of them to establish this wonderful country. I believe we can do the same thing right here in Clark County.

With each of us, along with a few other trusted advisors, bringing our strengths to the table and focusing on the needs of the CCSO and the community as a whole, I am confident Clark County will return to the wonderful place it once was under a Reynolds administration.

Please join me in this campaign. Join me, Rey Reynolds, to make Clark County safe again. 