Brian Sandoval
Encyclopedia
Brian Edward Sandoval is an American
politician
. He is the 29th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Nevada
since January 3, 2011. Sandoval is a former judge
of the United States District Court for the District of Nevada
. In June 2010, Sandoval defeated his GOP challengers (including incumbent governor Jim Gibbons) to win the Republican nomination for the 2010 Gubernatorial election.
Prior to his service as a federal judge, he served as the Nevada Attorney General
, the youngest chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission
and a state legislator. Sandoval was also the first Hispanic
candidate elected to statewide office in Nevada.
, and is a long-time resident of Reno
. His family is of Hispanic ancestry with Mexican roots. Sandoval graduated from Bishop Manogue High School
in Reno in 1981, and attended the University of Nevada
, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon
fraternity, and earned a Bachelor's Degree
in English and economics in 1986. He then went on to earn a law degree
from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
in 1989.
Following the completion of his law degree, Sandoval passed the Nevada and California bar exams
on his first try and entered private practice with several Reno
law firms. In 1999, Sandoval opened his own law firm in Reno.
. He won the open seat and won re-election in 1996. After he resigned from his seat in 1998, Gibbons' wife Dawn Gibbons
, won the open seat.
, which oversees the state's gaming industry. The following year, at the age of 35, Sandoval became the youngest person ever to serve as chairman of the gaming commission. During his time on the commission, Sandoval fought national efforts to block gambling on college sports events, worked on regulations limiting neighborhood gaming and worked for regulations prohibiting slot machines with themes attractive to children.
Frankie Sue Del Papa -- who decided not to seek re-election -- as Nevada Attorney General
on October 11, 2001. His primary major party opposition was Democratic attorney John Hunt from Las Vegas
, who Sandoval defeated by a margin of 58.32% to 33.63% on November 5, 2002. Sandoval took office on January 6, 2003.
, developed Nevada's first Public Integrity Unit and sponsored legislation strengthening Nevada's laws against domestic violence, drug abuse and human trafficking.
As Attorney General, Sandoval was also the chairman and a member of several state boards and commissions, including the Nevada Boards of Pardons, Prisons, Transportation, and Examiners; the Cyber-Crime Task Force; the Committee on Domestic Violence, and the Prosecutorial Advisory Council. He was also the chairman and a member of several state boards and commissions, including the Nevada Boards of Pardons, Prisons, Transportation, and Examiners; the Nevada Cyber-Crime Task Force, and the Prosecutorial Advisory Council.
spoke with Sandoval about whether he was interested in serving as a judge for the United States District Court for the District of Nevada
, and that December Reid recommended to President George W. Bush
he nominate Sandoval to a future opening on that court. Sandoval was formally nominated by President George W. Bush
on March 1, 2005, to the seat being vacated by Judge Howard D. McKibben
.
On September 29, 2005, the Senate Judiciary Committee
held a confirmation hearing on Sandoval's nomination. On October 20, 2005, the Judiciary committee reported Sandoval's nomination out of committee on a voice vote. Sandoval was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate
on October 24, 2005, by a vote of 89-0 (with 11 Senators not voting). Sandoval then received his judicial commission on October 26, 2005.
on August 15, 2009, to become effective beginning September 15, 2009.
On the same day as his resignation became official, Sandoval announced he was running for the Governorship.
Sandoval's chambers were in the Bruce R. Thompson Federal Building & U.S. Courthouse in Reno
.
, the Clark County
Commissioner and son of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
. He won every county in the state, and all with a majority except Clark County (49%-47%).
He has appointed U.S. Congressman Dean Heller
(R-Carson City) to become U.S. Senator, after the seat become vacant from the resignation of John Ensign
.
2003 "Torch of Liberty Award;" the Nevada State Bar's 2004 "Access to Justice Public Lawyer Award;" The Latino Coalition's 2004 "Most Influential Hispanic in the U.S. Award" and the 2004 University of Nevada
"Alumnus of the Year Award."
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United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He is the 29th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
since January 3, 2011. Sandoval is a former judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
of the United States District Court for the District of Nevada
United States District Court for the District of Nevada
The United States District Court for the District of Nevada is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Nevada. The court has locations in Las Vegas and Reno....
. In June 2010, Sandoval defeated his GOP challengers (including incumbent governor Jim Gibbons) to win the Republican nomination for the 2010 Gubernatorial election.
Prior to his service as a federal judge, he served as the Nevada Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
, the youngest chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission
Nevada Gaming Commission
The Nevada Gaming Commission is a Nevada state governmental agency involved in the regulation of casinos throughout the state, along with the Nevada Gaming Control Board. It was founded in 1959 by the Nevada Legislature....
and a state legislator. Sandoval was also the first Hispanic
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
candidate elected to statewide office in Nevada.
Early life, education, and law career
Sandoval was born in Redding, CaliforniaRedding, California
Redding is a city in far-Northern California. It is the county seat of Shasta County, California, USA. With a population of 89,861, according to the 2010 Census...
