Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

listen live donate
listen live donate
listen live
donate
  • News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
    News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
    Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
  • Podcasts & Shows
  • Schedules
  • Events
  • Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
    Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About
  • Close Menu
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 

Nevada Primary Tees Up Battleground Governor, Senate Races

Wednesday, June 13, 2018 | Sacramento, CA
John Locher / AP Photo

Clark County Commission Chair and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Sisolak walks onstage at an election night party, Tuesday, June 12, 2018, in Las Vegas.

John Locher / AP Photo

(AP) — Nevada voters delivered easy primary election wins Tuesday to Republican Sen. Dean Heller and his Democratic opponent Jacky Rosen while teeing up a November battle for the governor's mansion between the chairman of a powerful Las Vegas-area council and the state attorney general.

Steve Sisolak, who had the backing of former U.S. Sen. Harry Reid and chairs the powerful council overseeing the Las Vegas Strip, overcame a bruising Democratic primary against his Clark County Commission colleague Christina Giunchigliani.

The race got combative, with an attack ad alleging Giunchigliani "single-handedly protected perverts" because of changes she made to a sex offender bill in the Legislature a decade ago.

Giunchigliani, a 63-year-old former state legislator and teacher who earned backing from Hillary Clinton and the women's group Emily's List, struck back with a campaign ad saying she was sexually abused as a child.

"I'm not going to pretend that this was an easy race. It was tough and long," Sisolak said in his victory speech at the Aria casino-resort on the Las Vegas Strip. "While Chris and I have had our differences — and we aired them out on the public airwaves — we both agree on one thing: Nevada families cannot afford to let Adam Laxalt become our next governor."

Speaking to her supporters at a cowboy-themed saloon in Las Vegas after her loss Tuesday, Giunchigliani said she'll work with Sisolak to defeat Laxalt. But her concession speech wasn't conciliatory.

"You think you're progressive? You damn well better be progressive," said Giunchigliani, who had criticized the 64-year-old Sisolak for having once received an "A-" rating from the National Rifle Association and holding moderate positions in the past. "There's a lot of positions now that have been taken in this campaign, so we need to make sure we hold anybody accountable because, as a Democrat, you have to show up and you'd better start standing for something."

Nevada is one of 26 Republican-held governors' offices up for grabs this year and one of eight where Clinton won the presidential vote over Trump in 2016. The incumbent, moderate GOP Gov. Brian Sandoval, is term-limited.

Trump endorsed Laxalt, a former lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, who handily won the GOP primary.

Laxalt, the 39-year-old grandson of former U.S. Sen. and Nevada Gov. Paul Laxalt and son of former U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici of New Mexico, said in a statement that the election in November would be "a choice between real solutions and a radical agenda that will take our unique state the way of California. Higher taxes, ridiculous regulations, sanctuary cities, you name it, my opponent supports it."

The Nevada GOP also delivered an easy primary victory to Heller, the only GOP senator seeking re-election this year in a state won by Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016.

He was originally expected to face a tough challenge from Republican Danny Tarkanian until Trump asked him to run for Congress instead.

"The choice this November could not be starker," Heller said. "While we've been fighting and delivering for Nevada, the only thing Jacky Rosen has done since getting to Congress is seek a promotion. In Nevada, we call that swampy."

Rosen said Heller "has spent the last year letting Nevadans down by breaking his promises to protect our health care, passing a fiscally irresponsible tax bill to benefit his super-wealthy donors, and failing our Dreamers to placate his party's leaders."

Democrats face long odds to take control of the U.S. Senate in November but winning Heller's seat will be key to their aim.

Tarkanian, having left the Senate race, went on Tuesday to win the Republican race for Nevada's 3rd Congressional District. It is one of two swing seats in Nevada that Democrats are hoping to hold in order to win control of the U.S. House.

Tarkanian, the son of former University of Nevada Las Vegas basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian, will face wealthy Democratic philanthropist Susie Lee in the general election.

