Waltho, a Naft appointee, seeks Jones’s county commission seat

Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones is facing a situation to his re-election bid from possibly an improbable source: Fellow region lawmaker Michael Naft’s readying commissioner.

Jenna Waltho, a Republican, announced connected Thursday that she plans to question predetermination to the region committee successful District F, saying that her past and existent civic roles person “cemented my tendency to further service my community.”

“I firmly judge that the decisions made by the Clark County Commission indispensable commencement with the residents and the voters,” she said successful a connection sent to the Las Vegas Review-Journal done her campaign.

“Most of my decisions contiguous arsenic a Planning Commissioner are advisory successful nature,” she said. “I privation to beryllium successful the presumption to enactment with the neighborhoods and applicants to get astatine a win-win last decision.”

Waltho, 36, was appointed to the readying committee successful January by Naft, who cited her “ability to recognize the needs of her neighbors and the improvement community” successful a Facebook station astatine the time.

Naft caught disconnected guard

Now 8 months into her four-year readying committee term, Waltho is eyeing higher office. The determination caught Naft, a Democrat, by surprise.

“I’m disappointed,” Naft said by phone. “I deliberation that she makes a bully readying commissioner.”

Naft said helium he had expected her attraction to beryllium afloat focused connected the readying committee and lone precocious recovered retired that she intended to run.

He added that helium is “obviously afloat supportive” of Jones’ reelection campaign.

Jones: ‘proud of my record’

Jones, 46, a Democrat, confirmed helium volition beryllium seeking a 2nd word connected the commission. He touted the board’s efforts to guarantee vaccines were wide accessible and to assistance tiny businesses and families facing eviction during a COVID-19 pandemic that has brought “unprecedented challenges.”

“I americium arrogant of my grounds of listening and starring with my bosom and volition proceed to combat each time to conscionable the needs of my District F constituents,” helium said successful a connection to the Review-Journal.

Protecting agrarian neighborhoods

Waltho did not knock Jones successful her run announcement, but alternatively spoke of her civic background, which included 4 years connected the Enterprise Town Advisory Board. She was chairwoman for the past 2 years.

She is simply a lifelong blimpish who archetypal registered arsenic Republican successful 2015 earlier soon switching to nonpartisan portion a subordinate of Junior League of Las Vegas, a women’s enactment that promotes voluntarism, according to her campaign. She re-registered arsenic a Republican successful July.

Waltho said her priorities were to marque neighborhoods much harmless and supply them with much amenities, amended infrastructure, beryllium a transparent lawmaker and necessitate transitional buffering adjacent agrarian preservation neighborhoods.

She besides said she would privation to enactment with developers to guarantee caller developments were energy- and water-efficient.

Waltho has lived successful Nevada for 14 years and is simply a postgraduate of Kansas State University, according to her campaign. She is an adjunct manager astatine Fendi wrong the Forum Shops astatine Caesars Palace, the run said.

The District F spot is 1 of 3 up for predetermination successful 2022. Commissioners Tick Segerblom (District E) and Jim Gibson (District G) confirmed Thursday they would question to clasp their seats.

The filing play for non-judicial races begins March 7 and the superior predetermination is June 14.

Contact Shea Johnson astatine sjohnson@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-0272. Follow @Shea_LVRJ connected Twitter.