, and is a long-time resident of Reno
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
. His family is of Hispanic ancestry with Mexican roots. Sandoval graduated from Bishop Manogue High School
Bishop Manogue High School
Bishop Manogue High School is a Catholic high school in Reno, Nevada. It is the only Catholic high school in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Reno and 1 of only 2 Catholic high schools in the state of Nevada.-History:...
in Reno in 1981, and attended the University of Nevada
University of Nevada, Reno
The University of Nevada, Reno , is a teaching and research university established in 1874 and located in Reno, Nevada, USA...
, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sigma Alpha Epsilon is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity founded at the University of Alabama on March 9, 1856. Of all existing national social fraternities today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is the only one founded in the Antebellum South...
fraternity, and earned a Bachelor's Degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in English and economics in 1986. He then went on to earn a law degree
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
Moritz College of Law
The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law is a public law school and charter member of the Association of American Law Schools. According to the 2010 U.S. News & World Report rankings, the Moritz College of Law is 35th in the nation overall and is in the top ten among public law schools. The...
in 1989.
Following the completion of his law degree, Sandoval passed the Nevada and California bar exams
Bar examination
A bar examination is an examination conducted at regular intervals to determine whether a candidate is qualified to practice law in a given jurisdiction.-Brazil:...
on his first try and entered private practice with several Reno
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
law firms. In 1999, Sandoval opened his own law firm in Reno.
Elections
When incumbent Republican Jim Gibbons decided to retire to run for Governor of Nevada in 1994, Sandoval ran for the Reno-based 25th District of the Nevada AssemblyNevada Assembly
The Nevada Assembly is the lower house of the Nevada Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Nevada. The body consists of 42 members, elected to two-year terms from single-member districts. Each Assembly district contained approximately 47,400 people as of the 2000 census, although...
. He won the open seat and won re-election in 1996. After he resigned from his seat in 1998, Gibbons' wife Dawn Gibbons
Dawn Gibbons
Dawn Gibbons is an American politician from Nevada. She is known for being the wife of Governor Jim Gibbons, although they were divorced on July 21, 2010.-Early and personal life:...
, won the open seat.
Tenure
Sandoval sponsored 14 bills that became law -- including bills that prevented felons from suing victims if they are injured committing a crime, increased the penalties for operating a boat under the influence, and allowed indigent defendants to perform community service to defray their legal costs.Committee assignments
Sandoval served on the Judiciary, Taxation and Natural Resources Committees. He also served on the Nevada Legislative Commission, the Advisory Commission on Sentencing, the Juvenile Justice Commission, the Advisory Council on Community Notification of Sex Offenders, and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Oversight Committee.Nevada Gaming Commission
In 1998 Sandoval was appointed to serve as a member of the Nevada Gaming CommissionNevada Gaming Commission
The Nevada Gaming Commission is a Nevada state governmental agency involved in the regulation of casinos throughout the state, along with the Nevada Gaming Control Board. It was founded in 1959 by the Nevada Legislature....
, which oversees the state's gaming industry. The following year, at the age of 35, Sandoval became the youngest person ever to serve as chairman of the gaming commission. During his time on the commission, Sandoval fought national efforts to block gambling on college sports events, worked on regulations limiting neighborhood gaming and worked for regulations prohibiting slot machines with themes attractive to children.
2002 election
Sandoval announced his bid to succeed three-term DemocratDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Frankie Sue Del Papa -- who decided not to seek re-election -- as Nevada Attorney General
Nevada Attorney General
The Nevada Attorney General is the top legal officer for the state of Nevada. The functions of the office are set forth in Nevada Revised Statutes, Chapter 228. The Attorney General represents the people of Nevada in civil and criminal matters before trial, appellate and the supreme courts of...
on October 11, 2001. His primary major party opposition was Democratic attorney John Hunt from Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, who Sandoval defeated by a margin of 58.32% to 33.63% on November 5, 2002. Sandoval took office on January 6, 2003.
Tenure
While Attorney General, Sandoval led the state's legal fight against the storage nuclear waste at Yucca MountainYucca Mountain
The Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository was to be a deep geological repository storage facility for spent nuclear reactor fuel and other high level radioactive waste, until the project was canceled in 2009. It was to be located on federal land adjacent to the Nevada Test Site in Nye County,...
, developed Nevada's first Public Integrity Unit and sponsored legislation strengthening Nevada's laws against domestic violence, drug abuse and human trafficking.
As Attorney General, Sandoval was also the chairman and a member of several state boards and commissions, including the Nevada Boards of Pardons, Prisons, Transportation, and Examiners; the Cyber-Crime Task Force; the Committee on Domestic Violence, and the Prosecutorial Advisory Council. He was also the chairman and a member of several state boards and commissions, including the Nevada Boards of Pardons, Prisons, Transportation, and Examiners; the Nevada Cyber-Crime Task Force, and the Prosecutorial Advisory Council.
