A former Nevada deputy attorney general who served under both Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D.) and Republican Adam Laxalt when they were state attorneys general is endorsing Laxalt in his bid to unseat Masto in November.
Dawn Buoncristiani, who worked with four Nevada attorneys general as deputy, announced her support for Laxalt in an opinion piece published Thursday in the Reno Gazette-Journal. Buoncristiani served under Laxalt when he was Nevada's attorney general from 2015 to 2019. Buoncristiani also worked with Cortez Masto during her stint as attorney general from 2007 to 2015.
"I observed both candidates firsthand, and I believe Adam Laxalt will be a more professional, innovative, efficient and hardworking senator than Catherine Cortez Masto," Buoncristiani wrote.
Buoncristiani praised Laxalt's work establishing the Committee on Domestic Violence and Office of Military Legal Assistance, emphasizing his "timeliness and efficiency."
"I know many voters simply want to be sure that their senator’s office staff will pick up the phone when they call, and that their concerns will be addressed in a timely and thorough manner," Buoncristiani wrote. "Well, Adam Laxalt ran the best attorney general office I ever worked in. He took an innovative approach and addressed problems that his predecessors had not. That’s why he has my vote."
Laxalt is in a tight race against incumbent Cortez Masto in what RealClearPolitics is calling a "toss up" race.
Buoncristiani did not comment on Cortez Masto's job performance.