Joseph "Joey" Charafi
RepublicanQ1 K-12 EDUCATION: In 2023–24, approximately 14% of fifth-grade students and 36% of eighth-grade students in Nevada met or exceeded state standards for science, while many Nevada school districts face challenges attracting and retaining qualified STEM educators. What evidence-based policies, if any, would you support to strengthen science education and access to quality STEM educators across the state, and why?
“Nevada’s science proficiency numbers should concern all of us. Strong STEM education is not only about test scores. It is workforce development for Nevada’s future.
I would support evidence-based efforts to recruit and retain qualified STEM teachers, including partnerships with Nevada colleges and universities, teacher preparation scholarships tied to service in Nevada schools, and stronger pathways for professionals in science, engineering and technology who want to enter teaching.
I also support expanding hands-on STEM opportunities, career and technical education, apprenticeships, robotics, coding, engineering and partnerships with Nevada employers. Students should understand how what they learn connects to real careers.
However, we should measure results. If taxpayers fund a STEM initiative, we should know whether student proficiency, teacher retention and career readiness actually improve. Programs that work should be expanded. Programs that do not should be changed.
Nevada can build a technology and advanced-industry economy, but that requires investing in the students and teachers who will build it.” Keywords: STEM Workforce, Teacher Retention, Accountability
Q2 WATER: Nevada is the driest state in the United States, and our limited water resources are facing increasing demand as drought pressure increases. Research has documented declining groundwater levels and concerns about the long-term sustainability of groundwater withdrawals. What policies, if any, would you support to promote sustainable groundwater use and protect long-term access to fresh water in Nevada? How would you approach balancing competing water demands, such as those from agriculture, communities, industry, and environmental needs?
“Water security is fundamental to Nevada’s future. We cannot responsibly plan for housing, agriculture or economic development without knowing how much water our basins can sustainably provide.
I support modernizing Nevada’s groundwater data, monitoring withdrawals and using the best available hydrologic science when making long-term decisions. Some foundational groundwater estimates are decades old, which is why the Nevada Water Initiative’s work to update water budgets and consumptive-use estimates is important.
Conservation should also remain part of the solution, along with recycling and reuse, infrastructure improvements and technologies that reduce water consumption.
Balancing competing uses requires recognizing that communities, agriculture, industry and ecosystems all have legitimate interests while respecting Nevada water law and existing water rights. Decisions should be basin-specific rather than assuming one policy works everywhere.
Most importantly, Nevada should not promise the same gallon of water multiple times. Growth must be supported by credible water planning so today’s economic development does not become tomorrow’s water crisis.”
Keywords: Water Security, Conservation, Science
Q3 HEAT: Reno was recently identified as the fastest-warming city in the country, closely followed by Las Vegas. What steps, if any, would you take to protect Nevadans from the increasing threat of extreme heat, particularly vulnerable populations such as children, older adults, low-income communities, and outdoor workers?
“Extreme heat is a public-health and infrastructure issue in Nevada, particularly for seniors, children, outdoor workers and people without reliable housing or air conditioning.
I support using Nevada-specific heat and health data to identify the neighborhoods and populations facing the greatest risk rather than relying on one-size-fits-all policies.
Practical measures can include reliable cooling centers during dangerous heat events, public notification systems, access to drinking water, shade at appropriate public and transit locations, urban tree canopy where feasible, and coordination with schools, senior services and emergency responders.
For outdoor workers, I support clear heat-safety standards based on actual risk, including reasonable access to water, shade and recovery periods during dangerous conditions, while working with employers so requirements are practical for Nevada industries.
Longer term, infrastructure planning should consider heat-resistant materials, energy reliability and urban design.
Nevadans understand that summers are hot. The government’s responsibility is not to eliminate Nevada’s climate. It is to use evidence and practical preparation to reduce preventable illness and deaths.” Keywords: Public Health, Preparedness, Resilience
Q4 ENERGY: In 2025, solar power provided approximately 34% of Nevada’s total in-state electricity generation. As electricity demand continues to grow, what role do you believe renewable energy sources should play in meeting Nevada’s future energy needs? What policies, if any, would you support to facilitate the development of these resources while keeping energy affordable for Nevada households and ensuring that residents who generate their own electricity can participate fairly in the energy system?
