Ryan Hampton
DemocraticQ1 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?
My mom was a public school teacher, so I know what it looks like when a classroom is asked to do more with less. The numbers tell us Nevada kids are not getting the science education they deserve, and the fix starts with the adults in the room. I would support competitive pay and retention bonuses for STEM teachers in hard to staff schools, paid residency and mentoring programs so new science teachers stay past year three, and alternative licensure pathways for working scientists and engineers who want to teach. I would fund hands on lab time and updated materials so science is something students do, not just read about. And I would push to fund K-12 at the national average and require that new revenue, including from industries getting tax breaks, actually reaches classrooms and teacher paychecks. We should measure what works, keep what works, and stop funding what does not. Keywords: teacher pay, STEM pipeline, classroom funding
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 decides whether Southern Nevada has a future. I follow the science, and the science says we are pulling more groundwater than nature puts back in too many basins. I would support requiring current hydrological data for any new large withdrawal, closing over appropriated basins to new permits, and fully funding the State Engineer and groundwater monitoring so we actually know what is in the ground. I would keep investing in what has worked in Las Vegas, which is conservation, turf removal, and recycling nearly all of our indoor water. On balancing demands, I start from a simple rule. Families and public health come first, and any industry that wants Nevada’s water has to show it can be water neutral or close to it. Agriculture deserves a fair transition with voluntary buyouts and support for less water intensive crops, not a cliff. And the Colorado River negotiations are not over, so Nevada has to keep leading from a position of responsible use. Keywords: groundwater, conservation, water neutral
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 kills more Nevadans than any other weather event, and the people it kills usually have the fewest options. I would support an enforceable state heat standard for outdoor and indoor workers with rest, shade, and water requirements, and real penalties for employers who ignore it. I would fund cooling centers with extended hours and transportation to reach them, and stop utility shutoffs during extreme heat so seniors and families are not sitting in 115 degree homes over a late bill. I would invest in tree canopy and cool pavement in the neighborhoods with the least shade, which are almost always the lowest income ones. Schools need working air conditioning and heat plans for recess and sports. And the state should track heat related deaths and hospitalizations the way we track any other public health threat, so we can see whether what we are doing is working. Keywords: worker protections, cooling access, public health
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?
Renewables should be the backbone of Nevada’s energy future, not a side project. We have some of the best solar in the world, and every megawatt we generate here is money that stays here instead of going to out of state gas markets. I would support pairing solar with battery storage so it works after sundown, faster permitting for projects on already disturbed land, and expanding community solar so renters and people who cannot put panels on a roof can still benefit. Rooftop solar customers should get fair credit for the power they send back, and I would oppose any effort to weaken net metering. Affordability has to be the test for every policy. That means holding NV Energy accountable when it asks for rate increases, protecting low income customers, and making sure the cost of new generation for big industrial users lands on those users and not on households. Keywords: solar and storage, net metering, affordability
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?
Data centers are welcome in Nevada, but not on the current terms. A trillion dollar industry does not need giveaways from a state that cannot fully fund its schools. I would require every proposed data center to submit independent, verifiable projections of its water and electricity use before permitting, with penalties if actual use blows past them. Companies should be required to be water neutral through recycling and offsets, and they should pay the full cost of the new generation and transmission they need so residents are not subsidizing them on their power bills. I would end or tightly condition tax abatements and direct that revenue toward education. Planning should be regional, not project by project, so the state sees the cumulative demand instead of being surprised by it. If a company meets those conditions, it brings good jobs and investment. If it cannot, it should build somewhere else. Keywords: accountability, water neutral, no giveaways
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?
Nevada has always been a mining state, and lithium gives us a real chance to lead the clean energy economy instead of watching it happen somewhere else. But we have seen what happens when extraction comes first and the science comes later, and the communities left holding the bill are usually rural and tribal. I would support requiring independent environmental and hydrological assessments before permits are issued, not after, with real weight given to those findings. Companies should post full reclamation bonds up front, meet water limits based on the actual basin, and consult meaningfully with affected tribes and communities. I would also support updating Nevada’s royalty and tax structure so the state gets a fair return on resources that belong to all of us. Science should not be a box to check. It should decide where mining happens, how much water it can use, and what the company owes when it leaves. Keywords: independent assessments, reclamation, fair return