Nomination
In the fall of 2004, Democratic Senator Harry ReidHarry Reid
Harry Mason Reid is the senior United States Senator from Nevada, serving since 1987. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been the Senate Majority Leader since January 2007, having previously served as Minority Leader and Minority and Majority Whip.Previously, Reid was a member of the U.S...
spoke with Sandoval about whether he was interested in serving as a judge for the United States District Court for the District of Nevada
United States District Court for the District of Nevada
The United States District Court for the District of Nevada is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Nevada. The court has locations in Las Vegas and Reno....
, and that December Reid recommended to President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
he nominate Sandoval to a future opening on that court. Sandoval was formally nominated by President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
on March 1, 2005, to the seat being vacated by Judge Howard D. McKibben
Howard D. McKibben
Howard D. McKibben is a United States federal judge.Born in Virginia, Illinois, McKibben received a B.S. from Bradley University in 1962, an M.P.A. from the University of Pittsburgh in 1964, and a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School in 1967. He was in private practice in Minden, Nevada...
.
On September 29, 2005, the Senate Judiciary Committee
United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary
The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary is a standing committee of the United States Senate, of the United States Congress. The Judiciary Committee, with 18 members, is charged with conducting hearings prior to the Senate votes on confirmation of federal judges nominated by the...
held a confirmation hearing on Sandoval's nomination. On October 20, 2005, the Judiciary committee reported Sandoval's nomination out of committee on a voice vote. Sandoval was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on October 24, 2005, by a vote of 89-0 (with 11 Senators not voting). Sandoval then received his judicial commission on October 26, 2005.
Tenure
Judge Sandoval announced his resignation as Judge of the United States District Court for the District of NevadaUnited States District Court for the District of Nevada
The United States District Court for the District of Nevada is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Nevada. The court has locations in Las Vegas and Reno....
on August 15, 2009, to become effective beginning September 15, 2009.
On the same day as his resignation became official, Sandoval announced he was running for the Governorship.
Sandoval's chambers were in the Bruce R. Thompson Federal Building & U.S. Courthouse in Reno
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
.
2010 election
In the general election, Sandoval won 53%-41%, against Democrat Rory ReidRory Reid
Rory Jason Reid is an American lawyer and politician. He served as elected Chairman of the Clark County Commission in Clark County, Nevada, and was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Nevada in the 2010 gubernatorial election. Reid is a member of the Democratic Party and a son of United...
, the Clark County
Clark County, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,375,765 people, 512,253 households, and 339,693 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 71.6% White , 9.1% Black, 5.7% Asian, 0.8% American Indian and 12.8% of other or mixed race. 22.0% were Hispanic of any race...
Commissioner and son of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
Harry Reid
Harry Mason Reid is the senior United States Senator from Nevada, serving since 1987. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been the Senate Majority Leader since January 2007, having previously served as Minority Leader and Minority and Majority Whip.Previously, Reid was a member of the U.S...
. He won every county in the state, and all with a majority except Clark County (49%-47%).
Tenure
Sandoval, as the state's 30th Governor, proposed a $5.8 billion 2011 budget without any new taxes. It could cause as many as 361 layoffs and 5% pay reductions for state workers. It also included a 5% cut in primary education and 7% cut in higher education. Sandoval is turning down his pay raise that would have increased his salary from $141,000 to $149,573 per year. He also has said he will take a 5% pay cut to coincide every other state worker.He has appointed U.S. Congressman Dean Heller
Dean Heller
Dean A. Heller is the junior United States Senator from Nevada and a member of the Republican Party. Heller was appointed by Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval to a vacant seat created by the resignation of John Ensign. He was previously a member of the United States House of Representatives,...
(R-Carson City) to become U.S. Senator, after the seat become vacant from the resignation of John Ensign
John Ensign
John Eric Ensign is a former United States Senator from Nevada, serving from January 2001 until he resigned amid an investigation of an ethics violation in May 2011...
.
Honors and awards
Throughout his career, Sandoval has received several awards and certificates, including the Hispanics in Politics' 1996 "Broche de Oro Award"; the Anti-Defamation League'sAnti-Defamation League
The Anti-Defamation League is an international non-governmental organization based in the United States. Describing itself as "the nation's premier civil rights/human relations agency", the ADL states that it "fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals and protects...
2003 "Torch of Liberty Award;" the Nevada State Bar's 2004 "Access to Justice Public Lawyer Award;" The Latino Coalition's 2004 "Most Influential Hispanic in the U.S. Award" and the 2004 University of Nevada
University of Nevada, Reno
The University of Nevada, Reno , is a teaching and research university established in 1874 and located in Reno, Nevada, USA...
"Alumnus of the Year Award."
Personal life
Sandoval and his wife Kathleen, program director for the Children's Cabinet in Reno, have three children.Electoral history
External links
- Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval official state site
- Brian Sandoval for Governor official campaign site
- Brian Sandoval profile in United States District Court for the District of Nevada'sUnited States District Court for the District of NevadaThe United States District Court for the District of Nevada is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Nevada. The court has locations in Las Vegas and Reno....
State of the Court 2006 report - Brian Sandoval '89: Nevada's First Hispanic U.S. District Judge
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