Governor hopefuls contest hot topics

Four Democrats jostling to be Nevada’s next governor squared off Wednesday on gun control, immigration and the state’s struggling education system.

The candidates — Clark County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani, pediatric endocrinologist Asheesh Dewan, union leader David Jones and business owner Henry Thorns — fielded questions from a room full of Nevadans at the Red Rock Democratic Club’s candidate forum at Temple Sinai Las Vegas.

Two candidates, County Commissioner Steve Sisolak and former Las Vegas Constable John Bonaventura, did not attend the forum.

On the topic of gun control, Giunchigliani said she supports banning bump stocks like the one used in the Oct. 1 mass shooting on the Strip and requiring universal background checks. She said that her husband is a sportsman and that he would never need to use an assault rifle for hunting.

“You don’t need weapons of war on the streets. Period,” Giunchigliani said.

Thorns agreed, saying military weapons should never be allowed on the streets. He suggested the state could shield against gun violence at schools by placing veterans in front of schools to patrol them.

Dewan said controlling gun violence starts with addressing mental illness. He advocated for a registration system that would allow authorities to take away a person’s firearm if they are

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officials estimate that some 500 educators could miss their deadlines, which would exacerbate Nevada’s teacher shortage.

Family engagement is often taught to educators in other coursework in other states and is rarely taught as a stand-alone course, meaning educators coming from out-of-state often don’t meet that requirement. They are able to earn a provisional license from the state and have one year to take the course, which can cost between $400 and $1,600.

Teachers who spoke to the Review-journal this week cited time and money as major factors in not having completed the course.

Andre Long, chief human resource officer for the Clark County School District, said the requirement is also a hindrance in recruiting teachers nationwide.

“Pretty much anytime there’s a provision put on a license, whether it’s that or whether it’s the second language course, it’s just something else that someone has to do before they have a licence here,” Long said. “We’re in competition for those same college graduates.”

Contact Meghin Delaney at 702-383-0281 or mdelaney@ reviewjournal.com. Follow @ Meghindelaney on Twitter.