Primary contests for Nevada's other swing district, the 4th Congressional District, produced a rematch for November between Democrat Steven Horsford and Republican Cresent Hardy. Horsford held the Democratic-leaning seat for one term before losing in 2014 to Hardy. Hardy then lost in 2016 to Democrat Ruben Kihuen, who is not seeking re-election after several women accused him of sexual misconduct.

Incumbent Rep. Mark Amodei defeated conservative activist Sharron Angle in Nevada's 2nd Congressional District.

In an only-in-Nevada race, the state's most famous pimp, Dennis Hof, defeated incumbent Assembly member James Oscarson of Pahrump.

Hof, who starred in the HBO adult reality series "Cathouse," owns half a dozen brothels that could be threatened this year under proposals to ban such businesses in two of the state's seven counties where they're legally operating.

Hof celebrated his win at a party in Pahrump with Hollywood Madam Heidi Fleiss at his side.

"It's all because Donald Trump was the Christopher Columbus for me," Hof told The Associated Press in a phone call after his victory. "He found the way and I jumped on it."

Hof said he's downsizing his business and selling off some brothels to focus more on politics and he's predicting a big win in November.

Associated Press journalists Ken Ritter and Regina Garcia Cano in Las Vegas and Scott Sonner in Reno, Nevada, contributed to this report.


Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  

    More about Election 2018

  • The Votes Are In. Here's How To Follow Along With CapRadio's Election Coverage.

    CapRadio's coverage of the 2018 elections.

    Related Stories

  • John Locher / AP Photo

    Battle For 2 Key Open US House Seats Set In Nevada

    Wednesday, June 13, 2018
    (AP) — Democrats in Nevada have two open congressional seats to defend in November, and Tuesday's primary voting set the stage for what could be some of the most expensive, hard-fought House races in the country.
  • John Locher / AP Photo

    Nevada Primary Election Results Are In

    Wednesday, June 13, 2018
    Reporter Megan Messerly recaps the Nevada primary election.
  • Nevada 2018 Primary Election Results

    Tuesday, June 12, 2018
    Follow as results come in for the Nevada primary election, where voters will pick between two Democrats hoping to become the next governor and choose nominees in dozens of primary battles for national, state and local offices. Polls close at 7 p.m.

 Election 2018Nevada Primary 2018

Sign up for ReCap and never miss the top stories

Delivered to your inbox every Friday.

 

Check out a sample ReCap newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

Thank you for signing up for the ReCap newsletter! We'll send you an email each Friday with the top stories from CapRadio.

Browse all newsletters

More Stories

Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

Winter storms in California will become more intense as climate change accelerates, study finds

February 3, 2023

Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

Interview: New Sacramento County Supervisor Pat Hume on storm flooding, his predecessor and transportation

February 7, 2023

Martin do Nascimento / CalMatters

Rules for thee: How California Legislature skirts its own laws

February 7, 2023

Most Viewed

California coronavirus updates: Las Vegas airport reports record passenger volume in 2022

In Turkey and Syria, outdated building methods all but assured disaster from a quake

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

California ends plans for kids’ Covid vaccine mandate

How a new law is bringing more attention to natural carbon sequestration

We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter

Most Viewed

California coronavirus updates: Las Vegas airport reports record passenger volume in 2022

In Turkey and Syria, outdated building methods all but assured disaster from a quake

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

California ends plans for kids’ Covid vaccine mandate

How a new law is bringing more attention to natural carbon sequestration

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    •  
      (916) 278-8900
    •  
      (877) 480-5900
    •  Contact / Feedback
    •  Submit a News Tip
  • About

    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Stations & Coverage Map
    • Careers & Internships
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
    • Press
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile Apps
    • Smart Speakers
    • Podcasts & Shows
    • On-Air Schedules
    • Daily Playlist
    • Signal Status
  • Connect

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen Live

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2023, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.