David Flippo, the Republican nominee in Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District, would normally be expected to easily win election this November.
President Trump carried the district by 14% in 2024 and for 42 years it has been represented exclusively by Republicans.
But in addition to national trends favoring Democrats, “affordability” concerns and Trump’s sinking approval ratings, Flippo’s own candidacy has stirred controversy. The combination offers Democrats a not impossible hope for a major upset.
An ardent Trump supporter, retired Lt. Col. Flippo, 64, served as a maintenance and logistics officer managing aircraft in the Air Force for 25 years (1984-2009).
Following his Air Force retirement, Flippo spent 10 years working in Alaska’s energy sector as a maintenance team lead for BP.
Flippo moved to Las Vegas in 2019.
In 2022, he ran for Assembly District 37 (Las Vegas) and lost, coming in third among three Republicans in the primary. In 2024, Flippo ran in the 4th Congressional District (Southern Nevada) and lost that primary also. He planned to run in CD4 again in 2026.
However, following Rep. Mark Amodei’s February 6 announcement that he would not seek re-election, Flippo flipped and decided to rent a house in Reno while maintaining his Las Vegas principal residence, and run in CD 2.
That prompted carpetbagger accusations.
At a GOP candidates’ debate, Dr. Fred Simon bluntly called out Flippo:
“You’re not from here, you don’t know the issues from here. So go back, carpetbagger.”
Candidates for Congress are not legally required to live within the congressional district they seek to represent. The U.S. Constitution only requires candidates for congressional office to live in the state where they run.
However, a candidate can’t well represent a district he knows little about.
In the June Republican primary, Flippo waged a fiercely negative campaign to defeat former GOP state Senate Leader James Settelmeyer with relentless, scurrilous attack ads distorting Settelmeyer’s 16-year voting record.
He accused “Tampon Jim” of voting to put menstrual products in boys’ bathrooms.
In the Legislature, Settelmeyer established a solidly conservative record, but Flippo aired ads that accused him of being a “woke liberal pretending to be a Republican.”
Amodei and Gov. Joe Lombardo both endorsed Settelmeyer as did a broad coalition of over 100 Nevada leaders, but Flippo massively outspent Settelmeyer, largely by self-funding his campaign (he loaned it over $1.6 million).
On May 29, Flippo received President Trump’s endorsement. Flippo won 46% to 35%.
Afterward, Amodei told Nevada Newsmakers, “The voters are never wrong. But guess what? Mark Amodei’s not endorsing [Flippo.] I wish him all the best. No way. No, thank you.”
Questions have also been raised about Flippo’s opaque finances. He lent his campaign more than $1.6 million and failed to provide the personal disclosure information required of federal candidates. There is also no record of Flippo filling the required statement during his 2024 campaign.
In addition, Flippo was fired from his job in the financial services industry in late 2024 after his employer accused him of violating “numerous company policies and regulatory regulations.”
On Sept. 24, the Washington Post reported Flippo inflated his military record multiple times in recent years by falsely claiming he received a Bronze Star “for valor” during his Air Force career.
“Flippo received a Bronze Star in 2004 for his service, but not a Bronze Star with valor, a much rarer distinction that recognizes heroism in direct combat with an enemy,” the Post story said. “Experts in military awards say such exaggerations are tantamount to lying.”
The Flippo campaign acknowledged the claims about the Bronze Star with valor but said they were “honest mistakes” by staff members.
“The guy is a fraud,” Amodei told the Post.
However, Flippo, a far-right carpetbagger with a very sketchy personal history, is likely to defeat his liberal Democrat opponent, Teresa Benitez-Thompson, in this age of deep voter polarization.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. Digital technology may have been used in the research, writing, or production of this article. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
