2018 Nevada gubernatorial election explained

Election Name:2018 Nevada gubernatorial election
Country:Nevada
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2014 Nevada gubernatorial election
Previous Year:2014
Next Election:2022 Nevada gubernatorial election
Next Year:2022
Election Date:November 6, 2018
Image1:File:Steve Sisolak (cropped).jpeg
Nominee1:Steve Sisolak
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:480,007
Percentage1:49.39%
Nominee2:Adam Laxalt
Party2:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:440,320
Percentage2:45.31%
Governor
Before Election:Brian Sandoval
Before Party:Republican Party (United States)
After Election:Steve Sisolak
After Party:Democratic Party (United States)

The 2018 Nevada gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the next governor of Nevada. Incumbent Republican Governor Brian Sandoval was ineligible to run for re-election, due to the absolute two-term limit established by the Nevada Constitution. Nevada is one of eight U.S. states (or nine U.S. states and territory) that prohibits its governors or any other state and territorial executive branch officials from serving more than two terms, even if they are nonconsecutive.

The candidate filing deadline was March 16, 2018 and the primary election was held on June 12, 2018.[1] The Republican nominee was Adam Laxalt and the Democratic nominee was Steve Sisolak. Sisolak won the election, becoming the first Democrat to be elected governor of Nevada since Bob Miller won his second full term in 1994, and the first non-incumbent Democrat to win since 1982. This was one of eight Republican-held governorships up for election in a state won by Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. As of, this is the only time a Democrat was elected governor of Nevada in the 21st century.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominated

Eliminated in primary

Declined

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin
of error
Adam
Laxalt
Dan
Schwartz
Jared
Fisher
Undecided
The Mellman GroupApril 12–19, 2018400± 4.9% align=center55%4%2%38%
WPA Intelligence (R)August 6–8, 2017302± 5.7% align=center64%5%31%
Doug Schoen (D)July 7–20, 2017600± 4.0% align=center34%30% align=center35%

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominated

Eliminated in primary

Declined

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin
of error
Chris
Giunchigliani
Steve
Sisolak
None of
these
OtherUndecided
Benenson Strategy Group (D-Women Vote!)May 21–23, 2018608± 4.0%35% align=center38%11%2%13%
The Mellman GroupApril 12–19, 2018400± 4.9%16% align=center44%40%
Expedition Strategies (D-Giunchigliani)March 17–19, 2018600± 4.0% align=center31%27%18%23%

Results

Independents

Declared

Endorsements

General election

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political Report[32] October 26, 2018
The Washington Post[33] November 5, 2018
FiveThirtyEight[34] November 5, 2018
Rothenberg Political Report[35] November 1, 2018
Sabato's Crystal Ball[36] November 5, 2018
RealClearPolitics[37] November 4, 2018
Daily Kos[38] November 5, 2018
Fox News[39] November 5, 2018
Politico[40] November 5, 2018
Governing[41] November 5, 2018

