When Party Control Matters More Than Victory in Washoe County …

Tammy Holt-Still at a fundraiser at former Commissioner Marsha Berkbigler’s home speaking to a small group of folks. Juergen Hoehne, who ran for Reno City Council Ward 3 in 2024, lost, and is now on the NAB is in the photo on the left. Reno Mayoral candidate Eddie Lorton is in the photo on the right, Eddie is on his fifth campaign. Parks is backing Holt-Still.

After reading Mike’s Reno Report this morning, we thought we’d add a few observations from Monday night’s Washoe County Republican Central Committee meeting (January 27, 2026). You know—the one chaired by Bruce Parks, who has a habit of politically excommunicating Republicans who don’t fall in line, well his line.

Maybe that helps explain why Washoe County has over 103,000 registered Republicans, yet the Central Committee can only muster about 165 people as members, and that says a whole lot.

From the Washoe County Registrar of Voters website today.

Before Bruce took the reins, the committee was far more robust. Now it’s run entirely his way—his way or the highway. And judging by the numbers, a lot of Republicans are choosing the highway. It’s not apathy; it’s avoidance.

We’ve seen this movie before. When Gianna Jacks was first appointed as a library trustee and held friendly meet-and-greets at Swill Wine & Coffee on Lakeside, Bruce just couldn’t leave it alone. He showed up, sucked the air out of the room, and managed to turn people off so thoroughly that Gianna was quickly—and unfairly—branded not only a protégée of Parks, but also the guy who keeps Parks in power, dare we say the name … just think Insecta.

In 2024, in an effort to beat Frank Perez for the Ward 1 City Council seat, Parks enthusiastically embraced Republican Councilwoman Kathleen Taylor. Fast-forward to this year, and Bruce has conveniently forgotten who Kathleen is—because Eddie Lorton is running.

A curious case of political amnesia.

Let’s remember: Kathleen Taylor has lost one political race—back in 2012, when she ran for the at-large city council seat against then-citizen/business owner Hillary Schieve. Compare that to Eddie Lorton, who has managed to lose four times.

Our suggestion?
Never blow on Bruce Parks’ dice at a craps table.

Bruce Parks threw Ed Lawson out of the party, making it impossible for Republicans to support him for mayor. Fine. But here’s where it gets interesting: Republican Charlene Bybee is running against Ed—and yet it appears Parks is quietly backing Wendi Rawson, owner of Engine 8.

Meanwhile Charlene Bybee is beloved in Ward 4 and already out doing the hardest work in politics: walking neighborhoods, knocking on doors, and talking to voters. And no, folks—she’s not just dropping lit pieces like so many candidates. Bybee is actually showing up to chat.

That’s usually the kind of thing the Republican Party claims to love.

So why the cold shoulder? Who knows.
Maybe Bruce just really wants free pizza at Engine 8.

But here’s the real kicker.

Bruce Parks and the Central Committee are desperate to claim all three county commission seats. Control is the goal—unity be damned. When we reached out to District 2 Commissioner Mike Clark about this very issue, he didn’t mince words. Clark said he’s certain the committee and Parks is backing his primary opponent, explaining:

“I won’t kiss Bruce Parks’ ring.”

Strong language? Sure. But it reflects a growing frustration among Republicans who see a party more focused on loyalty tests and grudges than winning elections. When incumbents are treated as enemies for refusing to kneel, it’s no wonder the base keeps thinning out.

Control without consensus isn’t leadership—it’s self-sabotage.

And speaking of self-sabotage, let’s talk about the Washoe County District 3 race:
Mariluz Garcia vs… who, exactly?

If you listen to Bruce Parks, the “who” is Trista Gomez. Yes, that Trista Gomez—the last-minute candidate who jumped into the race against Clara Andriola and conveniently siphoned Republican votes away from the very candidates the party claimed to support against the widely disliked appointed commissioner.

But hey, when you lose one commission race, just move and try another, right? That’s exactly what Gomez has done—she’s relocated from District 4 into District 3.

You can practically hear the cheering from Changing Dynamics, which is running Garcia’s campaign, as they sharpen the knives. Because Parks didn’t choose the Republican candidate with the best chance of actually beating Garcia. That candidate—the one Garcia’s camp is genuinely worried about—is Troy Regas.

Instead, Parks decided to kneecap him.

Why? Because Troy Regas can’t be controlled.

On Monday, at the meeting Parks announced that Gomez is “the only candidate in the race” because Regas is allegedly disqualified due to the Hells Angels being a “terrorist organization.” That’s not just reckless—it’s wrong. A five-second search Bruce tells you this:

The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is not formally designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. Law enforcement agencies may classify it as an organized crime syndicate, but those are not the same thing.

The irony? Troy Regas is widely known in this community for running the annual Reno Toy Run, selling flowers, and doing good acts in the basin—unless we’re now calling charitable toy drives “organized crime.” Plus, hey, he has lived in District 3 for years … didn’t have to move to run.

Let’s be honest about what’s happening here. The only real hope Republicans have of flipping District 3 is Troy Regas. And Bruce Parks knows it. But because Parks can’t control him, he’s trying to destroy him instead.

Think about that.

The chair of the Republican Central Committee actively working to tank the one candidate who can actually win—simply because that candidate won’t bend the knee.

At this point, it’s no longer fair to say the Washoe County Republican Party is “broken.”
It’s not broken.

It’s been dismantled—on purpose.