Washoe GOP’s Mayoral Muddle Might Be Messy: Two Elephants, One Trough (and One Grudge Match)

The Washoe County Republican Party might want to invest in a spreadsheet — or at least a group chat — because the 2026 ballot is shaping up to be one giant, red-tinted identity crisis.

First, there’s the Reno mayor’s race. Two elephants, one chair: Councilmember Kathleen Taylor, who rode GOP backing to a razor-thin win in 2024, and perennial candidate Eddie Lorton, the party’s forever date who’s back for another dance.

We haven’t seen him either. He might have wanted to attend a few District 2 CAB - Citizen Advisory Board Meetings over the past few months.

But wait, there’s more. Over in Commission District 2, Commissioner Mike Clark just announced his re-election bid — and, surprise! — a mysterious “Republican” challenger has suddenly appeared out of the woodwork. Rumor has it this candidate has never been seen at a Republican event, function, or even near the coffee urn at HQ. So where’d he come from? Word on the street says the same folks who still can’t get over Mike Clark beating former Commissioner Bob Lucey back in 2022 went scouting for a spoiler.

Talk about holding a grudge — these folks could bottle resentment and sell it at the next Lincoln Day Dinner. Three years later, and they’re still pouting like it’s primary election night 2022. Maybe the GOP should rename the Central Committee to the Central Complaint Department.

Meanwhile, the Washoe GOP keeps proving that “party discipline” is about as real as bipartisan cooperation. Between dueling mayoral hopefuls and backroom vendettas, the local party couldn’t organize a carpool, let alone a coordinated campaign. The “big tent” has turned into a three-ring circus — and no one’s holding the reins.

At this rate, the only thing uniting local Republicans is their shared talent for self-sabotage.

And the kicker, honestly, why would the Democrats interfere? They’ve got the best seats in the house — front row at the GOP’s slow-motion implosion.