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin
of error
Adam
Laxalt (R)
Steve
Sisolak (D)
Jared
Lord (L)
Ryan
Bundy (I)
None of
these
OtherUndecided
HarrisXNovember 3–5, 2018600± 4.0%44% align=center45%
HarrisXNovember 2–4, 2018600± 4.0% align=center45%44%
Emerson CollegeNovember 1–4, 20181,197± 3.0%47% align=center48%4%2%
HarrisXNovember 1–3, 2018600± 4.0% align=center45%44%
HarrisXOctober 31 – November 2, 2018600± 4.0% align=center47%43%
HarrisXOctober 30 – November 1, 2018600± 4.0% align=center46%43%
The Trafalgar Group (R)October 29 – November 1, 20182,587± 1.9% align=center47%45%4%4%
HarrisXOctober 29–31, 2018600± 4.0%45%45%
HarrisXOctober 24–30, 20181,400± 2.6%43% align=center45%
CNN/SSRSOctober 24–29, 2018622 LV± 4.8%45% align=center46%2%5%0%2%
807 RV± 4.2%40% align=center44%3%9%0%3%
Gravis Marketing October 24–26, 2018773± 3.5%44% align=center46%10%
IpsosOctober 12–19, 20181,137± 3.0% align=center46%41%4%9%
Vox Populi PollingOctober 13–15, 2018614± 3.7%48% align=center52%
Emerson CollegeOctober 10–12, 2018625± 4.2% align=center46%41%3%11%
NYT Upshot/Siena CollegeOctober 8–10, 2018642± 4.0% align=center46%45%–<-- included, numbers not visible -->8%
Marist CollegeSeptember 30 – October 3, 2018574 LV± 5.5% align=center44%40%8%2%<1%6%
align=center46%45%3%<1%6%
780 RV± 4.5% align=center41%40%8%2%<1%8%
44% align=center45%4%<1%7%
Kaiser Family Foundation/SSRSSeptember 19 – October 2, 2018513± 5.0% align=center46%40%2%12%
CNN/SSRSSeptember 25–29, 2018693 LV± 4.6%41% align=center45%5%7%0%1%
851 RV± 4.1%38% align=center41%5%12%1%2%
Ipsos September 7–17, 20181,039± 4.0% align=center43%40%5%12%
Gravis MarketingSeptember 11–12, 2018700± 3.7%38% align=center50%8%
Suffolk University September 5–10, 2018500± 4.4%35% align=center37%5%4%2%1%[42] 15%
Suffolk University July 24–29, 2018500± 4.4% align=center42%41%2%1%4%2%[43] 7%
McLaughlin & Associates (R-Laxalt)July 21–24, 2018600± 4.0% align=center45%40%3%4%[44] 8%
Gravis MarketingJune 23–26, 2018630± 3.9% align=center43%41%17%
The Mellman GroupApril 12–19, 2018600± 4.0%37% align=center43%20%
TargetSmart (D-Giunchigliani)January 3–7, 20181,103± 4.4% align=center37%34%29%
Remington (R-Laxalt)May 23–24, 20171,021± 3.1% align=center46%37%17%
with Chris Giunchigliani
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin
of error
Adam
Laxalt (R)
Chris
Giunchigliani (D)
Undecided
The Mellman GroupApril 12–19, 2018600± 4.0% align=center40%38%22%
TargetSmart (D-Giunchigliani)January 3–7, 20181,103± 4.4% align=center39%34%27%

Results

While Sisolak only won two of the state's counties, those two counties account for more than 80% of the total state population. His overwhelming victory in Clark County, home of Las Vegas, and his narrow victory in Washoe County were enough to pull him over the finish line. Sisolak became the first Democrat to be elected Governor of Nevada since Bob Miller’s successful re-election bid in 1994.

County results

CountySteve Sisolak
Democratic
Adam Laxalt
Republican
None of
These Candidates
Ryan Bundy
Independent
Russell Best
Independent American
Jared Lord
Libertarian
MarginTotal votes cast[45]
%%%%%%%
Carson City9,24940.78%12,08053.26%4692.07%3671.62%3241.43%1.920.85%-2,831-12.48%22,681
Churchill1,86919.45%7,03373.21%1942.02%2782.89%1291.34%1041.08%-5,164-53.75%9,607
Clark352,81454.12%266,21640.84%12,7121.95%8,0921.24%6,4620.99%5,6050.86%86,59813.28%651,901
Douglas7,96230.57%16,89764.88%4081.57%3451.32%2110.81%2220.85%-8,935-34.31%26,045
Elko2,60417.17%11,44475.44%2131.40%6104.02%1400.92%1591.05%-8,840-58.27%15,170
Esmeralda5113.75%27373.58%82.16%297.82%71.89%30.81%-222-59.84%371
Eureka618.06%60980.45%202.64%476.21%162.11%40.53%-548-72.39%757
Humboldt1,06719.25%4,06173.26%1182.13%1833.30%741.34%400.72%-2,994-54.01%5,543
Lander31615.11%1,57175.13%572.73%1004.78%261.24%211.00%-1,255-60.02%2,091
Lincoln26613.63%1,44073.77%371.90%1799.17%160.82%140.72%-1,174-60.14%1,952
Lyon5,26725.19%14,21167.95%4011.92%5512.63%2761.32%2070.99%-8,944-42.77%20,913
Mineral54029.85%1,06758.98%784.31%643.54%341.88%261.44%-527-29.13%1,809
Nye4,60726.33%11,10363.47%3291.88%9915.66%2991.71%1650.94%-6,496-37.13%17,494
Pershing36020.41%1,25571.15%382.15%804.54%191.08%120.68%-895-50.74%1,764
Storey72130.56%1,47662.57%401.70%612.59%341.44%271.14%-755-32.01%2,359
Washoe91,68448.74%87,22646.37%3,6691.95%1,7420.93%1,9611.04%1,8160.97%4,4582.37%188,098
White Pine56917.54%2,35872.69%742.28%1725.30%481.48%230.71%-1,789-55.15%3,244
Totals480,00749.39%440,32045.31%18,8651.94%13,8911.43%10,0761.04%8,6400.89%39,6874.08%971,799

