📌 THE GIST:
ELKO, NV — The race for Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District — the largest in the state and the seat that represents Elko County in Washington — is drawing a historically crowded field of 27 candidates ahead of the June 9 primary. The Rural Nevada Democratic Caucus brought several Democratic contenders to Stockmen’s Casino on Saturday as part of a multi-county road tour through the district.
🔍 THE DETAILS:
The Open Seat: Rep. Mark Amodei, who has held Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District since 2011, announced his retirement in February. It is the first open-seat CD-2 race in over a decade. A Democrat has never won the district.
The Field: Twenty-seven candidates filed for the seat — 15 Republicans and 12 Democrats, according to the Nevada Independent. It is the most crowded congressional race in Nevada this cycle.
The Republican Frontrunner: Former state Sen. James Settelmeyer of Douglas County has received endorsements from both Amodei and Gov. Joe Lombardo. Settelmeyer resigned as director of the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in March to run. He faces 14 other Republicans in the primary. Settelmeyer served in the state Legislature from 2006 to 2022 and runs a cattle ranch in Gardnerville, according to Ballotpedia and KUNR.
The Democratic Field: Top Democratic contenders include former Assembly Majority Leader Teresa Benitez-Thompson and investor Greg Kidd, who ran for the seat in 2024. A group of anti-establishment Democratic candidates — including Josh Hebert, Morgan Wadsworth, Mark Jolle, Samuel White, and others — have banded together for a joint rural tour, according to KUNR, arguing the party needs a candidate who can connect with northern Nevada’s rural communities.
The Elko Stop: The Rural Nevada Democratic Caucus organized a CD-2 Candidate Road Tour this week with stops in Winnemucca (April 15), Lander County (April 16), and Elko (April 18). The Elko forum was held at Stockmen’s Casino as part of the Elko County Democrats’ 2026 convention.
What’s at Stake: CD-2 covers all of northern Nevada outside the Reno-Sparks metro area, including Elko, Humboldt, Lander, White Pine, Eureka, and Nye counties. National Democrats view the open seat as a potential pickup in their effort to reclaim the U.S. House majority, where Republicans currently hold a narrow four-seat advantage.
Timeline: The primary election is June 9, 2026. The general election is November 3, 2026.
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⚡ THE SPARK: Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District has never elected a Democrat. With 27 candidates and no incumbent, does Elko County’s voice get louder or quieter in a race this crowded?
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