President-elect Donald Trump has officially secured victory in Nevada, outperforming Vice President Kamala Harris by a noteworthy 3.1%. His success is highlighted by a clean sweep across all 15 rural counties, despite experiencing a setback in Clark County and a narrow loss in Washoe County, where he trailed Harris by just 0.7%. This decisive win marks a significant milestone, as Trump becomes the first Republican presidential candidate to claim Nevada since President George W. Bush achieved the same feat nearly two decades ago in 2004.
Trump’s triumphant return to Nevada in 2024 starkly contrasts his previous losses in the state; he fell short to President Joe Biden by 2.4% in the 2020 election and faced a similar defeat against Hillary Clinton in 2016 by an identical margin. Nationally, Trump’s dominance in the Electoral College was striking, as he secured a resounding victory over Harris with a tally of 312 votes to 226. Additionally, he successfully captured all seven battleground states—an impressive feat amid a polarized political landscape.
Remarkably, Trump is the first Republican candidate since Bush’s 2004 campaign to triumph in the national popular vote, showcasing a reversal from his 2020 loss, where he fell behind Biden by 7 million votes. This time, Trump leads Harris by a substantial 3.1 million votes, a significant turnaround.
In Nevada’s competitive U.S. Senate race, incumbent Democrat Sen. Jacky Rosen faced a surprisingly robust challenge from underdog Republican Sam Brown. Despite Brown’s strong showing, Rosen managed to secure her position with 47.9% of the vote compared to Brown’s 46.3%, demonstrating the influence of Trump’s coattail effect in Nevada.
Nationally, Republicans have regained control of the U.S. Senate, gaining four crucial seats in states including West Virginia, Montana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, resulting in a 53-seat majority for the GOP.
In the House races across Nevada, all four incumbents emerged victorious. Longtime Clark County Democrat Dina Titus celebrated her re-election in District 1 by a healthy 7.5% margin, while fellow Democrat Steven Horsford won by an 8% margin in Southern Nevada’s District 4. The race for District 3 saw Clark County Democrat Susie Lee narrowly defeating GOP challenger Drew Johnson by a slim 3% margin, illustrating the highly contested nature of these elections.
Nevada’s only congressional Republican, Rep. Mark Amodei, was reelected handily by a commanding 20% over his self-funded, nonpartisan opponent, Greg Kidd, who invested a striking $4 million in advertising efforts. As the national political landscape shifts, Republicans are poised to hold a very narrow House majority with a current lead of 219 to 210 seats.
In light of Trump’s influence, Nevada Republicans had high hopes for gains in the state legislature to bolster Gov. Joe Lombardo’s agenda. Lombardo has actively recruited candidates believed to be electable, aiming to secure an additional three to five seats in the Assembly. Meanwhile, Democrats continue to maintain control of both legislative chambers, a stronghold they’ve held since 2017, largely attributed to their established “Reid Machine” political organization.
Significantly, during a special legislative session in November 2020, Democrats implemented gerrymandering tactics to create a substantial structural advantage over Republican opposition, effectively ensuring their dominance. While Democrats constituted only 34 percent of Nevada’s voters, they successfully maneuvered through redistricting efforts that guarantee them 70 percent of both congressional and state legislative seats.
Entering the latest election cycle, Democrats enjoyed a strong dominance with a 28-14 supermajority in the Assembly and a 13-8 edge in the Senate, just one vote shy of achieving a supermajority. Following the election, Republicans made a modest gain of one seat in the Assembly, thereby ending the Democrats’ supermajority there, with the current breakdown standing at 15 GOP members. Meanwhile, the Senate remains unchanged with 13 Democrats and 8 Republicans.
In terms of governance, this represents a modest win for Lombardo, as Democrats can no longer override his vetoes. Notably, in 2023, Lombardo set a record by issuing 75 vetoes out of 611 bills passed by the Legislature, showcasing the ongoing legislative challenges ahead.