While Laxalt won 15 of Nevada's county-level jurisdictions (14 counties and the independent city of Carson City), Sisolak carried the two largest, Clark (home to Las Vegas) and Washoe (home to Reno). Sisolak ultimately prevailed by winning his home county, Clark, by over 86,000 votes, double his statewide margin of 39,700 votes.

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Results by congressional districts

Sisolak won 3 of 4 congressional districts.[46]

DistrictSisolakLaxaltRepresentative
62.23%31.79%Dina Titus
41.38%53.22%Mark Amodei
49.85%45.8%
50.33%43.78%Steven Horsford

See also

External links

Official campaign websites

Notes and References

  1. News: United States Senate election in Nevada, 2018 - Ballotpedia. March 3, 2017. en-US.
  2. Web site: Attorney General Adam Laxalt, a rising Republican favorite, officially enters 2018 gubernatorial race. The Nevada Independent. Rindels. Michelle. November 1, 2017. November 2, 2017.
  3. News: Nevada Election Field Getting Crowded Two Days Into Filing. Las Vegas Review-Journal. Giwaris. Ramona. March 6, 2018. March 6, 2018.
  4. Web site: Coming Soon . June 2, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181218212432/https://carlisle4nevada.com/ . December 18, 2018 . dead .
  5. News: Las Vegas bike shop owner to run for Nevada governor. Las Vegas Review-Journal. Lochhead. Colton. April 27, 2017. April 29, 2017.
  6. News: Republican Dan Schwartz, Nevada's maverick treasurer, jumps into governor's race. The Nevada Independent. Rindels. Michelle. September 5, 2017. September 5, 2017.
  7. News: Hagar. Ray. Hagar: Amodei wants to be Nevada governor - if Heller doesn't. August 5, 2015. Reno Gazette-Journal. August 6, 2015.
  8. News: Richardson. Seth A.. Amodei says he won't run for governor. January 18, 2017. Reno Gazette-Journal. January 18, 2017.
  9. Former Congressman Joe Heck Turns Lobbyist. February 9, 2017. Newsmax. February 18, 2017.
  10. News: Epstein. Ethan. Heck opens up about K Street move. February 9, 2017. Politico. February 18, 2017.
  11. News: Schneider. Elena. Heller to run for reelection, not governor, in Nevada. December 29, 2016. Politico. January 17, 2017.
  12. News: Hagar. Ray. The latest theory: Sen. Heller, Gov. Sandoval could switch jobs in 2018. July 3, 2014. Reno Gazette-Journal. March 7, 2015. https://archive.today/20150309224518/http://blogs.rgj.com/politics/2014/07/03/the-latest-theory-sen-heller-gov-sandoval-could-switch-jobs/. March 9, 2015. dead.
  13. News: Richardson. Seth A.. Heller leaves possible run for governor open. May 5, 2016. Reno Gazette-Journal. July 6, 2016.
  14. News: Ralston. Jon. Politics: Pol positioning. November 28, 2016. KNPR. January 3, 2017.
  15. News: Republican Assembly leader to resign, take top state economic development job. The Nevada Independent. Messerly. Megan. September 20, 2017. September 21, 2017.
  16. News: Ralston. Jon. Nevada GOP caucus a proxy war for Hutchison, Laxalt. February 4, 2016. Reno Gazette-Journal. July 6, 2016.
  17. News: Nevada Lt. Gov. Mark Hutchison rules out run for governor. January 9, 2017. Associated Press. Las Vegas Sun. January 17, 2017.
  18. News: Knecht to seek another office term. Nevada Appeal. October 30, 2017. November 2, 2017. October 31, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171031073142/http://www.nevadaappeal.com/news/lahontan-valley/knecht-to-seek-another-term/. dead.
