In the election of 2018, the Democratic Party nationwide enjoyed a considerable advantage in voters support over the Republican Party, picking up many victories in various states. In Nevada, the national Democratic environment swept over the state, allowing them to gain most of the statewide executive offices. This wave undid virtually all of the Republican gains of 2014. This article will look at the state offices up for election in Nevada during the election year of 2018.
2018 Nevada Gubernatorial Election
In the 2018 Nevada Gubernatorial election, popular Republican governor Brian Sandoval was term-limited and was unable to run for re-election. Democrat Steve Sisolak, the chair of the Clark County Commission, submitted his candidacy for the Democratic nomination, while Republican Attorney General Adam Laxalt, the son of former senator Pete Domenici, declared his candidacy for the Republican nomination for Governor.
In the Democratic primary, Sisolak ran against five other candidates as well as the None of These Candidates option, with Democratic vice-chair of the Clark County Commission Chris Guinchigliani running as the consensus alternate candidate. Sisolak received 72,749 votes (50.0%) while Guinchigliani garnered 56,511 votes (38.9%). The other Democratic candidates earned 10,191 votes (7.6%), with the None of These Candidates option taking 5,069 votes (3.5%). In the Republican primary, Adam Laxalt ran against seven other candidates, taking 101,651 votes (71.5%), while the closest candidate, Dan Schwartz (the incumbent Republican State Treasurer), earned 12,919 votes (9.1%). The other Republican candidates earned a total of 21,478 votes (19.4%). Three other candidates ran in the general election, Ryan Bundy (an independent), Russell Best (the Independent American candidate), and Jared Lord (the Libertarian candidate).
| County | Laxalt (R) | Sisolak (D) | 3rd | Total | RPCT | DPCT |
| Carson City | 12,080 | 9,249 | 1,352 | 22,681 | 53.26% | 40.78% |
| Churchill | 7,033 | 1,869 | 433 | 9,607 | 73.21% | 19.45% |
| Clark | 266,216 | 352,814 | 32,871 | 651,901 | 40.84% | 54.12% |
| Douglas | 16,897 | 7,962 | 1,186 | 26,045 | 64.88% | 30.57% |
| Elko | 11,444 | 2,604 | 1,122 | 15,170 | 75.44% | 17.17% |
| Esmeralda | 273 | 51 | 47 | 371 | 73.58% | 13.75% |
| Eureka | 609 | 61 | 87 | 757 | 80.45% | 8.06% |
| Humboldt | 4,061 | 1,067 | 415 | 5,543 | 73.26% | 19.25% |
| Lander | 1,571 | 316 | 204 | 2,091 | 75.13% | 15.11% |
| Lincoln | 1,440 | 266 | 140 | 1,952 | 73.77% | 13.63% |
| Lyon | 14,211 | 5,267 | 1,435 | 20,913 | 67.95% | 25.19% |
| Mineral | 1,067 | 540 | 202 | 1,809 | 58.98% | 29.85% |
| Nye | 11,103 | 4,607 | 1,784 | 17,494 | 63.47% | 26.33% |
| Pershing | 1,255 | 360 | 149 | 1,764 | 71.15% | 20.41% |
| Storey | 1,476 | 721 | 162 | 2,359 | 62.57% | 30.56% |
| Washoe | 87,226 | 91,684 | 9,188 | 188,098 | 46.37% | 48.74% |
| White Pine | 2,358 | 569 | 317 | 3,244 | 72.69% | 17.54% |
| Total | 440,320 | 480,007 | 51,094 | 971,799 | 45.31% | 49.39% |
| Margin | D +39,687 | D +4.08% |
When all the votes were counted, Democratic candidate Steve Sisolak had won a convincing victory in a state as closely divided as Nevada. Sisolak managed to carry the two largest counties by population in Nevada (Clark and Washoe counties) by solid margins, enabling him to overpower the Republican edge in the rest of the state’s counties. Sisolak won Clark County 352,814 – 266,216 votes (54.12% – 40.84%), with a margin of 86,598 votes or by 13.28%, while he carried Washoe County 91,684 – 87,226 votes (48.74% – 46.37%), with a margin of 4,458 votes, or by 2.37%). Laxalt, to his credit, carried the rest of the state 86,878 – 35,509 votes (57.03% -26.94%), with a margin of 51,369 votes, or by 30.09%. Overall, Sisolak won the governorship 480,007 – 440,320 votes, or by a margin of 39,687 votes and by a narrow 4.08%.
