Ward 5 candidates give voters earful

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Sure, the mailers can be nasty and the campaign statements bordering on downright dirty.

But to get a true sense of the tenor of the Las Vegas Ward 5 City Council race, watch the two candidates in a waiting room before a debate.

No words of good luck. No handshakes. No eye contact or acknowledgement the other is in the room.

Come Tuesday, either Ricki Barlow or Stacie Truesdell will be chosen to spend the next four years on the Las Vegas City Council, overseeing an annual budget just under $1.5 billion dollars and making policy decision that affect 600,000 city residents.

A few thousand people are likely to vote.

For those who care, or should, the candidates appeared at the studio of KNPR, 88.9-FM on Thursday for a debate on the public radio program “State of Nevada.” It was the last scheduled debate before Tuesday’s election.

Things started off nice enough. State of Nevada host Dave Berns offered both candidates a lozenge. Both declined the offer, as they would his request they not talk over each other.

But the cordiality continued, at first.

Why are they running, Berns asked.

Truesdell, the 26-year-old attorney, said: “It’s as simple as I really want to see improvements in the community I live in and grew up in.” She talked about a lack of restaurants, the need for a grocery store, and there being only two movie theaters in the ward.

Responding to the same question, Barlow, the 35-year-old Las Vegas council aide, said: “I was born and raised in this community, and know firsthand what this community needs. For seven years I’ve worked with the council to improve the community.”

Before long, the candidates set aside their manners.

Truesdell claimed Barlow was stealing her ideas to improve traffic in the ward.

Barlow accused Truesdell of not knowing how many movie theaters are in the ward.

There was more back and forth about crime.

Both candidates said it’s a top concern. But Barlow bristled at Truesdell saying there were six homicides in Ward 5 in April.

“There are peaks and valleys,” he said.

He said she should talk about the 12 murders in Summerlin.

More interruptions ensued.

Then a program break.

“Is everyone having fun yet?” asked a KNPR worker in the production room.

Back on the air.

Berns asked Truesdell why people were donating to her campaign, and whether it had anything to do with her influential father, Richard Truesdell.

Truesdell said she grew up in the community and many people have known her since childhood.

“They’ve seen what a wonderful and intelligent young woman I’ve turned out to be,” she said.

“When you say you’re a wonderful, intelligent person, how do you think that resonates with people?” Berns asked.

“I don’t know. That’s what people tell me,” Truesdell said.

Both candidates accused each other of lying.

Truesdell pointed out Barlow pleaded guilty to domestic violence 10 years ago.

Barlow said that was untrue.

“If you want to call the court a liar,” Truesdell shot back.

“No, I’m just calling Stacie Truesdell a liar,” Barlow said.

“Look at what the court record says: Barlow entered a plea of guilty,” she said. “I don’t know how much clearer that could be.”

Much of the time remaining focused on Barlow’s domestic violence charge, and Truesdell’s use of that issue in the campaign.

Truesdell has posted divorce documents on a campaign Web site, some of which included Barlow’s Social Security numbers and those of his wife and child.

She said it was an error, and the campaign removed the numbers two hours after they were made aware of the problem.

A caller called the candidates “two political opportunists” and said the choice was between the “lesser of two evils.”

When the hour-long program was done, the candidates walked out, thanking Berns. But there were no handshakes or wishes of good luck between them.

Berns, though, did say afterward that they had made plenty of eye contact during the debate.