The victory by controversial brothel owner Dennis Hof in an Assembly primary race left a Nye County commissioner singing the blues — literally.
Commissioner Dan Schinhofen, a part-time bluegrass musician, penned and recorded a song lamenting Hof’s victory over incumbent Assemblyman James Oscarson.
In the song, “Something in the Water,” Schinhofen pokes gentle fun at some voters in Pahrump, the biggest community in Nye County. The song has lines like, “there’s something in the water that makes us a little dumb,” which Schinhofen called “tongue in cheek.”
He saved his sharpest barbs for Hof, a former reality TV star who says he’s a political outsider following President Donald Trump’s playbook.
Schinhofen, who lost his own re-election bid to an ally of Hof, calls Hof an unserious opportunist.
“First off, he’s not a Republican,” Schinhofen said. “He holds no Republican principles, no Republican values.”
Schinhofen even coined a new term for Hof - "Hof-acrat" because he believes he is only in it for himself.
“He has no relationship with the truth," Schinhofen said, "He’s made up tons of lies about me, his other opponent. His biggest lie is he’s calling himself a Republican.”
Schinhofen didn't spare criticism for the local Republican Party in Nye County.
“The local Republican Party was bought and paid for by Dennis Hof," he said, "He bought this election.”
The outgoing county commissioner says the Republican Party and people who believe in conspiracy theories supported Hof and never supported him. He also pointed out that the Assembly Republican Caucus is not supporting Hof.
He also blames Hof for his loss to Debra Strickland. He said Hof "hand-picked" her and they used an issue he doesn't control to sway voters.
Schinhofen made clear the song that he wrote was not about everyone in Pahrump just a small part of the population.
“Far and away we have great people and a great community," he said.
And although the song takes strong aim at a lot of people in Pahrump, Schinhofen said he was not bitter.
“This is not sour grapes at all. I’m relieved,” he said, “I was honored to serve the eight years that I served.”
As for who he will support in the general election in November, Hof or his Democratic opponent Lesia Romanov, Schinhofen was clear:
“Real simple – pimp – school teacher – real simple.”
Dan Schinhofen, Nye County commissioner