News - October 17, 2024 - by Ray Hagar

- Click for Full Interview

Editor's note: Greg Kidd's campaign would prefer that their candidate be described as No Political Party (NPP) and not "non-partisan."

Non-partisan challenger Greg Kidd tied Nevada's 2nd U.S. House District Rep. Mark Amodei to a do-nothing Congress during the first day of a two-day debate on Nevada Newsmakers Thursday.

Amodei, a Republican from Carson City who has been in Congress for 14 years, painted Kidd's non-partisan campaign as a sham, saying he's supported by the Nevada Democratic Party and it's 2024 U.S. Senate candidate, incumbent Sen. Jacky Rosen.

Kidd, however, was aggressive throughout the debate in his criticism of the inaction of Congress.

"I look at the rate of bills passed in the 118th Congress," Kidd told host Sam Shad and, co-host Mark Robison of the Reno Gazette-Journal. "I can't think of a single thing that's been passed you'd be proud to talk about. "

Later in the 30-minute debate, he added, "The 118th Congress, there's nothing there. Yeah, we changed a few post-office names. We gave Billie Jean King some sort of memorial, but we need more and have to have a higher standard for what's coming out of Congress.

"There was a time when the most liberal Republican and conservative Democrat, I sorry, overlapped and we had a middle and we got things done," Kidd said.

Amodei, a former assemblyman and state senator from Carson City, wasn't buying Kidd's campaigning as an independent voice.

"You're endorsed by (Democratic U.S. Sen.) Jacky Rosen and you're voting for Kamala Harris, and you're endorsed by the Nevada Democratic Party and end of sentence," Amodei said.

The debate, broadcast Thursday, will continue Friday on Nevada Newsmakers.

Amodei said Kidd's campaign is not non-partisan. Instead, it is about attacking an incumbent Republican.

"I mean, the discussion of non-partisanship is rich when we're talking about term limits," Amodei said, referring to one of Kidd's themes in his advertising.

"It sounds like it's a 'I want to get rid of the Republican incumbent campaign,' which is entirely within Greg's realm to do to run his campaign," Amodei said. "But to come in here and say, 'Oh, it's all about non-partisanship and can't we all get along? That ain't what's going on in this campaign, because I've been under attack. It feels like, "Get rid of the Republican to me.'"

Kidd defended his non-partisanship, saying he would vote on the merits of an issue and not if it were backed by Democrats or Republicans.

"We both know Congress is dysfunctional," Kidd said. "It's part of the reason why I'm running in this race as a non-partisan. I'm looking to vote on the issue, so I don't care whether there's an R next to the name or the D next to the name. If it is good for the country, if it is good for the district. I'm going to vote for it."

Amodei, when confronted with the lack of legislation passed by Congress, pointed out numerous things he has done for the citizens of Nevada's 2nd District that are not covered by the national media.

He said he is a believer in the "lost art of oversight," or holding Washington bureaucrats' feet to the fire.

He said recently helped stop the U.S. Postal Service plan to reroute Reno-area mail processing to Sacramento.

"The fact that I was in a position to call up the Comptroller General and say, 'I want you to audit the Post Office's plan,' and that'll be out in a couple of weeks, by the way.

"But when you ask somebody to audit something they call the post office, all of a sudden the Postmaster General says (about the Reno plan), 'You know, we're not going to do that anymore.' They know how that audit is going to turn out," Amodei said.

"Let's go back even farther," Amodei continued. "During Covid, we were having a problem with veterans being able to get shots from the VA (Veterans Administration), even though the VA had their own set of of entitlements to Covid shots. And when we found out that that they weren't necessarily making that robust, you call the VA and say, 'What's the deal here?' And that changes."

He also talked about fighting the Union Pacific Railroad on behalf of small towns in Nevada.
"You're in a position to call them (railroad executives) up and say, "Hey, I'm taking you in front of the State Transportation Board, making a presentation on what nasty neighbors you are.' And guess what? Things are getting better."

