Political Climate (Las Vegas, Reno, Sparks: suburbs, best, parks)

[spiritbear928]

What is the political climate in the area like? I am sure in a big area like Reno its a mix but is it primarily conservative or liberal leaning?

[garth]

Generalizations at best can give a very inaccurate picture. It's like the three blind men and the elepahnt. Each approaches a differernt part of the animal, touches it, and describes it differently. However, I will provide my take on the area.

As with any city, such as Reno, it will tend to be a little less conservative than the suburbs or out in the smaller surrounding towns. This is especially true if you consider that there has been some migration over the years, into Reno, from Bay area people. They tend to be more left leaning (I'm being polite with that description), although that's not always true . . . some are just escaping some of the ways of that region.

Even after all of that, if one were to label the area of Washoe, Carson, and Douglas Counties, I think it would be considered primarily conservative. At least in Douglas County, Republican registrations far outnumber Democratic registrations.

I've also found that there's still a culture in the region that reflects the traditional Western way of life, which is very independent, self-sufficient, and generally against big government intervention. It's quite a bit different than what you will find in the big southern Nevada city of Las Vegas.

So, that's my take with a generalization. Again, I hope it doesn't start a fight amongst people who think it is too general. I've already pointed out that others may find things different. If they do, I hope they post it for you, too.

[jwaters943]

Last I checked (read), Washoe County, which includes the two cities of Reno & Sparks, had roughly equal numbers of registered Democrats & Republicans. With a slight edge going to Republicans. Outside of Vegas, Nevada is a suprisingly conservative state with its fair share of quirks (e.g. legalized brothels in rural counties, etc.). The long-term trend, at least from my point of view, is that the Reno area is headed towards a more moderately liberal point of view. As the region grows, the number of registered Democrats seem to be increasing at a faster rate than those of registered Republicans.