National Democrats Endorse Seven Nevada Legislative Candidates

Today, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) announced they are backing seven legislative candidates in Nevada as part of its multi-million dollar “Summer of States” initiative. The intiative is funded and designed to “build and cement Democratic power” in state legislatures to “stop Donald Trump and his MAGA allies.”

The DLCC has endorsed two state Senate candidates and five state Assembly candidates in the Silver State. The DLCC defended both chambers of the Nevada legislature in 2022 to maintain the state’s Democratic majorities.

“The DLCC has long engaged in Nevada, and our victories in 2022 ensured that fundamental freedoms are protected against GOP extremism,” President of the DLCC Heather Williams said in a statement. “This year we must build upon that progress by supporting this slate of strong candidates to strengthen our Democratic majorities.”

The two state Senate candidates supported by the DLCC are Assemblywoman Angie Taylor and attorney/lobbyist Jennifer Atlas.

Taylor aims to flip Senate District 15 (SD-15), a formerly red district that was gerrymandered into a blue district by the Democratic majority in 2021. Unknown consultants redrew the district from a one-point Republican advantage to a six-point Democratic voter registration advantage.

As the redistricting process was unfolding in Carson City, Republican Senator Heidi Seevers Gansert stated that, “The city of Reno has been severed,” “artificially engineered,” and “Reno and Washoe County voters were being disenfranchised.” Seevers Gansert served SD-15 for two terms and did not seek reelection.

Assemblywoman Taylor advanced from June’s Democratic primary and will face Republican Mike Ginsburg in the general election. According to the latest voter registration data for SD-15, there are 31,631 Democrats, 29,178 nonpartisans, and 26,654 registered Republicans in the district.

Atlas is facing Republican state Senator Carrie Buck in Senate District 5 (SD-5). Republicans hold a slim advantage in the district with 31,419 active registered voters compared to 30,637 registered Democrats. Yet, nonpartisan voters lead both parties with 35,529 active registered voters.

If Democrats hold 13 of the 21 Senate seats and pick up SD-15 or SD-5, they will have a supermajority in the state Senate.

Of note, the Princeton Gerrymandering Project found that the redistricting maps gave Democrats an advantage in 15 of 21 state Senate seats, and 29 of 42 Assembly seats, thereby cementing the 2/3 majority needed to over-ride a gubernatorial veto.

The Nevada Assembly Democratic Caucus and the DLCC aims to defend its slim supermajority in the state Assembly. Democrats hold 28 of the 42 seats.

Assemblywomen Shea Backus, Selena La Rue Hatch, Sandra Jauregui, and Elaine Marzola are Democratic incumbents backed by the DLCC.

Assemblywoman Backus represents Assembly District 37. Backus first represented the district in 2018, but was defeated by Republican Andy Matthews in 2020. In 2022, Matthews successfully ran for state controller and Backus reclaimed the seat.

Backus now faces businessman David Brog. The district currently has 16,955 registered Democrats, 16,421 registered nonpartisan voters, and 16,032 registered Republicans.

In Assembly District 25, first-term Assemblywoman Selena La Rue Hatch will face off against Republican Diana Sande. There are 16,732 registered Democrats, 15,767 registered Republicans, and 13,842 nonpartisan voters in the district.

Assemblywoman Jauregui has represented Assembly District 41 (AD-41) since 2016. Juaragui will face businessman Rafael Arroyo in the general election.

AD-41 enjoys the largest Democratic advantage with 15,644 active registered Democrats compared to 12,947 active registered Republican voters. Yet, 18,562 nonpartisan voters outnumber registered voters in the district.

In Assembly District 21, Assemblywoman Elaine Marzola, who is serving her first term, will face retired Henderson police officer April Arndt. The district has 16,799 registered nonpartisan voters, 15,510 registered Democrats, and 13,596 registered Republicans.

“Community advocate and person in recovery” Ryan Hampton has earned the backing of the DLCC and is running in Assembly District 4 (AD-4), an open seat once held by Republican Assemblyman Richard McArthur who lost his state Senate bid in the June Republican primary.

Hampton will face businesswoman Lisa Cole in the general election. The district narrowly leans red as Republicans outnumber registered Democrats and nonpartisan voters. In AD-4, there are 16,354 Republican voters and 16,288 nonpartisan voters, compared to 15,551 registered Democratic voters.

Boardmember of the DLCC and Democratic Assembly Leader Steve Yeager released the following statement, “Nevadans deserve hardworking Democrats who will fight to protect their fundamental freedoms in this critical election year. As Republicans zero in on building MAGA power, we must elect Democrats to the Nevada Legislature to safeguard democracy in Nevada. These Spotlight candidates not only represent the strongest opportunities to prevent MAGA gains, but they are the candidates who will have Nevada’s best interest in mind when it comes to lowering housing and prescription drug costs, improving public schools, protecting reproductive freedoms, and making sure MAGA Republicans beholden to the gun lobby are not in charge of public safety in our communities.”

A seasoned, legislative official told The Globe, “Parents need to understand that Nevada Democrats have a radical agenda that mirrored failed California policies. Higher taxes, anti-business legislation, anti-parent legislation–the list goes on and on. Thankfully, their attempts to turn Nevada into California were vetoed by Governor Lombardo. Their California agenda will be reintroduced and easily passed if Democrats gain a supermajority in the Senate. This upcoming state-wide election in 2024 is critical to save Nevada.”

Last year, Governor Joe Lombardo issued a warning to state Democrats that he will do “everything in his power” to campaign against the Democratic majority who blocked many of his legislative priorities, including school choice– a centerpiece of his State of the Union address and his successful 2020 campaign. Seven legislative candidates endorsed by Governor Lombardo swept the Republican primary to advance to the general election.

Lombardo has endorsed all five Republican Assembly candidates in these highlighted races and has endorsed Carrie Buck for state Senate. With support from his Better Nevada PAC, Republicans seek to flip at least one Assembly seat to break the Democratic supermajority and preserve his veto power. In the last legislative session, Lombardo vetoed 75 “harmful and dangerous bills,” the largest amount of vetoes issued during a legislative session in Silver State history.

Better Nevada PAC has been targeting Democratic candidates by emphasizing and highlighting the numerous ethical scandals and far-left policy failures plaguing Nevada Democrats.

John Burke, spokesman for Better Nevada PAC, told The Globe, “The DLCC is endorsing a slate of candidates who would weaken penalties for fentanyl and smash-and-grab crimes, cut scholarships for low-income families, block school choice, and perpetuate the culture of corruption in Carson City. Nevadans will reject these radicals at the ballot box this November.”