Establishment Candidates and Incumbents Face Notable Challenges in Local 2024 races

Recap of our week's original reporting plus bonus content.

Jan 19, 2024

With Reno adding a sixth ward to replace its at large seat, and its wards having been reconfigured for this election cycle, races are starting to heat up for our future City Council, while election related fireworks have already started at the County Commission level.

In what could be a close race, the initially selected for Ward 5 and now running for Ward 1 to replace termed out Jenny Brekhus, Kathleen Taylor now faces two notable challengers, Frank Perez who had a big kickoff party last night at Señor Tequila’s Mexican Kitchen and Cantina on E 4th street, and mutual aid leader Lily Baran who just announced her candidacy on social media.

Perez said in an X post he will focus “on city investment in our neighborhoods, clean and safe communities for our families and seniors citizens, and opportunities for our young people.” On his website he said he wants to make sure “no one gets left behind as our city grows.”

A flyer for the event had notable names as hosts, including State Senators Skip Daly, Fabian Donate and Edgar Flores, Assemblywoman Angie Taylor, County Commissioner Mariluz Garcia, school board Trustee Joe Rodriguez as well as lawyer Mathew Work.

“After such tremendous support from the community I know I have your trust to make downtown Reno to be the thriving city we know it can be for ALL of us,” Lily Baran wrote on Instagram.

Taylor has a newsletter where she says Reno residents can “Keep up to date on how I am making Reno a Brighter place! My newsletter will highlight my campaign initiatives, latest events, and important voting information about the 2024 Election.”

In Ward 5, current at-large representative Devon Reese is going up against Junk King owner Brian Cassidy and former Reynolds School of Journalism assistant professor Sheila Peuchaud, both of whom are looking for an upset.

“As Ward 5 Council Member, I’ll bring my expertise in health and wellness to decisions about the future of Reno. When I talk about health, I mean health in the broadest sense – the healthy community and environment we all need and deserve in order to live our best lives,” Peuchaud writes on the Sheila for Ward 5 website.

Reese is currently promoting a Dreaming of Summer pool party, while we couldn’t find any Cassidy related electioneering as of yet, but his business Facebook has this line: “Let Junk King help you clean out the chaos!”

The County Commission will have a few races promising to be spicy as well, with District 1 Commissioner Alexis Hill being opposed by Marsha Berkbigler, who lost to Hill in 2020 after holding the same seat for eight years.

In District 4, current commissioners Mike Clark and vice chair Jeanne Herman are supporting the Robert Beadles-backed Tracey Hilton-Thomas against the governor appointed Clara Andriola in a race which will likely be decided at the Republican primary level on June 11th.