Robert Van Strawder

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Robert Van Strawder

Libertarian Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 3, 2020

Education

Associate

College of Southern Nevada, 2017

Personal

Birthplace

Los Angeles, Calif.

Religion

Christian

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Personal Facebook

Robert Van Strawder (Libertarian Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Nevada's 1st Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.

Strawder completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Robert Van Strawder was born in Los Angeles, California. He earned an associate degree in general studies and mental health services from the College of Southern Nevada in May 2017. Strawder's professional experience includes working with mentorship and life skills programs that he created in Las Vegas. He is affiliated with the RECAP program LVMPD and with the League of Women Voters of Nevada.

Elections

2020

See also: Nevada's 1st Congressional District election, 2020

Nevada's 1st Congressional District election, 2020 (June 9 Republican primary)

Nevada's 1st Congressional District election, 2020 (June 9 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Nevada District 1

Incumbent Dina Titus defeated Joyce Bentley, Kamau Bakari, and Robert Van Strawder in the general election for U.S. House Nevada District 1 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Dina Titus (D)	61.8	137,868
		Joyce Bentley (R)	33.4	74,490
		Kamau Bakari (Independent American Party)	2.8	6,190
		Robert Van Strawder (L)	2.1	4,665

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 223,213
= 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.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Joseph Maridon Jr. (Independent)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Nevada District 1

Incumbent Dina Titus defeated Anthony Thomas Jr. and Allen Rheinhart in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Nevada District 1 on June 9, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Dina Titus	82.6	31,916
		Anthony Thomas Jr.	11.2	4,324
		Allen Rheinhart	6.2	2,382

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 38,622
= 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.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Nevada District 1

Joyce Bentley defeated Josh Elliott, Citlaly Larios-Elias, and Eddie Hamilton in the Republican primary for U.S. House Nevada District 1 on June 9, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Joyce Bentley	35.6	5,565
		Josh Elliott	29.1	4,549
		Citlaly Larios-Elias	20.2	3,151
		Eddie Hamilton	15.0	2,347

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 15,612
= 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.

2018

See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Nevada, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House Nevada District 1

Incumbent Dina Titus defeated Joyce Bentley, Daniel Garfield, and Robert Van Strawder in the general election for U.S. House Nevada District 1 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Dina Titus (D)	66.2	100,707
		Joyce Bentley (R)	30.9	46,978
	Submit photo	Daniel Garfield (Independent American Party)	1.6	2,454
		Robert Van Strawder (L)	1.4	2,062

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 152,201 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= 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.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Nevada District 1

Incumbent Dina Titus defeated Reuben D'Silva in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Nevada District 1 on June 12, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Dina Titus	78.7	20,898
		Reuben D'Silva	21.3	5,659

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 26,557
= 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.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Nevada District 1

Joyce Bentley defeated Freddy Horne in the Republican primary for U.S. House Nevada District 1 on June 12, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Joyce Bentley	55.2	6,444
		Freddy Horne	44.8	5,235

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 11,679
= 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.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• D'Nese Davis (R)

Campaign themes

2020

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released May 29, 2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Robert Van Strawder completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Strawder's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a Vegas Native who grew up in the Rough Nieghborhood of NLV. I made it out of that enviournment and graduated from CSN College, became a mentor for CCSD, and Clark County, I advocate for the mentally challenged, and our youth of Las Vegas. Now I am running for Congress District 1

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?

• Diversify our Economy, I will help our economy grow outside of the casino industry. We have had very little economic activity. This is showing were our weaknesses are, it helps us to think for the future starting with high tech, high paying jobs. We need to assist small and medium buisnesses to prosper and flourish in todays economy. We need to invest in S.T.E.M. education
• Education is the key to our future and develops our children of tomorrow. I will change the same crutch that has haunted Nevada for decades, I will instill the S.T.E.M. programs which intel Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics. These are all key areas where our children have failed but once we implement this program it will build our future starting now!
• The War on Drugs, we have had systematic failure for decades and continue to destroy communities of color in far greater rates than ever and this is hurting not only the individual but also the families, their kids. We need to end this now , stop incarcerating individuals for non violent crimes. I will apply myself to assist with criminal justice reform in Washington D.C.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about mental health, homelessness, education, small and mid buisnesses economic development.

