Nevada State Assembly District 25 candidate surveys, 2022

Elections in Nevada, 2022

---

On the ballot: U.S. Senate • U.S. House • Governor • State executive offices • State Senate • State Assembly • Supreme court • Appellate courts • State ballot measures • Local ballot measures • School boards • Municipal

This article shows responses from candidates in the 2022 election for Nevada State Assembly District 25 who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

• Click here to see candidates and election results.
• Click here to see Candidate Connection survey responses.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Nevada State Assembly District 25

Selena La Rue Hatch defeated Sam Kumar in the general election for Nevada State Assembly District 25 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Selena La Rue Hatch (D)	53.9	17,608
		Sam Kumar (R)	46.1	15,060

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 32,668
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Expand all | Collapse all

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Sam Kumar (R)

We need a free market system in education where the funding travels with the child. Schools need to focus on Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic, not politics and sex education

We need better ballot integrity. Proof of citizenship and valid picture ID should be presented to vote. Mail ballot on request only, with real signature verification. End ballot harvesting.

Immigration should be legal, limited and merit based. No welfare, stimulus or other types of payments to illegal aliens.

Selena La Rue Hatch (D)

We face many challenges in Nevada. From an underfunded education system to the highest unemployment in the nation to the ravages of climate change. At times, addressing these issues seems daunting; however, they are not insurmountable. With courage, honesty, and a willingness to try something new we can solve these problems and create a brighter future for all Nevadans.

We’ve known it for years – education is broken in Nevada. And yet, nothing seems to change. Every two years, our leaders promise to fix our education system, but as someone who is in the classroom, I can tell you, I don’t see the fixes happening. Enough is enough. Clearly, we need more educators in the room where decisions are made. We cannot continue to accept the status quo. We cannot stand by while another generation of Nevadans is left behind by our broken school system. Our leaders must take their role as stewards of our schools seriously and they must increase their investment in our schools. I will make sure that happens when I am in the room.

Our district needs a teacher’s voice in the room where decisions are made. A voice of someone who understands what it means to carry thousands of dollars in student debt and pay almost half your income in childcare expenses. A voice of someone who understands the struggles of affording housing in a market that has priced out all but the richest Nevadans. A voice of someone who feels the impact of decisions made by the legislature. A voice of someone who has never been afraid to question the status quo and advocate for everyday Nevadans. I will be that voice in the legislature for Assembly District 25.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Sam Kumar (R)

Efficiency in government. As someone who has worked in the private sector all my life, I want government to produce results. Government should live within its means. Politicians should treat taxpayer funds as they treat their own.

Selena La Rue Hatch (D)

I want to ensure the voices of everyone in our community, including our BIPOC and LBGTQ+ communities, are heard and honored in the halls of power. Together, we can raise our voices and make real and powerful changes for our children, our community, and the people of Nevada. We can address climate change, diversify our economy, create good paying union jobs, and ensure everyone has access to quality affordable healthcare. We can make the dream of owning a home a reality for more Nevadans and ensure that housing is affordable in our community. Most importantly, we can fix our broken education system and fulfill the promise to every Nevada child that they can receive a quality education which prepares them for the future.

A brighter Nevada is possible, and I am committing all of my energies to ensure that it becomes a reality. I hope that you will join me in this campaign and help transform our Reno community and state for the better.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Sam Kumar (R)

I look up to a several folks. Margaret Thatcher, Ronald Reagan are a couple of good examples.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Sam Kumar (R)

Sadly, the first historical event of my adult life is 9/11. "We will never forget"

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Sam Kumar (R)

Engineer. I had it for five years during which time I secured two US patents. I moved into management after that.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Sam Kumar (R)

Fountainhead

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Sam Kumar (R)

Cordial but business oriented. Much like Tip O'Neill and Ronald Reagan

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Sam Kumar (R)

K-12 education, Medicaid expansion, Housing costs

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Sam Kumar (R)

Not necessarily. We need to have a mix of legislators from all walks of life.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Sam Kumar (R)

Absolutely. We don't have to necessarily agree with each other, but it is important to understand the perspectives of the other person.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

Sam Kumar (R)

A fair and collaborative process that ensures the composition of the population is approximately reflected in the composition of the legislature

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Sam Kumar (R)

Health and Human Services, Education and Commerce

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

Sam Kumar (R)

A lady who homeschooled her child until 3rd grade sent her child to public school. After three years, the child tested at a lower level than when she started. Unbelievable!

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

Sam Kumar (R)

Absolutely. The Executive should have the ability to react quickly, but the legislature has to ratify such powers and do so on a periodic basis. Periodic meaning weeks, not months and certainly not years.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Sam Kumar (R)

Within reason, yes. I will not compromise on my core principles. That said, I will always be on the lookout for opportunities to advance conservative principles in the long run.

See also

More about these elections:

• Nevada State Assembly elections, 2022

Select a district below to read responses from candidates in those races:

District 1District 2District 3District 4District 5District 6District 7District 8District 9District 10District 11District 12District 13District 14District 15District 16District 17District 18District 19District 20District 21District 22District 23District 24District 25District 26District 27District 28District 29District 30District 31District 32District 33District 34District 35District 36District 37District 38District 39District 40District 41District 42Submit