Elizabeth Halseth
Elizabeth Halseth | |
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Member of the Nevada Senate from the 9th district | |
In office 2010–2012 | |
Preceded by | Dennis Nolan |
Succeeded by | Justin Jones |
Personal details | |
Born | Elizabeth Nicole Schworak February 5, 1983 Oregon, US |
Political party | Republican |
Residence | Las Vegas, Nevada |
Alma mater | Corban University |
Elizabeth Halseth (born February 5, 1983) is an American politician. She was a Republican member of the Nevada Senate from November 2010 until February 2012.[1] Halseth is the youngest woman in Nevada to ever have been elected to the Nevada Legislature.[2] She unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the Nevada Senate in 2018.[3][4]
Early life and education[]
Elizabeth Nicole Halseth (née Schworak) was born in Oregon in 1983, where she was raised by her mother Candy Schworak. She graduated from North Salem High School in Salem, Oregon in 2001. She moved to Nevada in 2006.[5] She earned her psychology degree from Corban University in 2014.[citation needed]
Career[]
Halseth began her political career by running for the Nevada Assembly. However, at the last minute, she decided to shift her campaign goals on the Nevada Senate. Her successful campaign has been called "unlikely."[5] During the primary campaign, Halseth, the more conservative candidate, defeated Dennis Nolan. Halseth released a message left by Nolan on the voicemail of Jaime Anderson Lawes, previous wife of Gordon Lawes, and sister of a sixteen-year-old girl he (Lawes) was accused of raping. Gordon Lawes had been sentenced to a ten-year prison sentence, and Nolan left the message to say it would be "very financially beneficial" if Jaime would "tell the truth" about the rape.[6] The release of this message has been blamed for the failure of Nolan's campaign, and cited as a contributing factor to Halseth's success.[5] She then went on to defeat Benny Yerushalmi, her millionaire opponent in the general election.[5] While a Senator, Halseth was a member of the Senate Revenue Committee, Senate Commerce, Labor and Energy Committee, and the Senate Transportation Committee.[2]
Halseth announced her resignation from office on February 17, 2012, citing issues with balancing performance of her senatorial duties with being a single mother. She also wrote in her letter of resignation that she will likely seek employment outside of Nevada due to issues with finding employment. Her resignation followed criticism that she was missing meetings and not returning telephone calls. Her then-husband Daniel Halseth was later indicted on two felony counts: one of coercion and one of battery; he was also indicted on one misdemeanor count of open and gross lewdness.[7] She unsuccessfully re-ran for a seat in the Nevada Senate in 2018.[3][4]
Personal life[]
In May 2012 after her February resignation from the Senate, Halseth appeared in Maxim's "Hot 100" photo contest appearing in a bikini.[8] Halseth did not win the "Hot 100" contest but was later profiled by Maxim in October 2012 with an additional photoshoot.[9]
Halseth married Daniel Halseth on March 16, 2001. In October 2011, Daniel was arrested for gross and lewd behavior and later filed divorce against her in November. [10]
In April 2021, Halseths's daughter, Sierra, and her boyfriend, Aaron Guerrero, were arrested in Salt Lake City for Elizabeth Halseth's ex-husband's murder in Las Vegas. Daniel Halseth's body was allegedly dismembered and burned during the killing.[11]
References[]
- ^ Latham, Jason (17 February 2012). "Nevada GOP senator Elizabeth Halseth resigns". Fox 5 News.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "About Elizabeth Halseth". Elizabeth Halseth.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Messerly, Megan (August 31, 2017). "Former Republican state senator who resigned during difficult divorce to run again in 2018". The Nevada Independent.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "'I hope he went quick,' says friend who found Daniel Halseth's body". Las Vegas Review-Journal. 2021-04-23. Retrieved 2021-05-29.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d Spillman, Benjamin (8 January 2011). "Elizabeth Halseth unlikely Nevada senator". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
- ^ Vogel, Ed (27 May 2010). "Woman criticizes lawmaker over phone call". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
- ^ McGrath Schwartz, David (17 February 2012). "Following questions regarding her whereabouts, Las Vegas Sen. Elizabeth Halseth resigns". Las Vegas Sun.
- ^ Vogel, Ed (May 14, 2012). "Political Eye: Ex-lawmaker goes from Senate to sexy". Las Vegas Review Journal. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
- ^ Maxim Staff (October 24, 2012). "Our Interview with Elizabeth Halseth". Maxim Magazine. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
- ^ Wingert, Gregan. "State senator's husband arrested on suspicion of lewdness toward her". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
- ^ DeSilva, Kristen (April 14, 2021). "Report: Las Vegas teens planned to run away together before man's gruesome killing". Fox 5. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
External links[]
- Nevada state senators
- 1983 births
- Living people
- Politicians from Portland, Oregon
- Nevada Republicans
- Women state legislators in Nevada
- North Salem High School (Salem, Oregon) alumni
- Corban University alumni