LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Heidi Kasama has not had an easy path in her quest to join the Clark County Commission.
The three-term Republican assemblywoman — who represents one of the closest Assembly districts in the state — faced a competitive primary, ultimately beating businessman Albert Mack 54% to 43% after an expensive and nasty primary.
Now, Kasama is locked in a three-way race for the District F seat being vacated by Justin Jones, who chose not to run for re-election. Her foes are Democrat Minja Yan and former Republican state Sen. Becky Harris, who is running as an independent.
Although she says polling shows her ahead, Kasama isn't taking anything for granted, touting her work as a Realtor, a degree in accounting and her six years in Carson City as essential experience.
"I don't think you want to have a candidate for the Clark County Commission, which is a really important seat, you don't want to have somebody that's practicing on that," Kasama said in an interview with Channel 13.
"I think it's just ... because of my years in the community, people do know me and I do feel I have a strong crossover from all people because of just the reputation I've had in town and, hopefully, my character and how I've worked hard and people seem to remember that."
They may also remember Kasama from her presidency of the Las Vegas Realtors, as well as Nevada Realtors, her first elected jobs.
Although the county commission — unlike, say, city councils in Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas and Boulder City — are partisan jobs, Kasama says the work doesn't cut along party lines.
"I haven't seen really any evidence of that [partisanship] and I would want to continue with that, because we have really important work to do," she said. "There are seven of us, and we all have to work together and make sure we're focused on what is important to the community."
If elected Nov. 3, Kasama would be just the second Republican elected to the commission in the last 18 years. Attorney April Becker was elected in 2024.
WATCH | Heidi Kasama talks county issues
Kasama says she hears about the cost of living, including gasoline and groceries, when she talks to voters, but she says that public safety is one of her top priorities.
"You know, you can have the best school, you can have the best restaurant, but if you don't feel safe getting out of your car and walking to the restaurant, if you don't feel like your kid can even walk a block to school, that is a critical issue for our communities and our neighborhoods," she says.
Water is another critical issue, especially with proposed cuts from the federal government to Nevada's Colorado River allocation. She says there's enough water to continue development for now, but that future cuts put that in doubt.
"We have to take that into account when we do approve development, because we have to look at what is the water potential based on the current situation we're in," she said. "And if there's not enough water for more housing or more people, we have to take that into account with approving the development."
When it comes to affordable housing, Kasama draws on her real estate background. "Land is the basis for the cost of that house that is being built, and the cost of that land is what's going to drive the price of the house," she says. "And so, for our attainable housing, we do need to work with the federal government for the release of some of the [federally owned] lands."
Asked about Yan's top priority — light rail — Kasama says she likes the idea, but the cost makes it too prohibitive. "I think light rail would be a wonderful thing for us to have, but I think at this point it's the economics," she said. "But I think the cost right now, Clark County is facing some issues with their budget."
Yan has suggested tax-increment financing, in which the increase in value of properties near the light rail system would pay for the costs, although that plan would divert tax money that would otherwise go to the county for other needs.
COMING WEDNESDAY: Democratic candidate Minja Yan
COMING THURSDAY: Nonpartisan candidate Becky Harris
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