“Nevada should pursue an ““all of the above”” energy strategy focused on reliability, affordability and increasing domestic energy production.
Solar has an obvious role because Nevada has an extraordinary solar resource, and renewable generation can help diversify our energy portfolio. I also support geothermal development, storage technology and continued innovation in next-generation energy, including serious consideration of advanced nuclear technology as it develops.
But energy policy cannot be judged solely by how much capacity we build. Families and small businesses ultimately experience energy policy through their monthly bills and whether electricity remains available when demand peaks.
I therefore support competitive development of resources that can demonstrate reliability and economic value rather than politically selecting one technology regardless of cost.
Nevadans who invest their own money in rooftop solar should also have clear, stable and fair rules for connecting to the grid and receiving appropriate value for electricity they provide, while recognizing that maintaining a reliable electrical grid has real costs.
Nevada can be both an energy innovator and an affordable place to live.” Keywords: Affordability, Reliability, Innovation
Q5 Nevada has increasingly attracted large-scale data centers and other energy-intensive industries, which can provide economic investment while also increasing demand for electricity and water. What approach, if any, would you take to ensure that the anticipated water and energy needs of these developments are accurately accounted for in planning and permitting, while balancing economic benefits and electricity costs for residents?
“I want Nevada to compete for technology investment and high-quality jobs, but large developments should not receive economic benefits while transferring their infrastructure costs to Nevada families.
Before approving major data-center developments or incentives, state and local decision-makers should have credible estimates of projected electricity demand, water consumption, infrastructure requirements and long-term economic benefits.
This is particularly important because DRI estimates that planned Nevada data-center development could create substantial additional electricity and water demand.
I would support greater transparency around those projections and coordination among economic-development authorities, utilities and water agencies. We should also encourage technologies that reduce cooling-water consumption, use reclaimed water where technically and environmentally appropriate, and improve energy efficiency.
Nevada should welcome innovation, including AI infrastructure. But economic development needs to pencil out for Nevada taxpayers and ratepayers too.
If a project consumes enormous amounts of electricity or requires major new infrastructure, policymakers should understand who pays for that infrastructure before approving incentives or commitments.
Growth should strengthen Nevada’s economy without unexpectedly increasing household utility costs or compromising long-term water security.” Keywords: Technology, Transparency, Ratepayers
Q6 MINING AND MINERAL RESOURCES: As the Silver State, Nevada is a major U.S. source of mineral resources and has some of the country’s largest lithium reserves, which are increasingly important to the nation’s energy and technology industries. How would you balance the development of these resources with potential impacts on water, ecosystems, and surrounding communities, and what role, if any, should scientific and environmental assessments play in decisions about where and how mining occurs?
“Mining is part of Nevada’s history and remains important to our economy, jobs and national security. Critical minerals such as lithium are increasingly important for batteries, technology and reducing American dependence on foreign supply chains.
I support responsible development of Nevada’s mineral resources.
Scientific and environmental assessments should play an important role in determining how projects proceed. Policymakers and regulators need reliable information about groundwater, surface water, reclamation, wildlife habitat and impacts on nearby communities before major projects move forward.
At the same time, environmental review should be rigorous without becoming an indefinite process that prevents responsible projects from ever being built. Nevada should provide clear standards, predictable permitting and accountability for reclamation and environmental commitments.
I am particularly interested in Nevada capturing more of the economic value after extraction. Nevada’s emerging lithium ecosystem includes mining, processing, manufacturing and recycling. Building more of that supply chain here can create skilled jobs while strengthening America’s critical-mineral independence.
The goal should be responsible development, strong environmental stewardship and making Nevada a leader in the technologies built from the resources beneath our feet.” Keywords: Critical Minerals, Stewardship, Jobs