Wilson, Waters to face off in general election for judgeship

Carson City attorney Jim Wilson and former district attorney Noel Waters will go head to head in the November general election for the First Judicial District Court

Judge Dept. 2 of Carson City and Storey County.

Waters garnered 37.95 percent of Carson City's 8,062 votes, with Wilson snagging 29.12 percent of the vote, during Tuesday night's primary election.

Carson City attorney Caren Jenkins and Assistant Lyon County District Attorney Mark Krueger brought in 17.95 percent and 15.91 percent respectively.

Of Storey County's 790 votes, Waters received 34.56 percent, Krueger picked up 26.7 percent, Wilson garnered 22.66 percent and Jenkins received 16 percent.

"I'm very pleased with the results. It was a stronger turnout than I think I could have reasonably expected for the primary," said front-runner Waters.

According to an e-mail from Wilson earlier in the week, he would be "in the wilderness and unavailable" on primary election night.

"I thank all who helped with my campaign," he wrote.

Jenkins said she met a lot of people she otherwise would not have in her first foray into political campaigning. Still, the loss Tuesday night was painful. Especially the low voter turnout, considering there are 22,160 registered voters in the city.

"I'm clearly disappointed. There's no question that I would have liked to go on to the general election. I'm somewhat dismayed by all the talk out there about all the change that everyone is looking for and that the old guard is not the order," she said.

"I thought that wave would carry me a little closer to shore. It's disheartening that it cost so much, and it requires the name recognition that living in a town all your life actually gets you."

Calls to Krueger were not immediately returned Tuesday.

Waters, 59, a 1966 graduate of Carson High School, served as Carson City district attorney from 1985-2006. He worked through college and law school as a firefighter in Nevada and Alaska, served as a Nevada Highway Patrol dispatcher, worked two sessions in the Legislature as a bill editor and proofreader, and served as an enlisted airman in the U.S. Air Force.

He graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in journalism and the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law where he graduated in 1981.

Wilson, 53, is a 1973 Carson High School graduate, Wilson attended the University of Nevada, Reno, graduating in 1977 with a degree in business administration, accounting.

His first job in law enforcement was as a patrol deputy with the Carson City Sheriff's Department in 1977.

Wilson ran and was elected as Elko County district attorney, serving from 1983-86.

In 1986 he returned to Carson City where he worked for two separate private law firms before starting his own law office in 1988. From 1995-2000, Wilson served as a reserve police officer for the City of Sparks.

The general election is Nov. 4.

- Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.