Despite defeat, Langford and supporters hopeful for reform

Robert Langford entered the race for District Attorney at the last minute, when the “progressive” candidate suddenly backed out of challenging incumbent Steve Wolfson.  The uphill battle proved insurmountable. Wolfson defeated Langford handily.

But Langford’s supporters said the cause isn’t lost.

“Sometimes a candidate doesn’t have to win the race to make a difference,” says Our Revolution of Nevada President Lori Bryan. “Robert Langford’s candidacy will help to hold Steve Wolfson accountable. It will force Steve Wolfson to discuss bail and jail reform and other issues that matter to real people, not rich campaign contributors.”

Langford expressed disappointment but not defeat.

“We built an infrastructure that is going to be able to support progressive candidates and able to bring forth criminal justice issues that had not been discussed by anyone to date,” Langford said.  “Criminal justice reform is coming.”

Is there a crisis of confidence in the justice system in Southern Nevada?

“I can tell you in every community of color, absolutely yes. In the LGBT communities, absolutely,” Langford, a longtime defense attorney answered emphatically.

“The Progressive movement in Southern Nevada is experiencing the growing pains of youth,” Bryan notes. ”It’s fractured, disorganized and in need of a comprehensive strategy.  We need to strategize and ensure we have a candidate in every race, not three candidates in one race. Competing against one another is no benefit to anyone.”

Bryan says the presence of groups such as Our Revolution forced Democrats to publicly adopt positions that they would not have otherwise. The question now, is whether those positions will hold through the general election.