The Listening Tour

“Talking with the people around each of the communities in Nevada was by far the most inspiring and humbling experience. I found the people to be courteous, kind and willing to help out in any way possible.”
– Jared Fisher, 2018 Candidate for Governor of Nevada

The Listening Tour: An Overview

It’s not every day that a candidate for governor kicks off an election campaign by hopping on a bicycle and riding across the state of Nevada, but that’s precisely what health-conscious Las Vegas business owner Jared Fisher did.

In May 2017, Jared Fisher announced that he would be running for governor of Nevada in the 2018 election, becoming the first candidate from either party to officially join the race. He kicked off his campaign by embarking on a 13-day bike ride across the state of Nevada. He called his journey “The Listening Tour.”

Although the cycling portion of the tour has ended, The Listening Tour has continued in the weeks and months since Jared’s return to Las Vegas and will continue throughout the fall.

Where Jared Traveled:

By bicycle:

Las Vegas
Lake Mead
Overton
Carp
Elgin
Elgin Schoolhouse State Historic Site
Caliente
Cathedral Gorge State Park
Pioche
Echo Canyon State Park
Pinaca
Great Basin National Park
middle of nowhere
Fernley
Fallon
Middlegate
Lund
Ely
Cave Lake State Park
Elko
Lamoille
Battle Mountain
Winnemucca
Mina
Silver Peak
Goldfield
Beatty
Amargosa Valley
Pahrump
Blue Diamond

Distance: 1,400 miles on a bicycle

Businesses & Community Members Jared Has Met With:

Healthcare professionals (read more…)
Educators (read more…)
Town Hall board members (read more…)
Solar energy advocates (read more…)
Energy efficiency experts (read more…)
Entrepreneurs
Small business owners (read more here and here…)
Clean water advocates
Leaders from the Regional Transportation Commission

The Reasons for the Tour:

Jared had worked closely with the federal government and local governments in Nevada and the Southwestern US for over 25 years as an entrepreneur and business owner. He knew that if he wanted to learn from Nevadans first hand about the issues they cared about most, he would need to travel to the most remote towns and communities in Nevada.

Jared also knew that driving across the state in a car or campaign bus and meeting and greeting residents through traditional political methods simply wouldn’t cut it. Anyone could do that. If he wanted to truly connect with the land and the people of his home state, he would need to make the journey in a way that would allow for organic and authentic interactions.

“I decided to ride across the state of Nevada for three reasons,” Jared explains in a short video clip from a documentary he made about the trip. “One, I wanted to get to know the people throughout Nevada. I wanted to understand our state collectively and each community individually. Two, I love the outdoors. I’ve always been intrigued by the backcountry of Nevada and its wide-open spaces. And three, I have made my living on a bike; selling them to cycling and outdoor enthusiasts, and guiding thousands of clients on tours in the great outdoors. It is a big part of who I am”.

Nevadans Talked, Jared Listened

Throughout the 13-day bike and in the months since then, Jared has listened as Nevadans have expressed concern about a wide range of issues, including:

Healthcare
Education
Water
Land use
Taxes

Toward the end of the cycling portion of the Listening Tour, Jared took the took the notes he’d made and presented the findings in front of the legislature in Carson City. Jared plans to continue to fight on behalf of all Nevadans throughout the year with more trips to Carson City scheduled for the near future.