An estimated 35 to 40 people came armed with questions for the two candidates who showed up for a legislative Candidates Night put on by the League of Women Voters of Western Nevada County Thursday night at the Rood Center. In their opening statements, both Jim Reed and Rob Rowen, both Democrats, expressed concerns about lagging rural economies and a lack of jobs in their districts, among numerous issues that came up for nearly 2 hours. Reed, who is trying for the second time to unseat Republican Doug LaMalfa in Congress, saw the lack of opposing candidates as an opportunity…
Rob Rowen, who is seeking to unseat Republican Ted Gaines in the State Senate, says Gaines has declined to appear in every forum this year…
A number of audience members did not know that all the other candidates wouldn’t be there, including Paula Crow of Grass Valley…
Reed and Rowen agreed, at least philosophically, on most of the issuees that came up from the audience, as well as a media panel, including the legalization of recreational marijuana…increasing the minimum wage…and stricter gun control. But Rowen sees Sites Reservoir as a big solution to the districts’ water supply stability, while Reed sees more storage as a smaller part of the issue.
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