Settelmeyer running for state senate

Gardnerville assemblyman James Settelmeyer will be seeking the Capital District Senate seat being vacated by Carson City's Mark Amodei.

Amodei, who is prevented by Nevada's term limits law from running again, is running for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.

A member of a pioneer Nevada ranching family, Settelmeyer is already facing another announced Republican, former Carson City Mayor Ray Masayko for Amodei's seat.

The Capital district stretches from western Douglas County excluding Minden and Gardnerville, through Carson City and into northern Lyon County.

Settelmeyer said he felt the district, though encompassing many different jurisdictions, shared an agricultural heritage.

He said he plans to run his campaign on the ground, knocking on doors and getting to know residents of Carson City the same way he did in Douglas.

"I knocked on 14,000 doors in Douglas County, and I'm going to need to do the same thing in Carson City and Lyon County," he said.

Settelmeyer, whose present home is outside the district, said he's moving to the family property west of Highway 395, both to be closer to Carson and for more practical, agricultural, reasons. A fourth-generation Nevadan, Settelmeyer's family came to Carson Valley from Germany in the 1880s.

The 38-year-old rancher was elected to the District 39 seat in 2006.

, after longtime Assemblyman Lynn Hettrick announced his retirement.

Settelmeyer graduated with a degree in agricultural education from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, Calif.

"I enjoy knowing and learning new things," he said. "And I enjoy the interaction, even though we sometimes disagree. If we could eliminate the special interests from the equation, I think we would agree a lot more."

Settelmeyer said the next session will be a challenging one, with the state budget an estimated $3 billion short, and the prospect of apportionment.

"We're already $16 million in debt to the federal government," he said. "We're looking at a $6.5-7 billion budget and we're already $3 billion behind, and there won't be any stimulus money to bail us out."

Election season officially begins March 1 in Douglas County. While judges file for office in January, none of the county's judges are up for election in 2010.

Two county commission seats are up for election this year, District 2 which centers on Minden and District 4, which includes Foothill, Genoa and Lake Tahoe precincts.

Douglas County Commissioner Dave Brady said he will seek re-election to another term.

Commission Chairwoman Nancy McDermid has not said yet whether she will seek re-election.

Other county offices on the ballot this year include assessor, clerk-treasurer, recorder, public administrator, district attorney, sheriff and East Fork Constable.

Assessor Doug Sonnemann said he is running for another term.

Two appointees, Clerk Treasurer Ted Thran and Recorder Karen Ellison, said they are both planning to seek election to their positions in 2010. Brady, McDermid, Sonnemann, Thran and Ellison are all Republicans.

Sheriff Ron Pierini said he is going to seek his fourth term. He was appointed in 1997 to fill Sheriff Jerry Maple's term. He was unopposed in 2002 and 2006 elections.

East Fork Constable Paul Gilbert and Public Administrator Lynn EnEarl said they were running for re-election to their positions.

Gilbert is the county's longest-serving elected official. He took office for the first time in 1982.

Voter totals 2009 2008

Republicans 16,493 17,060

Democrats 9,425 9,741

Non-partisan 4670 4,860

Independent American 1,465 1,436

Libertarian 226 226

Green 102 116

Natural Law 24 30

Other 100 113

Voter total 32,505