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

I look up to leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr, John F. Kennedy and Malcom X, I take a little bit of everything from each individual, I take the love and compassion that I have for people from Martin Luther King Jr, I take my leadership skills and belief from John F. Kennedy and my determination to succeed no mater what gets in my way from Malcom X.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

The story of Robert Strawder Hip Hop Meets Politics book is available on amazon and kindle.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

I believe the most important principles for an elected official is, leadership, decision making, knowledgeable, trustworthy.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am a stand up individual, if I say I'm going to do something I stand on it, I have been raised in Nevada, I have experienced a lot of ups and downs that made me stronger than ever, I have been in communities fighting for our rights and assisting parents with their kids development, I love helping out in the mental health field that is why I decided to go to college, because of the mental health state of Nevada. I am a people person very diversified. I listen to the people living in all the communities and understand what they are looking for.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

I believe your core responsibilities for elected officials is taking care of the the community and businesses of that community by helping them prosper and grow while you are in in office.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I am leaving a legacy now! My motto is never let where you come from dictate where you end up in life. I grew up in the rough streets of North Las Vegas, I was very poor raised in around gangs, drugs, and violent community. I made it out of the projects to become a college graduate, a mentor, an activist, a community leader, author a politician. I am the living The American Dream. I came from nothing to something, I give our kids hope and inspiration. I am a living example of how anyone can become successful if they work hard at it!

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

Me being the 1st person from my family to attend college in Porterville California, on a basketball scholarship. I was 18yrs. old

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

Mcdonald's had it for 2 years.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Bible, it shows through out our history that the struggle of being a human life consists of ups and downs, making the right decisions can help you to grow into a great woman or man. It explains that the only two things that are promised in life is life and death.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

James Bond

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Sam Cooke- A Change is Gonna Come

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Breaking the cycle of being an African American and the struggle of racism, I have been involved in several racial bias situations and by the grace of God I am standing tall here today!

What process do you favor for redistricting?

Independent redistricting commission.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

I love the qualities of Representing all states creating new laws, writing new laws, assisting legislation and understanding how the U.S. Government operates.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

I feel as though any experience that a person has can be good, but I also feel that politicians who have been political science majors or groomed are of the past, we need concerned citizens that care about the city state and individuals of the community.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

The economy is one of the main challenges that the U.S. has to figure out with the pandemic, living or at least trying to exist during a time were our economy is at a crisis. We have to start building for the future we need to figure out how we can diverse our economy bring in capitol, we need to implement S.T.E.M. programs creating high tech, high paying jobs, while helping our children progress and catch up with other countries. Technology is the future. We need to instill technical programs that put us in position to win.

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

I would like to be on the criminal justice committee, the immigration committee and health care committee.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Yes

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I think 4-8 years is enough time for a person to play a roll in their position.

If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?

I would like to join the diversity department.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

No

Both sitting representatives 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?

I recently had a person approach me and say he doesn't vote, he ask me about why do we vote politicians in and they promise us everything but seldom deliver? He said this is why he never vote and I said well that is why you will never see change because your vote matters and told him that he has to do the research on who he is voting for and see who matches his values. He said he is going to register to vote and said he appreciates me giving him my non-bias opinion. He registered to vote and that is how we get change by voting for it, if you don't vote then you can not decide on anything that happens around you.

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.

See also

2020 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. President U.S. Congress U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

Newsletters

Coronavirus Weekly Updates Documenting America's Path to Recovery The Heart of the Primaries The Daily Brew The Weekly Brew The Ballot Bulletin Checks and Balances Economy and Society Hall Pass Number of the Day Robe & Gavel Union Station

External links

• Search Google News for this topic

Footnotes

[show]

Nevada's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Catherine Masto (D)

Jacky Rosen (D)

Representatives

District 1

Dina Titus (D)

District 2

Mark Amodei (R)

District 3

Susie Lee (D)

District 4

Steven Horsford (D)

Democratic Party (5)

Republican Party (1)