Water and politics could be mixing in White Pine County this year.
Usually the race for County Clerk is a staid affair of dueling resume of who is the most qualified for the job.
White Pine County voters got a taste of that in the GOP primary and narrowly put Nichole Baldwin on the November ballots by 16 ballots to face off against Democrat Debra Ann Rivero.
And while the White Pine County Clerk’s duties have absolutely nothing to do with water or the water war still raging between rural Nevada and the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) the water issue could decide who is the next County Clerk.
Baldwin is a long time White Pine County girl with deep ties to the region’s ranching community. Rivero is not only a transplant from the Clark County but also a former employee of the detested SNWA. Note in the original posting Baldwin was misdescribed as a “life long” resident. She is not.
Already the issue may have made itself known in the race. At the annual Snake Valley Festival in Baker, Baldwin was invited to march in the parade while Rivero had to watch from the sidewalk.
“I think any candidate’s position on the water could be an issue in this year’s campaign,” said Great Basin Water Network Director Abby Johnson.
While river past employment has not made her popular in Baker it remains to be seen just how it will affect her campaign county wide. Unfortunately for the candidate this years string of successes by opponents of the SNWA in and out of court may not help her.
Ever since the SNWA filed on all the water rights of rural Nevada over 25 years ago it appeared a foregone conclusion that eventually it would get its pipeline to drain rural Nevada. It beat back lawsuits, won administrative rulings and until this year the question was not if the pipeline would be built but when.
Even the most ardent supporters of the fight were disheartened and while still not popular more than a few locals began talking about making a deal with the SNWA and several actually began working for the authority.
Then the SNWA began to lose. First it lost a major ruling in Nevada District Court that all but annulled the Nevada Water Engineer’s approval of the pumping plan. Then it lost the political support of Utah governor Gary Herbert and last but not least the LDS Church hierarchy after a quarter of century of sitting on the sidelines publicly sided with their ranching brethren in Snake Valley.
Suddenly the rural water movement was if not reborn saw its moral and its support skyrocket. Instead of being looked at as romantic fighters for a lost cause the Great Basin Water Network became David versus Goliath. The name David means beloved in Hebrew and As all politician know everyone loves a winner, losers not so much.
Instead of being a former employee of the inevitable winner, Rivero through no fault of her own is now the former employee of a loser and that could rub off on her in November.
The other race where the water issue may have an influence is the one between Gary Perea and Mike Lemich for county commission.
While Lemich in his long presence in county politics has consistently opposed the SNWA, Perea is less of a supporter than a leader of the fight.
While in the past voters for whom the water issue the choice between the two would be six of that, half a dozen of the other. This year with the wins at his back Perea might also benefit more at the polls.
I think you have it wrong. Rivero did work for SNWA but she quit and filed a workplace harassment suit with the EEOC. The facts of the case were quite amazing. She was threatened with a cattle prod for example. The settlement as I understand it was in Rivero’s favor but the amount of the settlement is covered by a confidentiality agreement.
Off the record, I plan on voting for her just because she stood up to SNWA and cost her countless sleepless nights.
As for not being allowed to march in the parade, I don’t buy that. I wasn’t there but would like to know who said she couldn’t participate—that’s just not what we do.
I can’t imagine anyone from Baker not allowing a candidate to participate in their parade. I wasn’t asked to participate and I am a candidate although a lot of voters have not heard of my running for office. What would be gained by not allowing someone to participate.
For the record, the good people of Baker did not exclude me from participation in the parade. Due to other obligations, I did not even arrive in Baker until after 11:00. Everyone I have met in Baker has always made me feel welcome as that is their nature. It is a charming place and I am sorry that inaccurate journalism has made them appear otherwise.