2018 Nevada Lieutenant Gubernatorial Election
In the 2018 Nevada Lieutenant Gubernatorial election, Republican Lieutenant Governor Mark Hutchison did not run for re-election, setting up a competitive general election. In the Republican primary, Mark Roberson (the minority leader of the Nevada senate) placed first with 63,675 votes (46.2%), while the second-place finisher, Brent Jones (a former state assemblymember), earned 24,899 votes (18.1%). Three other candidates earned a combined 31,925 votes (23.2%), while the None of These Candidates option garnered 17,219 votes (12.5%). In the Democratic primary, prior State Treasurer Kate Marshall ran against Laurie Hansen, earning 93,795 votes (67.3%) to Hansen’s 30,708 votes (22.0%). The None of These Candidates option took 14,924 votes (10.7%). Two other candidates advanced to the general election, an Independent American candidate and an independent: Janine Hansen and Ed Uehling.
| Roberson (R) | Marshall (D) | 3rd | Total | RPCT | DPCT |
| 11,242 | 9,927 | 1,478 | 22,647 | 49.64% | 43.83% |
| 6,385 | 2,338 | 847 | 9,570 | 66.72% | 24.43% |
| 260,447 | 350,939 | 36,457 | 647,843 | 40.20% | 54.17% |
| 15,723 | 8,661 | 1,542 | 25,926 | 60.65% | 33.41% |
| 10,552 | 3,109 | 1,452 | 15,113 | 69.82% | 20.57% |
| 258 | 61 | 51 | 370 | 69.73% | 16.49% |
| 567 | 90 | 97 | 754 | 75.20% | 11.94% |
| 3,542 | 1,483 | 501 | 5,526 | 64.10% | 26.84% |
| 1,425 | 427 | 238 | 2,090 | 68.18% | 20.43% |
| 1,327 | 323 | 286 | 1,936 | 68.54% | 16.68% |
| 13,245 | 6,093 | 1,488 | 20,826 | 63.60% | 29.26% |
| 904 | 687 | 209 | 1,800 | 50.22% | 38.17% |
| 10,733 | 4,959 | 1,739 | 17,431 | 61.57% | 28.45% |
| 1,062 | 514 | 180 | 1,756 | 60.48% | 29.27% |
| 1,351 | 818 | 185 | 2,354 | 57.39% | 34.75% |
| 80,797 | 95,213 | 10,766 | 186,776 | 43.26% | 50.98% |
| 2,137 | 739 | 349 | 3,225 | 66.26% | 22.91% |
| 421,697 | 486,381 | 57,865 | 965,943 | 43.66% | 50.35% |
| D +64,684 | D +6.70% |
In the general election, Democratic candidate Marshall won a narrow victory over Republican candidate Roberson. Marshall was able to win in this manner by following the traditional Democratic path to victory in Nevada: carrying Clark and Washoe Counties. She won Clark County 350,939 – 260,447 votes (54.17% – 40.20%), with a margin of 90,492 votes or by 13.97%, while she carried Washoe County 95,213 – 80,797 votes (50.98% – 43.26%) with a margin of 14,416 votes or by 7.72%. Roberson was able to carry the rest of the state 80,453 – 40,229 votes (61.26% – 30.63%) with a margin of 40,224 votes, or by 30.63%, but this was not enough to offset the margins in Clark and Washoe County that Marshall was able to earn. Marshall’s performance in those two counties, combined with her smaller vote shares in the rural counties, enabled her to win the state 486,381 – 421,697 votes, or by a margin of 64,684 votes (6.70%).
2018 Nevada Attorney General Election
In the 2018 Nevada Attorney General election, incumbent Republican Adam Laxalt did not run for re-election, instead running in the Gubernatorial election. Wesley Duncan, the assistant Nevada Attorney General ran for the nomination against Craig Mueller, a lawyer and formal U.S. Naval officer. Duncan took 82,453 votes (59.8%), while Mueller garnered 43,361 votes (31.4%). The None of These Candidates option got 12,106 votes (8.8%). In the Democratic primary, the majority leader of the Nevada State Senate ran against a lesser-known candidate, Stuart MacKie. Ford won the primary with 94,699 votes (68.0%), MacKie finished in second place with 26,619 votes (19.1%), while the None of These Candidates option took 17,931 votes (12.9%).
| County | Duncan (R) | Ford (D) | 3rd | Total | RPCT | DPCT |
| Carson City | 12,553 | 8,371 | 1,723 | 22,647 | 55.43% | 36.96% |
| Churchill | 6,961 | 1,805 | 801 | 9,567 | 72.76% | 18.87% |
| Clark | 274,513 | 338,366 | 34,803 | 647,682 | 42.38% | 52.24% |
| Douglas | 16,965 | 7,383 | 1,541 | 25,889 | 65.53% | 28.52% |
| Elko | 11,173 | 2,842 | 1,089 | 15,104 | 73.97% | 18.82% |
| Esmeralda | 271 | 57 | 41 | 369 | 73.44% | 15.45% |
| Eureka | 613 | 73 | 68 | 754 | 81.30% | 9.68% |
| Humboldt | 3,957 | 1,085 | 474 | 5,516 | 71.74% | 19.67% |
| Lander | 1,528 | 345 | 211 | 2,084 | 73.32% | 16.55% |
| Lincoln | 1,491 | 265 | 184 | 1,940 | 76.86% | 13.66% |
| Lyon | 14,351 | 4,940 | 1,502 | 20,793 | 69.02% | 23.76% |
| Mineral | 1,009 | 549 | 246 | 1,804 | 55.93% | 30.43% |
| Nye | 11,492 | 4,521 | 1,408 | 17,421 | 65.97% | 25.95% |
| Pershing | 1,249 | 346 | 161 | 1,756 | 71.13% | 19.70% |
| Storey | 1,469 | 665 | 211 | 2,345 | 62.64% | 28.36% |
| Washoe | 89,826 | 83,971 | 13,067 | 186,864 | 48.07% | 44.94% |
| White Pine | 2,271 | 641 | 306 | 3,218 | 70.57% | 19.92% |
| Total | 451,692 | 456,225 | 57,836 | 965,753 | 46.77% | 47.24% |
| Margin | D +4,533 | D +0.47% |
In the general election, Democratic candidate Ford won an extremely narrow victory over Republican candidate Duncan. Ford was able to win by earning a victory in Clark County, which he won 338,366 – 274,513 votes (52.24% – 42.38%), or by a margin of 63,853 votes or by 9.86%. Duncan won Washoe County 89,826 – 83,971 votes (48.07% – 44.94%), or a margin of 5,855 votes (3.13%. Duncan earned a victory in the rest of the state’s counties 87,353 – 33,888 votes (66.58% -25.83%), or a margin of 53,465 votes, or by 40.75%. Overall, Ford’s margins in Clark County were enough to power him to a 456,225 – 451,692 vote victory, with an extremely narrow margin of 4,533 votes, or by 0.47%.
Nevada 2018 Secretary of State Election
In the 2018 Nevada Secretary of State election, incumbent Republican Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske ran for re-election. She was opposed in the Republican primary by Ernest Aldridge. Cegavske won renomination with 85,355 votes (62.5%), Aldridge took 36,508 votes (26.8%), while the None of These Candidates option garnered 14,613 votes (10.7%). In the Democratic primary, only state assemblymember Nelson Araujo ran for the nomination, so he advanced to the general election against Cegavske. No third-party candidates filed to run, so the only other “candidate” in the race was the None of These Candidates option.
