In his book, “Stone’s Rules,” veteran political strategist Roger Stone champions candidates who run and lose their first time out. He wasn’t talking about Dr. Jeff Gunter – but he could have been.
“Running a losing effort teaches a candidate how the political system and the media work and prepare them to be a better candidate,” Stone writes. “Candidates who are afraid to lose are candy asses.”
There’s a lot you can say about Dr. Gunter, who ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in Nevada in 2024, but calling him a “candy ass” isn’t one of them.
“Losing sharpens a candidate’s candidate skills,” Stone continues. “A candidate who bounces back from a first-race loss and returns to the field a more skilled candidate, hungry enough to put themselves through another campaign grind, is the next best thing to an incumbent running either for reelection or for another office.”
I thought about Roger’s rules and wisdom after having lunch at the El Cortez in downtown Las Vegas (GREAT prime rib special!) with Jeff last week.
And while nothing’s official, I’d be shocked if he doesn’t enter the race for Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District (CD3), currently misrepresented by Democrat Rep. Susie “Desperate Housewife” Lee.
And if/when he does, it’s my opinion he’ll immediately become one of two perceived front-runners in the already-crowded GOP primary. Here’s why…
In 2024, Gunter ran for the first time. And in a crowded field of 12 GOP candidates – including “anointed” and ultimate nominee, Sam Brown – he placed second.
So he already has some significant statewide name recognition among GOP voters.
He was also U.S. Ambassador to Iceland in President Trump’s first administration. So he has DC government experience and his MAGA credentials are unimpeachable (no pun intended).
Gunter’s also been quite generous in his financial support of the GOP over the years.
In 2016, records show “he donated $58,563 to several state Republican Party organizations, $33,400 to the Republican National Committee and $5,400 to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.”
He also gave “$100,000 to the Trump Victory PAC and $100,000 to Trump’s 2017 inaugural committee.”
That said, Gunter is no career politician.
He’s a professional dermatologist and healthcare executive who has practiced medicine for over 38 years, specializing in skin cancer surgery. He established his private dermatology practice in California in 1992 and expanded his operations to Nevada in 1995.
His clinics, known as SummitMD Dermatology, focus on providing healthcare to rural communities and U.S. military personnel, emphasizing care for patients who might otherwise struggle to access specialized medical services.
Then there’s the money. And as noted above, he’s got plenty. In fact, in the U.S. Senate race, Gunter loaned his campaign over $2.7 million.
But unlike a lot of wealthy candidates who boost their fundraising numbers with large loans but never spend it, Gunter actually spent almost all of it. And he’s confident enough in himself and his chances do it again.
So back to the primary…
The race is already crowded. But none of the current candidates is seen as having a “lock” on the nomination – the way Brown did in last year’s U.S. Senate race.
Gunter’s main competitor will be Marty O’Donnell, who ran for the same seat in 2024 and came in fourth out of seven candidates.
Marty also has the financial wherewithal to self-fund his campaign. In the 2024 race, he reportedly loaned and spent over $1.1 million dollars of his own money.
He’s also the unofficial choice of the GOP establishment, which certainly helps.
But establishment picks in Nevada haven’t fared very well in recent elections, and GOP primary voters may well be looking for something radically different next June. If so, Gunter would easily be the natural alternative in CD3.
He is decidedly no shrinking violet, and one thing’s for sure: If he’s the GOP’s nominee, he won’t go down without a fight. He’ll kick, scratch and claw every step of the way, right up to election day.
He’s not tanned – after all, he IS a dermatologist – but he’s certainly rested and more relaxed than he was last year in the Senate race.
He learned some important lessons from that campaign and would come back, as Stone wrote, “a more skilled candidate.” Bet against him at your peril.
FAMOUS LAST WORDS
“Candidates who have proven their abilities and skills in some other professional realm before they entered politics, and do not crave a political position or office in order to be successful, make the best leaders.” – Roger Stone, “Stone’s Rules”
