To everyone in the Save Lakeridge movement: time to take a hard look at who’s backing whom in Washoe County politics.

Turns out T.J. Duncan—the developer at the center of your fight to protect Lakeridge Golf Course—is a supporter of none other than District Attorney Chris Hicks, who is kicking off his re-election campaign on September 9, 2025.

The Reno Gazette-Journal’s Mark Robison recently posted a piece by political analyst Louis Jacobson of the Crystal Ball suggesting Sparks City Attorney Wes Duncan should drop his bid for Washoe County District Attorney and instead run for Nevada Attorney General. Interesting timing—and even more interesting implications.

Current DA Chris Hicks is facing what could be the toughest challenge of his career. Duncan, with a campaign war chest reportedly over $500,000, is a serious contender. Hicks, meanwhile, is stumbling through missteps, from the growing dysfunction inside his office to questionable charging decisions and opaque settlements.

On June 12, 2025, Reno Gazette Journal reporter Mark Robison dropped a little political grenade: a group of donors — now dubbed the “Gang of Eighteen” — were furious with Sparks City Attorney Wes Duncan after he announced his candidacy for Washoe County District Attorney. Their big grievance? They wanted their political contributions back.

Yes, you read that right — refunds.

The money had originally gone to Duncan’s Sparks City Attorney race, which, thanks to a lack of an opponent, was essentially a political formality. But the Gang of Eighteen didn’t care about campaign technicalities. They staged their outrage publicly, then (for added flair) leaked it to the press.

Picon is unapologetically amused.

Wes Duncan announces a run for Washoe County District Attorney and—poof!—a select few locals faint into their fainting couches like we're all trapped in some steamy 1860s Southern drama. Someone fetch the smelling salts—there’s a Republican challenger in the DA’s race, and the self-appointed gatekeepers of Washoe County are scandalized, and it seems are fearful of a primary.

Who died and made them the candidate police of the region?

Sparks City Attorney Wes Duncan has announced his candidacy for Washoe County District Attorney, setting the stage for a potential showdown with incumbent Chris Hicks. While Duncan's tenure in Sparks has been marked by a commitment to transparency and community engagement, Hicks' record on public access to records has been less than stellar.

In 2024 Sparks City Attorney Wes Duncan ran unopposed, but we don’t remember him speaking at a local Republican Women’s group - but now it seems he is.

Political operatives are saying they have been told Duncan is going to rung against Distrcit Attorney Chris Hicks. Is this speech in front of the largest Republican Women’s group in Washoe County sort of a campaign kick-off. We can only guess.

DA Chris Hicks announced he's running for a third term—and the silence from judges, lawyers, and supporters was so loud, you could hear a plea deal drop.