Government 101

Let’s pretend we’re back in high school. Don’t worry, you don’t need a date for the prom! We’re just going to brush up on our civics.

There are 3 branches of the United States federal government. They are the executive, judicial, and legislative branches. Our wise Founding Fathers wanted to avoid concentrating too much power in one place.

The legislative branch refers to “congress,” which is made up of the Senate and the House. 

The Senate is made up of 100 senators, 2 from each of the 50 states. Senators are elected for a 6-year term.

Are you with me so far? It’s all coming back to you, isn’t it?

The House is made up of 435 congressmen and women. That number is the maximum allowed by the Constitution and has been in effect since 1913. 

We call these people “representatives.” 

Each state has a different number of representatives, determined by population. Representatives are elected for a 2-year term.

Remember learning about “The Great Compromise?” This is what your high school government teacher was trying to explain! After extensive debate, the framers of the Constitution agreed to create the House with representation based on population and the Senate with equal representation so that all states big and small would be happy. Pretty smart, right?

Among other duties, representatives introduce bills and resolutions, offer amendments, serve on committees, and communicate with their constituents. Seriously, when I’m elected, I’ll still send you cool emails like this!

To be elected, a representative must be at least 25 years old, a United States citizen for at least seven years, and an inhabitant of the state he or she represents. You DO NOT have to live in the same district that you represent, which I think is really strange. 

The state of Nevada has four congressional districts. I am running for United States Congress in Nevada’s first district. I DO live in NV-01. I will be accountable to the people I represent because they are my friends and neighbors.

District 1 includes Boulder City, much of Henderson, and parts of Las Vegas. Shout out to the eastside!

Right now, the representative for NV-1 is Dina Titus. She has been in congress since 2012. She is up for re-election in November 2022. Tick tock, Dina.

Dina Titus is a Democrat. The Republican Party wants to challenge her with the strongest Republican candidate they can find. Hello, Colonel (R) Robertson!

Right now, there are two people who are trying to become the Republican nominee. I am one of them. 

It is possible that more candidates will enter the race. They have until March 19, 2022 to file.

On June 14, 2022, a “primary” election will be held where all the Republican candidates will go against each other on the ballot. The one who receives the greatest number of votes will challenge the Democrat incumbent in November. 

Nevada has a “closed primary” system which means that only voters who are registered as Republicans can vote in the Republican primary election in June. 

So, if you are registered as an Independent, or you’re a Democrat who is unhappy with the direction they are taking our country, please consider changing your party affiliation to Republican. It’s really easy!

Right now, the approval ratings for Democrats from Joe Biden all the way down to Dina Titus are very low. Turns out that the majority of Americans are not down for record inflation, open borders, defunding the police, weak foreign policy, and tyrannical government control.

We are expecting a “red wave” during this election cycle! 

The 2022 election is called a “midterm” election because it is halfway through the current president’s term. Only two more years, folks. We can make it!

In the Nevada midterms, you will find 1 U.S. Senate seat, all 4 U.S. congressional seats, all state assembly seats, some state senate seats, the governorship, and the entire executive cabinet including Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Treasurer, and Comptroller on the ballot. Time for an upgrade!

So, here’s what you can do: Get involved! Get to know your candidates. Make your voice heard. Your vote matters. Don’t sit it out. America is worth fighting for.

And now that you’ve completed this refresher course on civics, share it with all your friends and neighbors. Together, we can make a stand for freedom, opportunity, and the American values that our Founding Fathers fought so hard for. 

The Constitution gives the power to WE THE PEOPLE. Let’s use it wisely. Class dismissed.