With Nevada’s primary election results now nearly complete, most races can be called.
The Republican primary in the 2nd Congressional District was the marquee race of the primary election.
Retired Lt. Col. David Flippo won a bitter primary battle defeating former state Senator James Settelmeyer (R-Minden) after Flippo’s relentless misleading attack ads distorted Settelmeyer’s 16-year legislative voting record.
Flippo, 63, campaigned as President Trump’s biggest supporter, decrying illegal immigration, transgender people in girls’ sports and Shariah law.
After moving from Alaska to Las Vegas in 2019, Flippo lost the 2022 primary in Assembly District 37 and lost the 2024 primary in Southern Nevada’s 4th Congressional District. He originally planned to run for the same Las Vegas-area congressional seat in 2026.
However, following Rep. Mark Amodei’s retirement announcement, he decided to rent a house in Reno while maintaining his Las Vegas principal residence, and run in CD 2. That prompted carpetbagger accusations.
Although Amodei and Governor Joe Lombardo endorsed Settelmeyer, Flippo outraised Settelmeyer, mostly by self-funding his campaign (he loaned it $1.3 million).
On May 29, Flippo received Trump’s endorsement, effectively ending a close race. Flippo won by 46% to 35%—with Settelmeyer winning only in Carson, Douglas and Storey counties.
The Democratic CD 2 primary winner was former Assembly Majority Leader Teresa Benitez- Thompson (D-Reno). With the Republican voter registration advantage—and no Democrat having ever won the district— Benitez-Thompson is an unlikely general election winner.
However, Democrats believe Flippo’s nomination gives them the best chance ever to flip the seat.
Lombardo overwhelmingly won the Republican primary for governor with 91% of the vote against six little-known opponents.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Aaron Ford comfortably won the Democratic nomination for governor against five opponents, including Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill. However, over 36% of Democrats didn’t vote for Ford.
Assembly Majority Leader Sandra Jauregui (D-Las Vegas) won the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor and will now face incumbent Republican Stavros Anthony in November.
Adriana Guzman Fralick secured the Republican nomination for Nevada Attorney General, she’s the hand-picked choice of Gov. Lombardo and candidate endorsed by President Trump.
Guzman Fralick is bilingual and has her own law firm in Reno. Former chair of Nevada’s Cannabis Compliance Board, Guzman Fralick, 57, claimed to be the most electable GOP candidate.
She easily defeated Douglas County Commissioner Danny Tarkanian by 60%- 35%. Tarkanian was running for office for the 10th time since 2004.
Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro emerged from a fierce primary fight against Treasurer Zach Conine to win the Democratic nomination for Nevada Attorney General.
In a nasty, vitriolic May 20 debate both candidates attacked their opponent as lacking integrity and as corrupt. Cannizzaro, 43, stresses her courtroom experience as a former Clark County prosecutor and a personal injury lawyer for the Richard Harris law offices.
Cannizzaro defeated Conine by 60% – 35%. The Guzman Fralick vs. Cannizzaro match-up in November guarantees that Nevada’s next attorney general will be a female.
In an uncalled race, former Assemblyman Jim Marchant has a narrow lead over Shirley Folkins-Roberts, a Reno business leader, attorney and non-profit executive, for secretary of state. Folkins-Roberts, 61, a first-time candidate, was recruited and is endorsed by Lombardo.
Marchant’s politics are far-right. In the aftermath of the 2020 election, he became a staunch proponent of disproven conspiracy theories that the election was “stolen” from Republicans through mass voter fraud.
Marchant, 70, has lost four consecutive elections. He was defeated by Democrat Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar in 2022. Aguilar, 50, is running for re-election.
The GOP state treasurer race remains uncalled with Drew Johnson slightly leading Jeff Carter. The winner will face Democrat Tya Mathis-Coleman.
Finally, high school teacher Michael MacDougall won the Democratic nomination for state controller and opposes incumbent Republican Andy Matthews.
The primary portends an increasingly rough-and-tumble general election campaign ahead.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views.
