Evergreen State governor makes true-blue pitch in NLV

The second potential presidential hopeful in less than a week to visit the Las Vegas Valley, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, delivered a keynote speech Saturday in North Las Vegas.

Inslee, one of many Democrats mulling a 2020 presidential run, highlighted his progressive record during a speech kicking off the fifth annual Progressive Summit, hosted by Battle Born Progress, the CSN Native American Alliance and the CSN Women’s Alliance.

He cited his record on climate change, gun control, the minimum wage and paid family leave. Inslee also said that addressing climate change is “the first and foremost obligation” facing the country and that he expects recreational use of marijuana to eventually be legalized in all states.

At the event, he also shared an exchange he had with President Donald Trump after Trump suggested arming teachers in the wake of school shootings last year.

“I looked him in the eye and said, ‘You know what? You’ve got to do less tweeting and more listening to teachers,’” Inslee said.

On Tuesday, former Obama administration housing chief Julian Castro met with Nevada Democrats and leaders of the Latino community in Las Vegas. On Saturday, Castro announced his 2020 run for the presidency.

Castro, a former mayor of San Antonio who served during President Barack Obama’s second term, told a group of Rancho High School students that if he is elected, two of his priorities would be to recommit to the Paris climate accord and to pass universal health care legislation.

Several elected officials were slated to speak over the course of the two-day event, held at the College of Southern Nevada’s East Cheyenne campus. They included Sen. Jacky Rosen, U.S. Rep. Susie Lee and state Attorney General Aaron Ford.

The goal of the summit is to give people the tools to mobilize communities around issues they care about before the legislative session begins, according to a news release. In addition to speakers, it includes workshops and seminars on issues such as economic justice, clean energy, education and voting rights.