Christine DeCorte at the Helm of Campaign for Nevada Assembly District 18

Posted on October 7, 2017 By suyog Cat A-1, Nevada, Politicians

Christine DeCorte is the epitome of the modern-day, hardworking Republican woman who knows how to get things done. She is running for Assembly District 18 and will need to win the primary on June 14 to continue to the November general election.

From a young age, the savvy business owner has been a witness to the effects of hard work and a strong drive. Her parents owned a Winchell’s doughnut shop, which impressed upon the young DeCorte the importance of hard work. Dedication to one’s job and the drive to push oneself are attributes that are helping her confidently manage her campaign for Nevada Assembly 18.

While both witnessing and taking part in the everyday grind that comes with working in a small business, DeCorte was exposed to the corrupt facets of politics and the ugly reach that power can have on businesses working to succeed. She recounted a memory of the state health inspector causing a fracas in her parent’s shop. DeCorte’s mother and father were both smokers and kept an ashtray in the back of their store, far away from food preparation. She recalls the state health inspector blithely asking for three dozen doughnuts in exchange for forgetting to mention this minor infraction.

The family shop would be spotless, yet this issue would be enough to send her parents rushing to hide the ashtray to avoid any problems. DeCorte has carried this memory as a reminder of how the government can be overbearing, especially with small business owners and mom-and-pop companies, which are, DeCorte says, “The backbone of this country.”

DeCorte’s opinion on small businesses and the power of drive and determination does not come without a lengthy resume. She has worked tirelessly for decades in all of her undertakings, including politics. Whether it was ringing doorbells and sending out campaign flyers for favored Republican candidates or maintaining the role of treasurer for up to 20 ladies groups in Nevada, DeCorte gave it her all. She has served as vice president for “Active Republican Women.” been a delegate for decades, and has volunteered to work on numerous campaigns. DeCorte is a pro navigating the political landscape of Las Vegas.

Politics has been a mainstay in DeCorte’s life. She has been opinionated and outspoken about her political beliefs. Voracious about learning in general, DeCorte, while working as an operations manager at Valley Bank, took night classes in political science. As a naturalized citizen, she says there has always been a desire to learn and understand more about her country.

DeCorte met the man who would become her husband of 28 years while attending these classes. Together, they have raised a family of three children, who have all gone on to find success in life. DeCorte’s 26-year-old daughter, Lauren, is doing software engineering in Washington D.C., and her son Trent works for Apple.

DeCorte credits her extensive travel history to five years spent as a flight attendant with Sunworld Airlines. Travel allowed her to gain a deeper appreciation for free societies like the United States. When the airline went out of business, she accepted a position with Valley Bank of Nevada, working 30-day intervals in every aspect of the bank, from managing the vault to the teller position to training as a financial manager. She learned how to help clients grow their interest on their accounts, which she found gratifying. She said, “If you were in a position to make other people money, why would you not do it?”

DeCorte came across an ad in the paper that she considered frivolous as it promised jewelry, world travel, and lots of money, but at the behest of her husband, she applied. She not only landed the job, but, realizing an untapped talent within herself as a salesperson, she became a top seller in the health insurance industry. “I just knew that I love people, and love helping them,” she said. “I was able to build a successful agency with 23 agents working for me as independent contractors.”

When the health insurance laws began to change, DeCorte stepped away from the industry but maintained her insurance license, choosing to supplement it with a securities license. As a financial planner, she was helping clients meet their investment goals. She cites her son as one of her success stories.

Following her advice, her son was able to establish financial independence at an age when most young people are still finding their way. Consequently, at the age of 21, he was able to buy his first home.

DeCorte is adamant that establishing oneself and making the right choices to get ahead in life is what America is all about. According to her, everyone has the freedom to make the choice to get an education and work hard to push themselves. She says Americans have to understand the consequences of their decisions and accept personal responsibility. With too much government intervention, self-reflection can be lost.

She cites the Commerce Tax and other taxes against small businesses as a death knell for many hard-working entrepreneurs. The egregious taxes and regulations, combined with required continuing education, made it impossible for DeCorte to remain profitable. “Business owners take on all of the risks, plus must navigate the hurdles of a regulatory bureaucracy, just to make a living, while the government makes things near-impossible for small businesses.”

DeCorte has some issues with the way things are going in the country. As a health insurance agent and a world traveler, she has noticed that health care in America is starting to mimic that of England, which is a shame, in her opinion. “Socialized medicine is not better,” she says. DeCorte witnessed Canadian citizens in need of surgery coming to the United States to buy health insurance and obtain timely health care. She believes it is unconstitutional to force American citizens to purchase health insurance.

DeCorte is a huge advocate for veterans and their affairs. She is grateful for their sacrifice and affirmed, “I would be a champion for them in whatever they needed.”

If elected, she is open to working with Democrats and has had lots of practice in doing so, because her husband is a Democrat. However, she has found that listening to another perspective usually solidifies her conservative views. She sticks to her guns and trusts herself implicitly. DeCorte understands the need to give back and remarked that the Republicans, when left on their own, are more giving and helpful to philanthropic causes than their liberal counterparts.

DeCorte has experience in politics, the worldly vision of a traveler, and the self-determination of a business owner to make a difference for the constituents in Assembly District 18. Given the opportunity to shine in that arena, as she has done in other aspects of her life, she will serve the district well.

By Juanita Lewis
Edited by Jeanette Smith

Source:

Interview: April 13, 2016, Christine DeCorte