NV Republicans meet Candidates at Heritage Ranch BBQ | News

Although the election might seem far away, candidates are in full campaign-mode. That was no exception today at the 9th Annual Heritage Ranch BBQ at the Park Home Ranch in Minden.

"In the Nevada that I grew up in people expect to see their representatives, you know you ask for people's support, I think part of giving back when you are fortunate enough to get that support is you have to be accessible," said Nevada U.S. Congressman Mark Amodei.

The annual event hosted by the Douglas County Republican Central Committee features a large barbeque buffet, silent and live auction, and a gun sale.

The proceeds go toward supporting local candidates and getting out the vote for Nevada Republicans across the state.

It's a time for voters to ask tough questions. 

"You know they do their homework, they follow events. Hard questions, easy questions, the whole nine yards. So, if somebody's got something on their mind, like hey what did you do on this and why, or generally why are republicans doing this, or you let democrats do that," said Amodei. 

Retail politics is a style of political campaigning in which candidates attend local events in order to target voters on a small scale and individual basis.

Candidate for U.S. Senate in Nevada Captain Sam Brown was the featured speaker today, and he says he'll be engaging in lot of retail politics for the next 16 months.

"You know as I've traveled around the state and much of the rural part of the state people feel like our politicians have gone to D.C. and left us behind. They are representatives from D.C. back here and that's one of the reasons I'm running for U.S. Senate is to be a representative of Nevada to D.C.," said (R) Candidate for Nevada U.S. Senate and Afghanistan Veteran Captain Sam Brown.

Brown officially announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate last week at a campaign launch in Sparks.

So far, he's up against ultraconservative Jim Marchant for the republican state nomination. Whoever wins will face democrat incumbent Senator Jacky Rosen.

"People are fired up about this run. One thing I'm really trying to do is provide hope. You know, middle class Americans are really getting squeezed and pinched right now. People are afraid the American dream could be lost, and so me getting into the fray is sort of a message of hope. I've been through tough stuff, so many have. We can make it," said Brown. 

Nevada U.S. Congressman Mark Amodei and Assemblyman Ken Gray also spoke during today's event.