Clint Koble announces for Congress

by Don Dike-Anukam -- On Thursday, July 25th, Clint Koble announced he is running for the Democratic nomination for the United States House of Representatives. If successful in winning his party's primary challenge in June 2020 he will face up against likely incumbent Mark Amodei (R-NV) in the General election in November 2020. Koble made his announcement speech in Reno to a full room of supporters and curious Northern Nevada activists. He was introduced by local writer and podcaster Dave Mulligan, who said, "we want to make change and this guy is going to do it." "One of us has the gumption and the commitment" said Mulligan, "and he's got a good crew, last time he ran at 42% and now we're at 42% and we're going after Mark Amodei." Campaign manager Clinton Toledo spoke to warm up the crowd. He focused on imploring those in attendance to help support their efforts in the months ahead. He also announced that already the campaign is reached nationwide attention. "Just today in the media has reported from Miami, all the way to San Francisco to Dallas, and from Kansas City that Clint is challenging Mark Amodei, said Toledo, "we got some power behind us." Making it official, Koble announced, "okay I guess it's time to say it, I'm Clint Koble, and I'm running for congressional district number two, and I will be the guy that will replace Mark Amodei in Congress next year." Throughout his speech Koble made clear the distinctions between he and his opponent and on which he will be running on in the coming election -- including healthcare, climate change, public lands policy and the minimum wage issues. Taking questions from the audience, Koble addressed his policy stances on issues brought up by the attendees ranging from again, healthcare, to Yucca Mountain, the Veterans Administration, and Medicaid/Medicare for all. In an interview after his announcement, Koble laid out the challenges he faces and the issues about which he has the most concerns. Koble made a major a point "of representing the will of the people who sent you there" if elected, and is willing to challenge the administration if that's what his constituents want. His plan for winning, based on his prior election run in 2018 when he received 42% of the vote, is to continue to build on that base and expand upon it by reaching out to Republicans and independents who didn't vote in the last election. From his standpoint that requires focus on the ground game and talking about what he stands for. When asked point-blank, "if I'm from Fallon, Dayton, or Lovelock, why should I vote for you?" Koble responded "I'm rural guy --  I was born and raised in rural America. I worked for the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) for eight years, I understand farmers, ranchers, and Native American producers." He continued, "I've lived their life, my family is still out in Rural American so I understand the problems they are going through and the changes they are going through. I can relate to them, I can sit down and talk them very easily. No matter how they view things politically, I understand what their kitchen tables issues are." The number one issue Koble would like to address in rural Nevada is education "and second is the tariffs and trade policies that are hurting our farmers, ranchers, rural communities badly," he said. He also emphasized the fact that he noticed that Nevada is trending more blue and that looks like it will help him out. "I'll agree that there are more Republicans, but there is a whole big block of non-partisans and we know we can tap into it, that's a game-changer, that's what we can use that to change this election. We need to go after that and we will go after that." When asked about the impact the presidential candidates and that race could have on his race, Koble stated "It could, but Nevada is becoming a very progressive state, most of the candidates for president have progressive tendencies and I think they'll do really well in Nevada," he said. "We did well last time whether it was in the state, or for the congresspeople who did well last time. We have two female senators, Nevada is turning blue, and turning bluer. I think whatever presidential candidate we have will help me and I will help them." Koble closed the interviewwith a open request to rural Nevada, "Invite me to your communities -- I want to come to your communities. I want to hear your kitchen table issues, challenges, and problems. Please invite me because I want to invite myself to your community." Don Dike-Anukam lives in Reno and works throughout Northern Nevada. He has a passion for politics, business, and education and is working toward a Bachelors Degree in Business and Journalism at UNR/UNLV and other schools of higher learning. He also writes for www.ThisIsReno.com       Support local, independent news – contribute to The Fallon Post, your non-profit (501c3) online news source for all things Fallon. Never miss the local news -- read more on The Fallon Post home page.