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Richard VanGogh
Richard VanGogh was a candidate for the nonpartisan City Council Ward 1 in Reno, Nevada, but was defeated in the primary election on June 14, 2016.
While the city council is a nonpartisan body, VanGogh is a self-described Democrat.[1]
Biography
VanGogh earned a B.F.A. from the California College of the Arts. He is an artist and previously owned an art gallery in downtown Reno. As of the 2016 election, he was working as a grocery store bagger. He served one term on the Ward 5 Neighborhood Advisory Board in Reno.[1]
Elections
2016
The city of Reno, Nevada, held a primary for two of the four city council seats up for election in 2016. The Ward 1 seat and at-large seat appeared on the primary ballot on June 14, 2016, as more than two candidates filed for each seat. The top two vote recipients advanced to the general election on November 8, 2016. Incumbent Jenny Brekhus and Victor Salcido defeated Richard VanGogh in the primary election for Reno City Council Ward 1.
| Reno City Council Ward 1, Primary Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Jenny Brekhus Incumbent |
53.63% | 3,842 |
| Victor Salcido |
39.54% | 2,833 |
| Richard VanGogh | 6.83% | 489 |
| Total Votes | 7,164 | |
| Source: Washoe County, "2016 Primary Election," June 14, 2016 These election results are unofficial and will be updated after official vote totals are made available. | ||
Campaign themes
2016
He summarized his reasons for seeking election to the city council, telling the Reno Gazette-Journal:
| “ | I believe arts and culture and tourism is our future. I have enormous experience in all of those areas…. I really believe I can do something and bring something to the table that nobody else can bring. I believe I can help bring Reno into a new place as an arts and culture destination.[2] | ” |
| —Ricahrd VanGogh (2016)[1] | ||
VanGogh also told the paper that he intentionally moved to Ward 1 to challenge incumbent City Councilwoman Jenny Brekhus. He opposed the councilwoman, saying, "She is the only person on the City Council I have personally witnessed never getting along with the rest of the Council." He also critiqued fellow challenger Victor Salcido, claiming he had never seen Salcido participate in community panels, such as the Neighborhood Advisory Boards.[1]
VanGogh drew attention to his past alcohol dependency and a six-month period of homelessness he experienced, telling the paper that those experiences would help him address those issues in the community. He suggested that the city build tiny homes with part of the work being done by the homeless themselves. VanGogh stated, "Part of being homeless is a loss of dignity. The idea of a home vs a shelter is a huge thing."[1]
Recent news
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See also
External links
Footnotes
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