GOP State Senate Candidate Comes Under Fire For Past Comments

Josh Leavitt, State Senate Candidate for District 18, formerly represented by Scott Hammond who termed out and has endorsed Leavitt, is coming under fire for some past comments he had made on a podcast in relation to President Joe Biden and former President Donald J. Trump.

During a 2020 podcast, Leavitt said:

“I don’t vote for President… So I didn’t have a horse in the race on this one. I vote locally. I definitely think there’s a bigger impact locally for things.I’m pretty diverse on my voting there, but for president, don’t really care and I really don’t pay attention. I don’t know much about Trump, I don’t know much about Biden. I don’t think really they’re that different just from what I gained from watching the little things that I did watch. But hopefully Trump leaves the White House peacefully, and hopefully people let him leave the White House peacefully, but I don’t think we’ll see much change.”

The Globe contacted Leavitt and asked him about his comment and if he plans to vote in the upcoming 2024 presidential election.

Leavitt told The Globe:

“I started paying attention to national politics in 2000. As an entrepreneur, I like to investigate and make the right decisions. I voted for Bush and became a fan boy of sorts. I did the phone banks, donated, went to rallies, etc.

Around that time, I heard Bono of U2 say in an interview, “I don’t really care who is president, my job is to make that person prioritize the things I think are important.” 

That made me pause. I liked that idea. So I began to focus on local issues and things I thought I could do to make a difference locally. Working in workforce development and business development in Nevada, nothing ever happened when I talked to federal politicians. There is a saying I use, “there is a difference between purpose and position.” As an entrepreneur, I look at how we are going to move forward and not be a reactor, and government is full of folks who are more reactionary.

But when Trump was President and Biden became President, I realized that there is definitely a difference between the two, and I have been paying more attention since that time.

Biden doesn’t hold the torch and is a weaker leader. When Trump was President, our position on the world stage was that of a world leader. With Biden, our lack of leadership on the world stage has resulted in numerous wars and conflict, Ukraine, the middle East, Hamas and Israel. There is also a definite difference in cognitive skills between the two.

Trump shakes a lot of things up. He shakes the trees, so to speak. Where Biden plays it safe. Nothing is getting done and we aren’t moving forward.

I am now paying more attention to the presidential election. I am going to vote and show my support for Trump as he is a much better candidate to fix things that need to be fixed like the Southern Border and the economy.”

Leavitt’s GOP challengers in the race for Senate District 18 include former State Assemblyman Richard McArthur and Clark County Fire Chief John Steinbeck who has received Governor Joe Lombardo’s endorsement.