INTERVIEWS AND NARRATIVES
SUE
WAGNER
Sue Wagner came to Nevada in 1969. While raising two small
children, Sue ran for the State Assembly in 1974, representing
southwest Reno. She served "three or four terms" in the Assembly,
then ran for the State Senate. In 1980, while running for
State Senate, her husband was killed in a plane crash.
She won
the seat and was reelected without opposition until 1990.
In 1990, Sue ran for Lieutenant Governor. Prior to the primary,
she was severely injured in a plane accident. She was elected,
without campaigning between the primary and general elections
due to her injuries, but "bowed out" at the end of her term
in 1994. In 1997, Governor Bob Miller appointed Sue Wagner
to the Gaming Commission and recently, Governor Guinn reappointed
her. She has received numerous awards, including "Politician
of the Year," "Breaking the Glass Ceiling Award," and
"Woman of the Year."
Sue Wagner
met Jean Ford at the State Assembly when she took over Mary
Gojak's seat next to Jean. Both women were Republicans at
the time, and they developed a working relationship as women
in the Legislature as well as a friendship.
Interview
Audio Archive
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Excerpt
1
Sue refers to Ford receiving the recognition she deserved
at the end of her life and the organizations that changed
events just so they could present her with an award prior
to her death. (Reno, Nevada; August 15, 2001)
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Excerpt
2
A continuation on the theme of Excerpt 1. Sue states that
Ford should be remembered in our history books, not just
named on a school, because, to the end, Ford was "a ball
of fire." (Reno, Nevada; August 15, 2001)
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Excerpt
3
Sue refers to a story about Darryl Dyer at a bar in Carson
City and Ford and Sue having him be the main sponsor of
a bill requiring lobbyist registration. (Reno, Nevada;
August 15, 2001)
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Excerpt
4
Sue refers to an incident when Ford testified in front
of the Assembly and was treated "awful." Ford, Mary Gojak
and Sue met at the Ormsby House and decide to run the
Assembly "the right way." (Reno, Nevada; August 15, 2001)
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Excerpt
5
Sue refers to some people seeing Ford as condescending.
Sue attributes that to Ford's incredible intelligence
and that she was ahead of her time. (Reno, Nevada; August
15, 2001)
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Excerpt
6
Sue talks about the commotion caused by the three women
in the Legislature, Sue, Mary, and Jean Ford, and how
they used the restroom to their advantage. (Reno, Nevada;
August 15, 2001)
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Excerpt
7
Sue refers to Ford as an egalitarian and that she did
what, to her, was right, always. (Reno, Nevada; August
15, 2001)
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Excerpt
8
Sue continues from Excerpt 7, believing that the political
process should be more accessible to people and the value
of Ford being consistent. (Reno, Nevada; August 15, 2001)
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Excerpt
9
Sue refers to Ford's legacy. To Sue, it is the fact that
the Legislature has reformed and that some of those changes
were wrought by Ford. (Reno, Nevada; August 15, 2001)
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Excerpt
10
Sue refers to the Women's History Project and how Ford
saw that children will not perceive each other as being
equal without their history books reflecting deeds done
by both men and women. (Reno, Nevada; August 15, 2001)
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Excerpt
11
Sue refers to Ford's love of the environment and how Sue
will always remember Ford's attachment to the land. (Reno,
Nevada; August 15, 2001)
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