AD25 And Two Views of Government: Ginsburg Calls Hatch “Too Extreme”
Ginsburg is challenging La Rue Hatch in AD 25. Their policy differences are substantial, and a campaign mailer paints her as a political extremist who doesn’t represent her district.
Michael Leonard
The Nevada Assembly District 25 race has emerged as one of the more interesting legislative contests in Washoe County. It’s my district, so I’m paying attention.
Republican challenger Michael Ginsburg is attempting to unseat two-term Democratic incumbent Selena La Rue Hatch in a district that remains politically competitive, with Democrats holding only a narrow registration advantage.
A District That Could Go Either Way
Assembly District 25 covers much of Reno, stretching from the Longley and Huffaker Lane areas to Mayberry Drive, Mae Anne Avenue, and Northgate.
According to the voter-registration figures, the district consists of approximately:
33.1% Democrats
30.9% Republicans
27.8% nonpartisan voters
8.2% voters registered with other parties
Democrats hold a registration advantage of just 2.2 percentage points.
That makes this a district where neither major party can assume victory based on registration alone.
The substantial number of nonpartisan and other-party voters creates an opportunity for a candidate who can appeal beyond traditional party loyalties.
La Rue Hatch has the advantage of incumbency and substantially more campaign money with $55,000 in cash on hand, compared with $6,800 for Ginsburg.
But the registration numbers suggest that a Republican challenger could be competitive.
Two Different Visions of Government
Michael Ginsburg: Public Safety and Government Efficiency
Ginsburg’s campaign is focused largely on crime, healthcare access, and government efficiency.
On public safety, Ginsburg argues Nevada should lower thresholds for drug trafficking and organized retail theft prosecutions. He says existing laws make it unnecessarily difficult for law enforcement and prosecutors to pursue offenders.
On election administration, he supports moving Nevada from automatic mail ballots back to an opt-in system while preserving voting access for military personnel, rural residents, and those unable to leave their homes.
On housing, Ginsburg emphasizes reducing regulatory hurdles rather than restricting development. He argues differing standards between Reno, Sparks, and regional agencies create unnecessary costs and delays for builders.
Ginsburg’s message: Nevada government functions best when power is balanced between parties and legislative decisions involve genuine debate rather than one-party control.
What Selena La Rue Hatch’s Fundraiser Revealed About Her Political Supporters
Selena La Rue Hatch: Progressive Reform and Expanded Government Action
La Rue Hatch reflects a more progressive policy agenda. She supports retaining Nevada’s universal mail ballot system, arguing that automatically receiving a ballot encourages participation among otherwise disengaged voters.
On housing, she advocates increasing density, expanding mixed-use development, limiting corporate ownership of housing, and introducing a “mansion tax” intended to generate resources for affordable housing initiatives.
Regarding criminal justice, Hatch rejected blanket sentence enhancements but supported targeted increases where evidence demonstrates a public benefit, citing catalytic converter theft and street racing as examples.
Hatch message: move beyond the part-time citizen legislature model, as the state’s challenges have outgrown a system that meets for only 120 days every two years.
Ginsberg’s Mail Piece
District 25 voters received a mailer from the Ginsburg campaign that reveals the strategy likely to define the remainder of the race.
The mailer’s centerpiece is not crime, taxes, healthcare, or housing. Instead, the centerpiece is ideology.
The flyer prominently declares:
“Your Representative is the Most Politically Extreme Assemblymember in the State.”
The piece then highlights district voter registration numbers, emphasizing that nonpartisan voters make up the largest single bloc of voters in the district.
The final message is blunt: “She Is Not Representing You.”
Followed by: “Stop Political Extremism. Vote for Less Division. More Solutions.”
What Message Is Ginsburg Sending?
What’s notable is what the flyer does not do. It does not focus on Donald Trump.
It does not focus on national Republican themes. It does not discuss immigration, election disputes, or national partisan battles.
Instead, the campaign is making a district-specific argument.
The mailer is essentially asking voters one question:
If Assembly District 25 is one of Nevada’s most politically balanced districts, should it be represented by one of Nevada’s most ideologically progressive legislators?
That argument targets independents and moderate Democrats, not Republicans.
The campaign appears to recognize that victory requires building a coalition with voters who are uncomfortable with ideological labels and partisan conflict.
Will The Message Work?
The mail piece has clear strengths. It is simple. It contains a single easily understood message.
It uses an outside source to support its characterization of Hatch rather than relying entirely on campaign rhetoric.
Most importantly, it attempts to create a contrast between the district and its representative rather than merely attacking Hatch personally.
However, the piece also has limitations because it is a small flyer.
The flyer can’t explain why being ideologically left should matter to a voter struggling with housing costs, healthcare premiums, public safety concerns, or education issues.
Nor can it explain what Ginsburg would do differently.
The mailer gives voters a reason to question Hatch, but it can’t explain why they should support Ginsburg.
It may be enough to raise doubts about the incumbent. Whether it is enough to persuade undecided voters remains to be seen.
The Bottom Line
The Assembly District 25 race is shaping up as a contest between two very different arguments.
Hatch is running on policy, government investment, labor priorities, housing reform, and voter participation.
Ginsburg is running on moderation, public safety, government efficiency, and the belief that Nevada’s Democratic leadership has moved too far left for many voters.
The mailer makes clear that Ginsburg’s campaign sees its path to victory by convincing independents that AD 25 deserves a more centrist voice in Carson City.
With nonpartisan voters now the district's largest voting bloc, that may be the most electorally important issue in the race.
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