In Praise of Joey Gilbert

(Chuck Muth) – Nobody enjoys eating a crap sandwich, even if lathered in ketchup with an avocado on top.

I remember well, years ago, my boss directing me to apologize to a bone-headed political adversary who I sure as heck didn’t think deserved it.  But the reality was it had to be done.

So I sucked it up, buttercup, and ate that crap-burger.  But mine was nothing compared to the whopper former Republican gubernatorial candidate Joey Gilbert downed on Tuesday.

Joey, a first-time candidate, came in an impressive second in the GOP primary back in June on the wings of the most passionate group of supporters of any campaign this year.

And after the loss, he voiced some serious concerns about the security of our elections here in Nevada and filed a unsuccessful lawsuit over them.

That legal challenge is now over, with Joey telling Mark Robison of the Reno Gazette-Journal on Tuesday that he will not be appealing the decision.

“When I noticed that what I was doing was going to produce a result different than what I intended, I’m not too big of a man to realize I made a mistake. … I realized that as well-intentioned as this might have been initially, now I could potentially hurt some folks and hurt the mission I originally went on, so I’m gonna have to change it. I’m gonna have to abandon it.”

That mission?

“Get Steve Sisolak out. … I dislike Steve Sisolak more than I could probably put into words and definitely more than my own personal ambitions. I got in this fight to save this state from someone that I truly believe has been the worst governor the state’s ever seen. And I came to the realization we’re not going to get anywhere here (with the election fraud lawsuit).”

Joey added…

“When I heard through some friends that Steve Sisolak’s team was high-fiving and was really enjoying the fact that there was this huge rift between Lombardo and me – and it was only splitting things further (among Republicans) and it was good for them – that made me sick. … I had to check my ego and my own personal feelings at the door and do what’s best for the state.”

And for the record…

“Let me say I’ve never accused Joe Lombardo of doing anything. Unfortunately, if you have a contested election, you have to contest it against (your opponent). But I’ve never said he did anything.”

And legitimate concerns about the security of our elections aside, Joey has a message for those Republicans and conservatives who are threatening not to vote in November…

“I do believe there are games played with our elections. But I believe the only way to overcome it is to turn out the vote in such a massive number that you can overwhelm (the results) whether there are algorithms or there are guys in the back throwing out certain ballots. The only way to beat it is to get everybody you can to vote.”

Bingo!

As I’ve noted here previously, Donald Trump lost Nevada by 33,000 votes.  But over 112,000 registered Republicans stayed home and sat on their hands in 2020.  The easiest way to lose a race is if your voters concede the game without even playing it.

I know how painful it is to abandon a righteous fight.  Went through the exact same thing some 20+ years ago when we had the signatures to put a paycheck protection initiative on the ballot but political reality forced us not to turn the signatures in.

That hurt.

So I feel Joey’s pain.  But he’s doing the right thing.  One, Sisolak sucks and needs to go.  Two, Joey has a bright political future in Nevada if he wants it and choosing your battles is the mark of a wise politician.

I know this was a tough, bitter decision to make.  But as a boxer, Joey understands that sometimes you just have to accept a loss, learn from it, and come back to fight another day.  His supporters should be proud of him.

I know I am.

FAMOUS LAST WORDS

“(Joe) Lombardo is not perfect, but was the choice of The People in the primary. The primary is over and it is now math, no matter how anyone actually feels. The choices are Lombardo or Sisolak. A third-party candidate would likely draw from Lombardo, and coronate Sisolak.” – Shawn Meehan

Mr. Muth is president of Citizen Outreach, publisher of Nevada News & Views and blogs at MuthsTruths.com.  His views are his own.