| County | Cegavske (R) | Araujo (D) | 3rd | Total | RPCT | DPCT |
| Carson City | 13,124 | 8,886 | 636 | 22,646 | 57.95% | 39.24% |
| Churchill | 7,193 | 2,117 | 259 | 9,569 | 75.17% | 22.12% |
| Clark | 285,613 | 334,808 | 18,278 | 638,699 | 44.72% | 52.42% |
| Douglas | 17,167 | 7,916 | 576 | 25,659 | 66.90% | 30.85% |
| Elko | 11,768 | 2,875 | 463 | 15,106 | 77.90% | 19.03% |
| Esmeralda | 291 | 57 | 21 | 369 | 78.86% | 15.45% |
| Eureka | 649 | 74 | 33 | 756 | 85.85% | 9.79% |
| Humboldt | 4,102 | 1,226 | 183 | 5,511 | 74.43% | 22.25% |
| Lander | 1,585 | 393 | 112 | 2,090 | 75.84% | 18.80% |
| Lincoln | 1,610 | 239 | 89 | 1,938 | 83.08% | 12.33% |
| Lyon | 14,513 | 5,648 | 606 | 20,767 | 69.88% | 27.20% |
| Mineral | 1,067 | 617 | 110 | 1,794 | 59.48% | 34.39% |
| Nye | 12,212 | 4,529 | 647 | 17,388 | 70.23% | 26.05% |
| Pershing | 1,262 | 432 | 61 | 1,755 | 71.91% | 24.62% |
| Storey | 1,561 | 727 | 66 | 2,354 | 66.31% | 30.88% |
| Washoe | 91,787 | 90,350 | 4,872 | 187,009 | 49.08% | 48.31% |
| White Pine | 2,376 | 657 | 188 | 3,221 | 73.77% | 20.40% |
| Total | 467,880 | 461,551 | 27,200 | 956,631 | 48.91% | 48.25% |
| Margin | R +6,329 | R +0.66% |
In the general election, incumbent Republican Cegavske won an extremely narrow victory over Democratic candidate Nelson. She was able to do this by keeping Araujo’s margins in Clark County to a manageable level, also winning Washoe County narrowly, and winning the rest of the state by a solid margin. Araujo won Clark County, 334,808 – 285,613 votes (52.42% – 44.72%), or with a margin of 49,195 votes (7.70%). Cegavske won Washoe County 91,787 – 90,350 votes (49.08% – 48.31%), with a margin of 1,437 votes (0.77%), while winning the rest of the state’s counties 90,480 – 36,393 votes (69.11% – 27.80%) or with a margin of 54,087 votes (41.31%). This combination enabled Cegavske to win the state by an extremely narrow victory of 467,880 – 461,551 votes (48.91% – 48.25%), or by a margin of 6,329 votes (0.66%).
2018 Nevada State Treasurer Election
In the 2018 election for Nevada State Treasurer, incumbent Republican State Treasurer Dan Schwartz did not run for re-election, instead opting to run for Governor. Bob Beers, a Las Vegas City Councilman with some prior officeholding experience, ran in the Republican primary against Derek Uehara, a certified financial planner. Beers won the primary with 91,570 votes (66.8%), while Uehara finished second with 32,412 votes (23.7%). The None of These Candidates option took 13,066 votes (9.5%). In the Democratic primary, only one candidate, Zach Conine, a businessperson, ran for the nomination, advancing to the general election against Beers. An Independent, William Hoge, also ran in the election.
| County | Beers (R) | Conine (D) | 3rd | Total | RPCT | DPCT |
| Carson City | 12,345 | 8,802 | 1,466 | 22,613 | 54.59% | 38.92% |
| Churchill | 6,980 | 1,959 | 618 | 9,557 | 73.04% | 20.50% |
| Clark | 277,728 | 337,695 | 31,415 | 646,838 | 42.94% | 52.21% |
| Douglas | 16,929 | 7,717 | 1,204 | 25,850 | 65.49% | 29.85% |
| Elko | 11,295 | 2,887 | 923 | 15,105 | 74.78% | 19.11% |
| Esmeralda | 282 | 55 | 31 | 368 | 76.63% | 14.95% |
| Eureka | 627 | 70 | 55 | 752 | 83.38% | 9.31% |
| Humboldt | 3,988 | 1,142 | 380 | 5,510 | 72.38% | 20.73% |
| Lander | 1,561 | 347 | 179 | 2,087 | 74.80% | 16.63% |
| Lincoln | 1,514 | 262 | 163 | 1,939 | 78.08% | 13.51% |
| Lyon | 14,170 | 5,320 | 1,258 | 20,748 | 68.30% | 25.64% |
| Mineral | 1,036 | 563 | 196 | 1,795 | 57.72% | 31.36% |
| Nye | 11,692 | 4,597 | 1,107 | 17,396 | 67.21% | 26.43% |
| Pershing | 1,228 | 367 | 153 | 1,748 | 70.25% | 21.00% |
| Storey | 1,503 | 688 | 151 | 2,342 | 64.18% | 29.38% |
| Washoe | 88,548 | 86,749 | 11,031 | 186,328 | 47.52% | 46.56% |
| White Pine | 2,322 | 654 | 247 | 3,223 | 72.04% | 20.29% |
| Total | 453,748 | 459,874 | 50,577 | 964,199 | 47.06% | 47.69% |
| Margin | D +6,126 | D +0.64% |
In the general election, Democratic candidate Conine won an extremely narrow victory over Republican candidate Beers. Conine earned a 337,695 – 277,728 vote (52.21% -42.94%) victory in Clark County, garnering a net margin of 59,967 raw votes (9.27%). Beers won the swing county of Washoe 88,548 – 86,749 votes (47.52% – 46.56%), earning a margin of 1,799 votes (0.97%). Beers also won the rest of the state 87,472 – 35,430 votes (66.76% – 27.04%), with a margin of 52,042 votes or by 39.72%. The Democratic firewall in Clark County, as it is known, enabled Conine to carry the state of Nevada 459,874 – 453,748 votes (47.69% – 47.06%), with an extremely narrow margin of 6,126 votes (0.64%).
2018 Nevada State Controller Election
In the 2018 election for Nevada State Controller, incumbent Republican State Controller Ron Knecht ran for re-election, facing off against Democratic accountant Catherine Byrne. There was no contested primary for either of the two candidates, so both candidates advanced to the general unscathed. There was also no third-party competition, as the only other “candidate” in the race was the None of These Candidates option.
| County | Knecht (R) | Byrne (D) | 3rd | Total | RPCT | DPCT |
| Carson City | 12,574 | 9,332 | 714 | 22,620 | 55.59% | 41.26% |
| Churchill | 7,086 | 2,173 | 306 | 9,565 | 74.08% | 22.72% |
| Clark | 268,767 | 356,978 | 19,806 | 645,551 | 41.63% | 55.30% |
| Douglas | 17,079 | 8,107 | 655 | 25,841 | 66.09% | 31.37% |
| Elko | 11,439 | 3,177 | 461 | 15,077 | 75.87% | 21.07% |
| Esmeralda | 270 | 68 | 27 | 365 | 73.97% | 18.63% |
| Eureka | 620 | 95 | 32 | 747 | 83.00% | 12.72% |
| Humboldt | 3,976 | 1,306 | 222 | 5,504 | 72.24% | 23.73% |
| Lander | 1,566 | 407 | 115 | 2,088 | 75.00% | 19.49% |
| Lincoln | 1,524 | 312 | 101 | 1,937 | 78.68% | 16.11% |
| Lyon | 14,392 | 5,708 | 668 | 20,768 | 69.30% | 27.48% |
| Mineral | 1,012 | 637 | 132 | 1,781 | 56.82% | 35.77% |
| Nye | 11,644 | 5,080 | 627 | 17,351 | 67.11% | 29.28% |
| Pershing | 1,213 | 438 | 101 | 1,752 | 69.24% | 25.00% |
| Storey | 1,529 | 746 | 72 | 2,347 | 65.15% | 31.79% |
| Washoe | 88,077 | 91,766 | 6,313 | 186,156 | 47.31% | 49.30% |
| White Pine | 2,331 | 738 | 148 | 3,217 | 72.46% | 22.94% |
| Total | 445,099 | 487,068 | 30,500 | 962,667 | 46.24% | 50.60% |
| Margin | D +41,969 | D +4.36% |
In the general election, Democratic candidate Byrne won a respectable victory over incumbent Republican Knecht. She did this by following the traditional Democratic roadmap for a victory of building up high margins in Clark and Washoe Counties. Byrne won Clark County 356,978 – 268,767 votes (55.30% – 41.63%) or by a margin of 88,211 votes (13.66%). She also won Washoe 91,766 – 88,077 votes (49.30% – 47.31%) or by a margin of 3,689 votes (1.98%). Knecht was able to win the rest of the state 88,255 – 38,324 votes (63.73% – 29.26%), or by a margin of 49,931 votes (34.47%). The combination of these factors enabled Byrne to win the state 487,068 – 445,099 votes (50.60% – 46.24%), or by a margin of 41,969 votes (4.36%).
