Nevada candidates call for fraud enforcement, healthcare aid

Editor's note: This is part of a series previewing the congressional and statewide races in the Nevada primary election, set for June 9. The election will determine which Democrats and Republicans will face each other in the Nov. 3 general election. These stories feature comments from candidates who agreed to interviews with The Center Square. Candidates in Nevada's 4th Congressional District are debating healthcare policies and fraud enforcement ahead of the June 9 primary elections. The district contains parts of northern Las Vegas and vast portions of rural land including Death Valley. U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nevada, is seeking his fifth consecutive term in the district after being elected in 2018. He previously represented the district from 2013 to 2015, before losing the seat to Republican Cresent Hardy. Horsford is the only Democrat running to represent the district, which led Nevada to cancel its Democratic primary for June 9. However, three Republicans are vying to challenge Horsford and change policies in the district. The Republican who wins in the party's June 9 primary will face Horsford in the Nov. 3 general election. Anthony Snowden, a healthcare professional and former Marine, is among the Republicans seeking to challenge Horsford. He said Horsford has not been responsive to the needs of the district since he was elected. "He got in that seat, and for the whole time he's been there has done nothing essentially to affect the community, the citizens in Las Vegas, none of that," Snowden told The Center Square. Horsford did not respond to The Center Square's multiple requests for an interview. His campaign has focused on increasing healthcare affordability, and he has boasted of his efforts to fight back against repealing the Affordable Care Act and capping drug prices. "Now, thousands of Nevadans will see their prescription drug prices capped at $2,000 a year, and the price of some of the costliest medications will be negotiated to save them even more," Horsford's website reads. Snowden said he supports the Trump administration's pursuit of health savings accounts. He said taxpayer dollars should go to programs that promote competition in the healthcare market, rather than relying on federal subsidies. "That allows them to go and select their own healthcare providers, and it gives more accountability to the system," Snowden said. "You don't have to wait 30, 60, 90 days in order to receive treatment because treatment delayed is treatment denied." Snowden has also pushed for more accountability in federal aid programs, including Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. He applauded the efforts of the Trump administration to pursue fraud in federal programs and called for more cooperation with state and local governments to identify fraud. "See exactly what's going on and why those funds aren't reaching the people they're supposed to be reaching and why they're not involved in that process as well," Snowden said. Snowden pointed to fraud in Community Development Block Grants, a federal program that appropriates funds for housing, food assistance and disaster recovery in low-income communities across the country. "Taxpayers are sick and tired of paying for a bunch of stuff that's not actually getting to the community and I think that needs to be straightened out," Snowden said. He said residents in the 4th Congressional District are missing out on resources from community development block grants because of fraudulent actors. Snowden added that community aid for the programs is not provided properly. "Job creation, business development, involvement of the faith-based communities [should] have those processes to be driven by the residents rather than being driven by government agencies," Snowden said. Horsford leads the pack in donations across both political parties, with more than $2.4 million in contributions, according to the most recent Federal Election Commission filings. Horsford has received campaign contributions from the Major League Baseball Political Action Committee, United Mine Workers of America, and the Johnson and Johnson PAC. Cody Whipple, a small business owner and Republican vying for the party's nomination on June 9, is the leader among Republican candidates on fundraising. He has received more than $322,000 in contributions to his campaign, according to recent FEC filings. Whipple also took out $300,000 in loans toward his campaign. He boasted of his efforts to self-fund a campaign for the U.S. House. Many of his reported campaign contributions come from individual donations or himself. "I'm proud to invest in my own campaign," Whipple said. "[My wife and I] will continue to support this campaign with everything we have." Whipple said he would focus his campaign on supporting small businesses and ranchers throughout Nevada. He did not respond to The Center Square's requests for an interview. Ronda Kennedy, a constitutional attorney and Republican candidate in the 4th Congressional District, has focused her campaign on enforcing the Trump administration's immigration policies and supporting small businesses. Kennedy boasted of her work to fight against closures of gun stores during the COVID-19 pandemic. "She defended small businesses across California and Nevada that were unjustly threatened with closure and fines — and she won," Kennedy's website reads. Kennedy has recieved $50,000 in contributions, according to the most recent available data. Most of her contributions are from individual donors. Kennedy did not reply to the The Center Square's request for an interview. Voting centers in Nevada are open now through June 5 across Nevada. Voters can also submit a mail-in ballot through the state's universal mail-in ballot program. Polls are open on June 9 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, go to the Nevada Secretary of State's website, nvsos.gov. Early election results will be published on the evening of June 9 at www.thecentersquare.com/nevada.