Internal divisions and a leadership vacuum are complicating the Washoe County Republican Party's efforts ahead of the November election. Reno Public Radio’s Julia Ritchey went to a meeting of local Republicans this week that ended with shouting and a call to the police.
The chaos began as 200 people convened for the quarterly meeting of the Washoe County Republican Central Committee, a fairly routine gathering.
The person you're hearing is vice-chair of the Washoe County GOP, Tom Dickman, attempting to bring the meeting to order.
But about a half-dozen people begin clinking their water glasses and yelling at Dickman, who submitted his resignation last month. A few moments later, Dickman clarifies that he will rescind his resignation, prompting more shouting.
Dickman and three other party leaders, including chairman Adam Khan, verbally resigned in March, following months of just these types of catfights.
"They're the same people for the last year and a half, about 45 people or so, who have been disrupting the meetings and pushing an agenda that has brought the party to a standstill," says Dickman.
Dickman says these people are making it difficult to conduct meetings, recruit new volunteers and keep the party functioning. One of the issues they're most upset about is the commerce tax hike passed in the last legislative session by a majority of Republicans.
"They're actively engaged in pushing recall efforts for those people, those legislators who voted for it,” says Dickman. “Wanting to draft resolutions to censure and ostracize and kick Republican officeholders out of the central committee for votes that they don't agree with."
For some dissenters, like Larry Green, things got more personal in a frank exchange caught on tape. Green confronted Dickman after the meeting and made a pointed, racial reference to outgoing party chairman Adam Khan.
"You mean Saddam Khan?" said Green.
"Did you just hear what he said? Here we have a perfect example of someone who is a bigot, a racist…” said Dickman.
"It has nothing to do with racist. He's a dictator and a crook!" said Green.
Khan, was who was not there, says he's not surprised by what went down.
"You know, it doesn't surprise me," said Khan, when told of the comments. "Since day one that I got elected as chairman of the party — of course, I've received some hate. There are some people who are backwards in their thinking, and that's fine. I embrace it, I understand and I still try to work with those people."
The drama could spell major trouble for a party that's trying to retain its majorities in the state assembly and senate, not to mention pick up a seat in the high profile race to replace retiring Senator Harry Reid.
Nancy Jorgensen is a retired nurse who recently moved to Reno from California. She ran for an at-large seat on the executive committee and says local Republicans should let go of their grudges.
"It's basically a sixth grade schoolyard fight, and we need to get beyond that. We need somebody who can make sure that the executive committee keeps everybody focused, so we can win some elections in the fall."
The party has other troubles, too. So far this year, they've added about 8,000 new registered Republicans compared to Democrats' 11,000. Statewide, their deficit in new voters is about 10,000.
Washoe Republicans are also behind on some bills. They owe about $21,000 to the Grand Sierra Resort, where they held their county convention.
Galen Mitchell is a longtime member of the Central Committee. Despite the fireworks, he's not worried about the upcoming election.
"Well, you've always got two or three different opinions,” says Mitchell. “It'll sort itself out."
Mitchell thinks the election of new committee members will help infuse the party with fresh blood and ideas, though it could be July before a new slate of officers can be elected.
In the year of the outsider candidate, led by Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, no one, not even a small county party, is above the fray.
**Watch video of one of the confrontations at last night’s Washoe County Republican Central Committee Meeting**
