Week of Oct. 8, 2026

From the editor’s desk

In our local congressional district—Republican and long considered to be unshakably so—the notion that this year’s race could be “competitive” is being tossed around for the first time.

Does Democrat Teresa Benitez-Thompson actually have a chance against Trump-endorsed, Gov. Lombardo-endorsed Republican David Flippo? 

I am not going to hazard a prediction. But the fact that people are even talking about the possibility of flipping this district for the first time since it was created is news.

NPR reported yesterday:

Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District shouldn’t be competitive, just based on history and math. But the Republican Party’s nominee, David Flippo, is facing an unusually tough race despite having President Trump’s endorsement, bogged down by allegations that he exaggerated his military service and lacks real ties to the district.

“This seat is some kind of competitive like it has never been in the history since it was created,” said Mark Amodei, the retiring Republican congressman who has represented the Northern Nevada district for the past 15 years. “And you know what I attribute that to? I attribute it to the candidate and the way he’s run his campaign.”

While the headline of that NPR piece—“Carpetbagger allegation, misplaced valor make Nevada’s safe red House seat competitive” rang with assurance, Tamara Keith, the senior political correspondent who reported it, did not sound quite as convinced as the headline writer when she spoke with KUNR’s Lucia Starbuck last week.

Starbuck: You’ve been spending a couple of days reporting in Reno, going to a candidate meet-and-greet and following CD2. What have you learned?

Keith: I don’t know that it is truly competitive. Republicans have always won this seat as long as it’s been in existence, and yet right now, outside groups are spending hundreds of 1000s of dollars on ads to help support the Republican candidate in a district that President Trump won by 14 points.

A look at this year’s voting stats suggests cohesion among Republicans: 

• More Republicans than Democrats voted for their respective CD2 candidates in the June primaries—81,424 to 52,031.
• According to the Secretary of State’s October voter stats, CD2 has 194,223 Republicans and 123,959 Democrats. Here in Nevada, of course, that breakdown doesn’t tell a complete story. CD2 also has 174,068 registered non-partisan voters and almost 34,000 who are registered with other parties.

The conclusion of the NPR piece says about Republicans:

A spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee said Democrats are “delusional” if they think this race is competitive.

But Rep. Mark Amodei disagrees. He said he’s heard from a lot of Republicans who are reluctant to vote for Flippo. And he’s adamant, he won’t be endorsing the man who hopes to be his successor.

“It’s like, I’m not hugging this,” he said of Flippo. “I’m just not doing it. It’s not my last move walking out the door.”

Take care,

—Kris Vagner, managing editor

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