Assemblywoman announces bid for Las Vegas City Council

A second Nevada legislator announced that she’s running for the seat of Las Vegas City Councilman Cedric Crear, who is vacating his seat to run for mayor.

Assemblywoman Shondra Summers-Armstrong announced Tuesday that she’s vying to represent Ward 5, which encompasses the Historic Westside.

“This is my neighborhood and my neighbors,” Summers-Armstrong wrote in a statement Tuesday. “And there is no one better equipped to recognize and address the unique challenges Ward 5 faces.”

She is the second Nevada lawmaker to announce an intention to step down from the Legislature to replace Crear, who is vying to replace Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman in a crowded field.

Assemblyman Cameron “C.H.” Miller, who resigned from the Assembly last month, previously confirmed that he intends to run for Las Vegas City Council.

In a Tuesday statement, Miller wrote that he respects Summers-Armstrong’s decision but that he trusts “the people of Ward 5 to choose the one who will fight for their safety, economic progress, and preserve the rich culture of our diverse community.”

He added, “I look forward to visiting all the neighborhoods, discussing the issues that matter most to Ward 5 voters, and learning what they want from City Hall.”

In text message to the Review-Journal, Crear wrote that “I think the world of them both, and I am encouraged because they share my priorities of public safety, economic development, job creation and quality growth.”

In her statement, Summers-Armstrong, 59, wrote that her background as a small-business owner, public employee and community activist gives her a unique perspective. She has lived in the ward for about a quarter-century and raised children there, she noted.

The majority-Black Historic Westside is in the midst of a redevelopment-based transformation under the city’s Hundred Plan, which Summers-Armstrong described as a solid, community-driven effort.

“At this point it’s really about how do we move it forward,” the candidate told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

She said she would like to see city officials further engaging small businesses so they can thrive and provide job opportunities for area residents.

Summers-Armstrong was elected to the Nevada Legislature in 2020 and won re-election. Her current term expires in November 2024.

At the Legislature, Summers-Armstrong said she advocated for social justice, health care, small businesses and tenant rights.

Summers-Armstrong was also a veteran chief steward of the Regional Transportation Commission and has served as an SEIU Local 1107 executive board member and is a former member of the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority.

The 10-day candidacy filing period opens in March.

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com. Follow @rickytwrites on X.