Wade Vandervort
Nevada State Legislature in Carson City, Nevada, Wednesday, April 27, 2022.
Wednesday June 5, 2024 | 2 am
A candidate seeking a Nevada Senate seat says he is not guilty of sexual misconduct allegations that have become a flashpoint in a race that could help Democrats secure a supermajority in the chamber.
Christian Bishop, a Henderson businessman and one of two Democratic candidates on the District 5 primary ballot, has been accused by two Utah women of inappropriate sexual behavior, a claim brought to light by supporters of primary opponent Jennifer Atlas. light last month in campaign mailers sent to registered voters. Democratic voters in the district.
The slick mailers highlight allegations from two women who claim Bishop in 2022 offered to pay for their trip to Las Vegas. Bishop allegedly inundated one of the women with requests for nude photos and sex, which she rejected on multiple occasions, the emails allege.
Bishop, a former contestant on the reality dating show “The Bachelorette,” canceled the women’s hotel reservation and prevented them from communicating with him on social media, the women said.
They shared their story in 2022 after the alleged incidents, initially in a TikTok video that garnered millions of views and then in a podcast about the popular “Bachelor”/“Bachelorette” franchise. The allegations have gained widespread attention following a story published last month in the Daily Beast.
One of the women on the podcast said, “We wanted to tell what happened and we wanted other girls to realize the guys who think like that and the guys who treat girls like that and actually think it’s okay.”
Bishop and Atlas are in a heated primary, with the winner facing Republican incumbent Carrie Buck, assistant minority leader in the state Senate.
Democrats hold 13 of 21 seats (one seat short of the two-thirds needed for a supermajority) and 10 House seats are up for grabs in the 2024 election. Buck won the seat in 2020 by 329 votes out of more than 67,000 votes cast. . Democrats see the seat as a prime opportunity for change.
Bishop, 35, vehemently denied the allegations in an interview with the Sun and said the claims, specifically the email’s language about “targeting” a young woman, were sensational.
Bishop said highlighting his alleged wrongdoing echoed the past unfair treatment of black candidates in American politics.
“Unfortunately, this seems to happen, especially with black candidates who often run for public office, where things are used against them in a very sensational way,” Bishop said. “I think there is a clear history, both of irregularities in the Legislature that need to be addressed to ensure that it is a safe place and a safe building for women, but also an environment that has not been the most comfortable for African Americans running for office. the elections. office.”
The ads were sent out by Nevada Legislate Victory, a political action committee that also sent out ads in support of Atlas, a paralegal and former lobbyist.
Atlas has amassed critical support from the Nevada AFL-CIO and the Nevada Democratic Caucus, raising more than $36,000, according to campaign finance reports filed in April.
Atlas’ website also touts endorsements from Democratic Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro and former Gov. Steve Sisolak.
Bishop has more funds available and has spent nearly four times as much as Atlas, according to financial reports.
Bishop attributed Republican control of Senate District 5 to mistakes by the Democratic Party, including Atlas’ endorsement.
“A lot of people are very frustrated and disappointed with what the Democratic leadership has decided to do in this race,” Bishop said.
Bishop has several major endorsements, including the Culinary Union and the Nevada State Education Association, who appear confident despite the recent allegations. The Culinary Union declined to comment on whether its endorsement would be affected by the claims in the advertisements.
Buck is much better funded than either of the two Democratic candidates, with April financial reports indicating a balance of nearly $120,000 in what is shaping up to be a heated few months of campaigning before the November general election.
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