United States House of Representatives elections in Nevada, 2006

The Nevada congressional elections of 2006 took place on November 7, 2006 when each of the state's three congressional districts elected a representative to the United States House of Representatives. Although President George W. Bush captured the state in both the 2000 and 2004 elections, he did so with a very slim margin (3.35% in 2000 and just 2.59% in 2004). Nevada was considered a battleground state due to the close victory margins.

Overview

United States House of Representatives elections in Nevada, 2006[1]
Party Votes Percentage Seats +/–
Democratic 287,879 50.08% 1 -
Republican 260,317 45.29% 2 -
Independent American 13,107 2.28% 0 -
Libertarian 8,000 1.39% 0 -
Independents 5,524 0.96% 0 —
Totals 574,827 100.00% 3 —

First Congressional District

Candidates

Democratic Party

Incumbent Shelley Berkley has served four terms. In Congress, she serves in the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, Veterans' Affairs, and International Relations.

Republican Party

Kenneth Wegner

Libertarian Party

Jim Duensing

Election Results

2006 1st District congressional election, Nevada
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Democratic Shelley Berkley 85,025 64.84%
Republican Kenneth Wegner 40,917 31.20%
Libertarian Jim Duensing 2,843 2.17%
Independent American Darnell Roberts 2,339 1.78%
Majority
Turnout 131,124
Democratic hold Swing

Second Congressional District

The 2006 Nevada 2nd Congressional District Election was held on November 7 to elect a representative from the Nevada's 2nd congressional district, which covers all of Nevada outside of Clark County, and some parts of Clark County. Republican Party candidate Dean Heller won the election. It was an open seat, because the incumbent, Republican Jim Gibbons, made a successful run for governor of the state.

A bitterly contested Republican primary on August 15, 2006 was won by Secretary of State Dean Heller. The Democratic nominee, Jill Derby, Regent for the University and Community College System of Nevada, had no primary opposition.

In late August, CQPolitics.com analyzed the race: "Although the 2nd District generally leans Republican, Derby's competitive position in the general election was already strengthened by the fact that she was unopposed in the Aug. 15 Democratic primary while the Republicans staged a bruising battle among three well-known candidates." [2]

Primary election

Democratic

Jill Derby had no opposition for the Democratic nomination.

Republican

Campaign

On the Republican side, there was a "fiercely contested and often bruising"[3] three-way race (with two minor candidates raising the total to five candidates). The two major candidates other than Heller were state assemblywoman Sharron Angle was former state Representative Dawn Gibbons, wife of the outgoing incumbent. The Club for Growth poured in over $1 million backing Angle, and ran ads attacking both Heller and Gibbons as being "liberal" and in favor of tax increases.

Results

The official results were:[4]

Republican Primary

Candidate Votes %
Dean Heller 24,770 35.90%
Sharron E. Angle 24,349 35.29%
Dawn Gibbons 17,317 25.10%
Glenn Thomas 1,835 2.66%
Richard Gilster 721 1.05%
Refusal to concede

After the primary, Angle refused to concede, complaining of voting irregularities that disenfranchised many voters in her popular home base of Washoe County, which includes Reno and is by far the district’s most populous and vote-rich jurisdiction. Rather than calling for a recount — the typical route for candidates who challenge close election outcomes — Angle demanded to have the entire primary invalidated and held again. CQPolitics.com noted "Some have charged Angle’s decision to call for a special primary was based on economics: Had she demanded a recount, Angle would have been responsible for the cost of the procedure unless the result vindicated her request for it. That would not be the case if the courts were to order a primary do-over." [2]

Exacerbating the disunity of the Nevada GOP, Nevada's Republican Party chairman, Paul Adams, announced his support for Angle's court challenge.[5]

At a September 1 state court hearing, District Judge Bill Maddox rejected Angle’s request on grounds that the state court lacks jurisdiction in congressional elections. According to Maddox, only the U.S. House of Representatives has standing to call for a new election.[6] At that point, Angle conceded the race.

General election

Campaign

The bruising GOP primary, as compared to the Democratic situation, was reflected in the cash reserves reported by each candidate in their pre-primary filings with the Federal Election Commission. Derby had $444,000 on hand as of July 26, out of $748,000 raised. Heller had 260,000 left — and that was with 20 days left to go before the actual primary — out of $904,000 in total receipts, which included $108,000 in funds from his personal accounts.[6]

Polls and ratings

The Las Vegas Sun, quoting University of Nevada-Reno political scientist Eric Herzik, noted that the intra-fighting has given the Democratic Party a change in this otherwise Republicann leaning district. "Jill Derby was already doing everything right, and then she gets this gift," he said. "How do you turn a safe district into a competitive one? Fight among yourselves. Republicans here have won because they've stayed united and they continue to turn out. Now you've got partisan infighting, and Adams' leadership is aiding and abetting that - in an already bad year for Republicans." [5]

In early September, CQPolitics.com rated this race as Leans Republican [6] In early October, CQPolitics.com rated it as Republican Favored

A Mason-Dixon poll has shown Heller with a slight edge, but within the margin or error, leading 45% to 42%.[7]

Polling

Source Date Derby (D) Heller (R) Undecided
Las Vegas Review Journal September 25, 2006 42% 45%

Other candidates

There are three non-major party candidates in the race:

External links

Election Results

2006 2nd District congressional election, Nevada
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Republican Dean Heller 117,119 50.35%
Democratic Jill Derby 104,593 44.94%
Independent Daniel Rosen 5,524 2.37%
Independent American James Krochus 5,439 2.34%
Majority
Turnout 232,724
Republican hold Swing

Third Congressional District

Candidates

Democratic Party

Tessa Hafen is a former press secretary for US Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid.

Republican Party

Incumbent Jon C. Porter is a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Committee on Education and the Workforce. He is the chairman of the Federal Workforce and Agency Organization Subcommittee, which belongs to the full House Government Reform Committee. He is a member of the moderate/liberal Republican Main Street Partnership and is a supporter of stem-cell research.

Libertarian Party

Joseph Silvestri.

Election Results

2006 3rd District congressional election, Nevada
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Republican Jon C. Porter 102,232 48.46%
Democratic Tessa Hafen 98,261 46.57%
Independent American Josh Hansen 5,329 2.53%
Libertarian Joseph Silvestri 5,157 2.44%
Majority
Turnout 210,979
Republican hold Swing

References

  1. ↑ http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/2006/2006Stat.htm#stateNV
  2. 1 2 Marie Horrigan (August 28, 2006). "Fight Over GOP Nod in Nevada 2 Could Help Democrat's Bid". CQPolitics.com.
  3. ↑ Marie Horrigan (August 16, 2006). "Heller Appears to Have Won GOP Primary in Nevada's 2nd". CQPolitics.com.
  4. ↑ "Primary Elections (August 15, 2006)". State of Nevada, 2006 Official Statewide Primary Election Results, August 15, 2006.
  5. 1 2 Michael J. Mishak and J. Patrick Coolican (August 30, 2006). "What was Paul Adams thinking?". Las Vegas Sun.
  6. 1 2 3 Marie Horrigan (September 5, 2006). "Heller's Win in Nevada 2 GOP Primary Becomes Official". CQPolitics.com.
  7. ↑ Las Vegas Review Journal Poll in late September
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