Geoconda Hughes

My name is Geoconda "Geo" Hughes. I am a proud mom, immigrant, and nurse practitioner. My family and I are political refugees from Nicaragua- we immigrated to the United States when I was 6 years old. I witnessed my parents work multiple jobs to help support us learning to take nothing for granted. I grew up on the picket lines with my mom, who started her Union journey as a guest room attendant then eventually rose to lead one of the largest labor union locals in the country. I grew up in Las Vegas and have raised my children in Las Vegas attending our public school system. I have a Bachelors of Science in Nursing from UNLV and a Master’s of Nursing. I have a B.A. in Management from University of Maryland University College. I am a Cardiovascular and Thoracic Nurse Practitioner. I worked as an ICU Nurse during the Covid-19 pandemic. My experience being raised in a union household served me well as it helped me stand up and fight for our PPE alongside our Union - National Nurses United. We stood up not just for ourselves but for all the healthcare workers in our hospital. I have a blended family of 5 children with my fiance. One of our children has Type 1 Diabetes being diagnosed at 15 months old which is what spurred my career in nursing and advocacy for affordable medications to include insulin. I am running for Senate District 3 to ensure working families are heard and to give a voice to our healthcare community as we have no Nurses in the Nevada Legislature currently.

• Healthcare. My son has type 1 diabetes; he cannot survive without insulin. I often worry that one day when I am gone, he won’t be able to afford it. As an Provider, I have seen the impact of people not being able to afford life-saving medication. It horrifies me to think of the same thing happening to him. That’s why I have fought for affordable insulin since 2015. I was a part of the effort to pass insulin cost transparency legislation. Nevada led the way to cap insulin costs for patients on Medicare. We cannot stop there - I want to make life-saving medications affordable to all--insulin is just the beginning. That’s why we need a nurse in our legislature- someone who can speak to the issue understanding the impact first hand.
• Housing. Everyone should have a place to live. Unfortunately, many Nevadans struggle to afford housing. We need to limit investors buying up properties to create monopolies, making rents unfair, and home prices unaffordable. Incentives should be provided to make housing more affordable, and make it easier to build new houses, too. We need to get rid of hidden fees that raise rent and bills, and put caps on rent increases. We need to stop predatory practices that essentially unhouse Nevadans.
• Education. My siblings and I attended CCSD schools from elementary school to high school. I raised two young men who attended the Clark County’s Public School System, I know first hand that our schools need help. I also know we have some amazing teachers that are currently undervalued and underpaid. We need to direct funding into things that matter, such as paying teachers and prioritizing kids’ mental health.

I am passionate about reproductive rights! I have been a volunteer with Planned Parenthood for years working towards electing pro-choice candidates, marching, making calls, canvassing and being participating in actions, leading volunteer groups. As a woman and a healthcare professional I know that reproductive care is healthcare.

I am passionate about affordable healthcare for all. Healthcare accessibility and healthcare professional safety. Affordable prescription drugs are essential. Life saving medication should not be just for the rich.

I am passionate about LBGTQIA+ rights and am proud to say have raised a family of allies and hope to continue building a network of allies for our community.

I am lucky to have many strong, influential people in my life, but one person stands out in particular -my mom. In Nicaragua during the revolution-my aunt’s house, where we were all sent to safety, was attacked by revolutionaries. My mom helped us all to our safe room but then crawled down the hall-- rifle in arms-- to get to the CB radio to call for help, all the while having hundreds of attackers climbing all over the house screaming for us. She looked at me and told me to be brave because she was getting us out of there and she did.
Fast forward to moving to Las Vegas where she worked 2 guest room attendant jobs and delivered newspapers to ensure we had what we needed. She always looked at me and told me as long as you work hard, hold your head high, we will be ok and we were.
When my mom was asked by her union organizers to help as a shop steward at the Fitzgerald, she talked to all of us about the time she would need and told us she HAD to do it. We walked those pickets proudly knowing we would win and we did.
When she became a union organizer and fought for 6 years, 4 months and 10 days alongside the Frontier strikers, you better believe I had no doubt my mom and all of the men and women on the picket line would outlast the company because my mom told me they would.
In 2020 we needed help to received the PPE we needed to treat Covid patients and stay safe, we turned to our union and got to work to fight to protect all of us at the hospital because my mom showed me that in unity all things are possible. With the help of IBEW, Fire, Teachers, IATSE, SEIU, Culinary, UFCW, Plumbers and Pipefitters forced our hospital to give us our PPE so we could treat patients safely.
This run for office comes from years of seeing our city thrive and become what it is through the hard work and dedication of union leaders like my mother, Geoconda Arguello Kline, my hero and the most influential person in my life.

One of the most important characteristics for an elected official is accountability. Our elected officials need to take responsibility for the decisions they make. Elected Officials must also be transparent with their constituents.
Most Nevadans are not aware of the fact that corporate structures allow basically unlimited donations far above the intended donation caps in this state is anti-democratic. I pledge to reject PAC donations from large corporations and their lobbyists. Nevada needs to impose stricter limits on corporate donations.

We deserve leaders who will fight for our families, kids, seniors, and neighborhoods – not for the bottom line of big companies. As your state senator, I’ll fight for you.

National Nurses United, Culinary Local 226, Bartenders Local 165, Teamsters Local 631, Teamsters Local 14, Teamsters Local 986, Nevada State Education Association, United Food & Commercial Workers 711, and Mom's Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate