Sparks Mayor Ed Lawson spoke with 2 News Nevada on Tuesday after he says the Washoe County Republican Party voted to expel him.
Lawson said he got a call Tuesday morning from a friend telling him about the decision, and that he had heard a rumor that it could be coming about a month ago.
He told 2 News Nevada why he believed the Washoe County GOP did what they did.
“It’s because I supported Jacky Rosen. Because she’s carrying a lands bill that involves the City of Sparks, and we need a lands bill in the worst way,” Lawson said. “It doesn’t have any effect on me. I’m still a Republican. I always will be a Republican. I’m not leaving the party because of a few people.”
Lawson said he is going to do everything he can to do the best he can for Sparks and discussed what he sees as an issue with the Washoe County GOP expelling him over one point of disagreement.
“I’ve been married 42 years. My wife and I don’t agree 100 percent on anything. There’s no way I’m going to agree 100 percent with the Republican Party. And that’s true on both sides,” he said. “Doing what’s right for your community is now somehow a violation of your party brand, and that is ridiculous.”
The mayor says he has gotten more than a dozen emails offering support and even more text messages from colleagues supporting him.
We reached out to the Washoe County Republican Party for comment and have not heard back yet.
