Dems announce Gerhardt retirement, new assembly candidate

CARSON CITY-Nevada Democrats announced today that Assemblywoman Susan Gerhardt (D-Henderson) will not seek a third term in the state legislature and that April Mastroluca, a "longtime education advocate," will run for her seat.

"It's been my privilege to represent Assembly District 29 and to work on so many critical issues," Gerhardt said. "Nevadans are fortunate to have many strong advocates for education, public safety and working families serving in the Legislature, and while I will not run for re-election, I will continue to help them fight for Nevada families however I can."

Gerhardt, a retired police officer with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, was first elected in 2004 and, according to the release, "sponsored bills to give more rights to battered women weighing whether to prosecute their abusers and measures to improve health and safety standards in local medical clinics.  She was a leader in encouraging her constituents to file homestead exemptions."

Her decision not to run again "because of personal health and family issues," was apparently made quite recently and caught many Democrats, including Clark County Democratic Chairman John Hunt, by surprise when it was reported first by Annjeanette Damon of the Reno Gazette-Journal yesterday.  Gerhardt is currently "recovering from a successful surgery earlier this week," that the release stressed was unrelated to an earlier announcement that she had been one of 40,000 Nevadans potentially exposed to Hepatitis C at a local endoscopy clinic.

Running in her stead will be April Mastroluca, a Henderson resident whose community activities include membership with the Nevada Parent-Teacher Association Board, the Southern Nevada Chapter of the Red Cross and the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth.

Mastroluca will likely face off against Republican Sean Fellows for the 29th Assembly District seat.

According to the release, Mastroluca is out of town this week but will be announcing her candidacy next week.