  19. News: Hagar. Ray. Krolicki's political career might not be over. January 26, 2015. Reno Gazette-Journal. March 7, 2015.
  20. News: Bob Cashell, Brian Krolicki Appointed to Tourism Commission, Sandra Douglass Morgan to Athletic Commission. KTVN. August 11, 2017. November 2, 2017.
  21. News: Democrat Sisolak, longtime Clark County politician, praises Sandoval as he enters race for governor. The Nevada Independent. Rindels. Michelle. Valley. Jackie. June 22, 2017. June 22, 2017.
  22. News: First-time governor candidate will focus campaign on education. 2017-11-10. Las Vegas Review-Journal. 2018-01-11. en-US.
  23. Web site: Democrat Chris Giunchigliani launches gubernatorial campaign against her commission colleague. The Nevada Independent. Valley. Jackie. Rindels. Michelle. October 18, 2017. October 19, 2017.
  24. News: Ralston. Jon. Change won't come to Nevada's campaign finance system until we demand it. January 19, 2016. Reno Gazette-Journal. July 6, 2016.
  25. News: Sebelius. Steve. Who will Democrats pick to run for governor in 2018?. January 14, 2017. Las Vegas Review-Journal. January 16, 2017.
  26. News: Democratic Senate Leader Aaron Ford announces attorney general bid, setting up likely race to replace Laxalt. The Nevada Independent. Snyder. Riley. September 12, 2017. September 12, 2017.
  27. News: Juaristi considers bid for governor. Elko Daily Free Press. August 2, 2017. August 3, 2017.
  28. News: Juaristi makes decision on whether to run for governor. Elko Daily Free Press. Juaristi. Vince. August 22, 2017. August 22, 2017.
  29. News: State Sen. Tick Segerblom says he's jumping into Clark County Commission race. The Nevada Independent. Rindels. Michelle. July 24, 2017. August 3, 2017.
  30. News: Morell. Casey. Titus Doesn't Rule Out Run Against Heller. February 8, 2017. KNPR. February 8, 2017.
  31. Web site: Ryan Bundy plans to run for Nevada governor as independent. Las Vegas Review-Journal. March 8, 2018. March 9, 2018.
  32. Web site: 2018 Governor Race Ratings for October 26, 2018. The Cook Political Report. en. 2021-04-10.
  33. News: The Washington Post's gubernatorial race ratings. The Washington Post. October 16, 2018.
  34. Web site: 2018 Governor Forecast FiveThirtyEight. FiveThirtyEight. en. October 17, 2018.
  35. Web site: 2018 Gubernatorial Ratings Inside Elections. insideelections.com. en. 2017-11-15.
  36. Web site: Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball » 2018 Governor. www.centerforpolitics.org. en-US. 2017-11-15.
  37. Web site: 2018 Governor Races. RealClearPolitics. October 9, 2018.
  38. Web site: 2018 Governor Race Ratings. Daily Kos. June 5, 2018.
  39. Web site: 2018 Midterm Power Ranking. Fox News.
  40. Web site: Politico Race Ratings. Politico.
  41. Web site: 2018 Governor Elections: As November Nears, More Governors' Races Become Tossups . www.governing.com . en . 2018-07-18 . October 21, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181021005343/http://www.governing.com/topics/politics/gov-governors-races-july-ratings.html . dead .
  42. Russell Best (IA) with 1%
  43. Russell Best (AI) with 2%
  44. Russell Best (AI) with 4%
  45. Web site: 2018 Official Statewide General Election Results. Nevada Secretary of State. 2018-11-06. 2024-07-11.
  46. Web site: Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts. Daily Kos. 11 August 2020.