Kidd, an investor/entrepreneur, made financial news earlier this year by investing $53 million in Vast Bank’s holding company, Vast Holdings, Inc., according to the Tulsa (Okla.) World.

Although this is his first time running for federal office, Kidd said his previous work the the Federal Reserve gave him insights into Congress and U.S. government.

"I'm going to encourage other congresspeople, as I've done in my past working behind the scenes, not from a political elected point of view, but with the Fed, which is a very non-partisan organization," Kidd said. "So I believe this country can still get things done by working from the middle. And so I'm not going to be looking whether there's an R or a D next to the name."

Kidd said he was briefly registered as a Republican when he first came to Nevada and accused Amodei of being a Democrat almost 40 years ago when Ronald Reagan was president. Amodei did not respond to that charge.

Kidd noted that Congress has not passed a meaningful, comprehensive immigration package since Reagan was in the White House and laid the blame on former President Trump and his minions in Congress for fumbling away the immigration crisis this year.

"So the fact is that a (comprehensive bipartisan immigration) bill almost passed until a certain presidential candidate who did not want this issue addressed at the congressional level in this election cycle, said, kill the bill," Kidd said. "And so the Republicans basically sabotaged their own bill. And so that type of theater where we basically elevate the party against the interests of the country and the interest of the economy, that needs to stop."

Amodei insisted he has been a champion for immigration reform long before GOP party leaders stopped the most recent comprehensive immigration bill, which was sponsored initially by Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla.

"Well, if you start history at Lankford's bill, that's fine," Amodei said. "But there's a whole bunch before that. I've been criticized on this show in prior elections for being a RINO (Republican In Name Only), for supporting and being a pro-immigration Republican.

"So I've supported legislation for the Dreamers, for farm workers, (Democratic Rep.) Jimmy Panetta's bill from California, all of those sorts of things," Amodei said. "And so I've been the one that says, "Hey, if that makes sense...

"But let me tell you what -- even Sen. Lankford doesn't support his own bill anymore, because when you read the bill, it still allows all sorts of people (immigrants) to come in, and it puts all the discretion into the Executive Branch. And whether you're a Democrat, Republican, independent or other, there's no credibility in that right now."

Kidd began the debate by fielding a question on abortion from the RGJ's Robison. Kidd said he was in favor of the state ballot question to enshrine Nevada’s abortion rights in the state Constitution.

Nevada voters in 1990 made abortion legal up to 24 weeks, but a state law is easier to pass and more vulnerable to change than the constitutional protection organizers are seeking. Voters must approve the ballot question in both 2024 and 2026 to amend the state Constitution.

"I do believe a woman's right to choose is a civil right," Kidd said. "And so that's something I don't believe should be changed from state to state. But given the reality we have, I do believe in the state of Nevada that we should enshrine that right at a constitutional level.

Kidd said his former wife, and the mother of his children, is an OB GYN.

"She does early-term deliveries, late-stage abortions with medical necessity. And I want to make sure that she's safe and the women are safe," Kidd said. "And this decision, to me is a decision between a woman and the doctors and there's really no role for government in this."

Amodei said he voted for the 1990 state law that made abortion legal up to 24 weeks in Nevada. However, he saw a flaw in the abortion question on the 2024 ballot.

"As I hear Greg's answer (on abortion question), it's like, I'm not sure I disagree with much he said," Amodei said.

"But it is interesting that the ballot question to be enshrined into the Constitution doesn't require you to have a physician (involved), which present Nevada law -- by the Nevada voters -- does," Amodei said. "I think if it's about women, having a doctor involved is mandatory. It's a good idea."

Amodei also said that in 1990, Nevada voters also approved late-term abortions after 24 weeks, but with a caveat.

"The 24 weeks thing, if you want to put something in the Constitution, great," Amodei continued. "But put in what the Nevada voters put in the (1990 law) ...
"You can still have them (abortions) after 24 weeks," Amodei said. "You just need a reason. That's what Nevada voters said. So if you're going to put something in the Constitution, please show deference to Nevada voters and what they did."

- Click for Full Interview