Republican gubernatorial candidate Adam Laxalt is under fire from his primary opponent, Dan Schwartz, for ducking debates and being unable to “hold [his] own in public,” according to a new story today in The Nevada Independent.

Laxalt’s campaign claimed he’s appeared at “numerous speaking engagements” in the last three months and mentioned one such upcoming event in Fallon, a GOP fundraising dinner that costs $50 per ticket.

An analysis of Laxalt’s Twitter account over the last three months shows that of the 23 appearances he’s posted about, over half charged for entry; four were private, unadvertised events; and three were of surrogates attending events in his place. Just three were free, public events.

Laxalt has also developed a reputation for dodging the media. One prominent example is when Laxalt ran away from a reporter last May to avoid answering questions about pressing the Gaming Control Board chairman to intervene in a lawsuit on behalf of his biggest donor, Las Vegas Sands owner Sheldon Adelson.

Nevada State Democratic Party spokesperson Helen Kalla released the following statement:

“Laxalt avoids any opportunity to speak to voters in public because every time he opens his mouth, he betrays his far-right views. If Laxalt thinks attending ticketed fundraisers counts as being accessible to Nevadans, he is even more out of touch than we thought.”

 

###