In a notable development, Nevada voters decisively rejected Question 3, which proposed a California-style “jungle primary” along with an untested “top five” ranked-choice voting system, with 53% voting against it. The drawbacks of the proposal were highlighted by top Democrats and Republicans alike, who cautioned against its potential for electoral confusion and chaos. Notably, this comes after the measure received 53% approval during its initial vote in 2022, but as a constitutional amendment, it needed to pass twice to be enacted.
Similar sentiments were echoed across the country, with voters in Colorado, Idaho, and Oregon also rejecting ranked-choice proposals, and Alaska currently leading a ranked-choice repeal measure. Meanwhile, on a more affirmative note, constitutional amendments addressing abortion rights through Question 6 and requiring voter ID via Question 7 received strong endorsements, passing with 64.3% and 73.3% approval respectively. However, both amendments will also require another vote in 2026 before they can be established as law.
E-mail Jim Hartman at [email protected].
What were the key factors that led to Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 Nevada election?
**Interview with Political Analyst Jane Smith on the 2024 Nevada Election Results**
**Host:** Welcome to our program! Today we have Jane Smith, a political analyst, joining us to discuss the recent Nevada election results. Jane, thank you for being here.
**Jane Smith:** Thank you for having me! It’s a pleasure to be here.
**Host:** Let’s dive right in. Donald Trump has secured a significant victory in Nevada, outperforming Vice President Kamala Harris by 3.1%. What do you think contributed to this decisive win?
**Jane Smith:** Trump’s triumph in Nevada can be largely attributed to his strong performance in rural counties. Winning all 15 rural counties showcases his appeal beyond urban areas. Historically, the rural vote has leaned Republican, and this time, they showed up in droves for Trump. However, his struggles in Clark County, which is populous, and the narrow loss in Washoe County indicate that while he made gains, urban voters still have differing preferences.
**Host:** It’s interesting to note that Trump is the first Republican presidential candidate to claim Nevada since George W. Bush in 2004. What does this signify for the Republican Party in the state?
**Jane Smith:** This victory represents a substantial shift for the Republican Party in Nevada. Trump’s ability to win the state after two consecutive losses shows that he has re-energized the party base and expanded his appeal to some moderates and independents. It suggests a potential path for Republicans in future elections, particularly if they continue to focus on the issues that resonate with a broader electorate.
**Host:** Turning to the Senate race, incumbent Democrat Jacky Rosen narrowly defeated Republican Sam Brown. How do Trump’s gains potentially influence local races like this one?
**Jane Smith:** Trump’s influence is evident in how competitive Sam Brown was against Rosen. While Rosen managed to hold onto her seat, Brown’s strong showing, just shy of victory, could be attributed to Trump’s coattails. Candidates often benefit from the popularity of their party’s presidential candidate, so if Trump maintains his momentum, it may bode well for his party’s candidates in the state in the next election.
**Host:** Nationally, Republicans have regained control of the U.S. Senate. How does this impact the legislative landscape moving forward?
**Jane Smith:** Regaining the Senate is a significant victory for the GOP, granting them a 53-seat majority. This gives them more influence in shaping legislation and countering the Biden administration’s initiatives. However, with tight margins in the House, collaboration is essential to pass any substantial bills. The pressure will be on Republicans to present a united front to advance their agenda.
**Host:** Lastly, what are the implications of the Democratic gerrymandering strategies on future elections in Nevada?
**Jane Smith:** The gerrymandering tactics employed by Democrats have created a structural advantage that could prove challenging for Republicans going forward. With Democrats controlling significant congressional and state legislative seats despite a smaller share of the electorate, it highlights the difficulties Republicans face in breaking through. Unless they can address these advantages through strategy or changes in voter turnout, it may be an uphill battle in upcoming cycles.
**Host:** Thank you, Jane, for your insights on the Nevada election results. It will be interesting to see how these dynamics play out in the future.
**Jane Smith:** Thank you! I look forward to discussing this further as the political landscape continues to evolve.
