Nevada's 2nd congressional district special election, 2011
Encyclopedia
On September 13, 2011, a special election was held in Nevada's 2nd congressional district
to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Republican Dean Heller
, who was appointed to the United States Senate
.
The race was called for Mark Amodei by the Associated Press
just after 10 p.m. local time with 44% of precincts reporting and Amodei leading Marshall 57% to 37%. Amodei easily won the election by a margin of 58% to 36%.
announced the election, held under an untested 2003 law for replacing House members, would be open to any and all qualified candidates, without primary election
s or nominations made by parties' central committees.
The Republican Party filed suit
challenging Miller's plan, preferring instead that each party be required to nominate a single candidate. The party's complaint stated that "A fundamental principle of Nevada's electoral statutes is that, in a partisan election, there shall be only one nominee from each political party." On May 19, District Judge
Todd Russell sided with the Republican Party and ruling that the major parties would hold conventions
in order to each nominate a single candidate. Miller asked the office of the Nevada Attorney General
to appeal the case to the Supreme Court of Nevada
, which on May 31 issued an order instructing Miller and the state's political parties to address whether the election can be rescheduled due to concerns that the ongoing dispute over its rules may necessitate a delay.
will vote to decide the Republican nominee in June 2011. Any Republican who receives at least two votes from members of the central committee can compete in the nomination process, which will be held under an two-round system
.
Commissioned by Daily Kos
and the SEIU
Nevada's 2nd congressional district
Nevada's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district occupying all of Nevada outside of Clark County, and some parts of Clark County. Reno, the county seat of Washoe County and the fourth-most populous city in Nevada, is the largest city in the district. Washoe County casts about 70...
to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Republican 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,...
, who was appointed to the United States 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...
.
The race was called for Mark Amodei by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
just after 10 p.m. local time with 44% of precincts reporting and Amodei leading Marshall 57% to 37%. Amodei easily won the election by a margin of 58% to 36%.
Rules
On May 2, 2011, Nevada Secretary of State Ross MillerRoss Miller
Ross James Miller is an American politician of the Democratic Party and the current Secretary of State of Nevada. Elected at the age of 30, he was the youngest Secretary of State in the history of Nevada and the youngest Secretary of State in the country at the time of his election.-Education and...
announced the election, held under an untested 2003 law for replacing House members, would be open to any and all qualified candidates, without primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
s or nominations made by parties' central committees.
The Republican Party filed suit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
challenging Miller's plan, preferring instead that each party be required to nominate a single candidate. The party's complaint stated that "A fundamental principle of Nevada's electoral statutes is that, in a partisan election, there shall be only one nominee from each political party." On May 19, District Judge
United States district court
The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States...
Todd Russell sided with the Republican Party and ruling that the major parties would hold conventions
Political convention
In politics, a political convention is a meeting of a political party, typically to select party candidates.In the United States, a political convention usually refers to a presidential nominating convention, but it can also refer to state, county, or congressional district nominating conventions...
in order to each nominate a single candidate. Miller asked the office of the 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...
to appeal the case to the Supreme Court of Nevada
Supreme Court of Nevada
The Supreme Court of Nevada is the state supreme court of Nevada. It is the highest judicial body of the Nevada state government.There are seven Justices of the court, who are elected to six-year terms in officially nonpartisan elections. The Governor appoints Justices in the case of a vacancy...
, which on May 31 issued an order instructing Miller and the state's political parties to address whether the election can be rescheduled due to concerns that the ongoing dispute over its rules may necessitate a delay.
Declared candidates
- George S. Bay
- Chad Dehne, U.S. Marine CorpsUnited States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
veteranVeteranA veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."... - Blake Franzman
- R. J. Gillum
- Zach Jones
- Kate MarshallKate MarshallKate Marshall is an American politician and a member of the Democratic Party. She is currently the Nevada State Treasurer.-Education and early career:...
, Nevada State TreasurerNevada State TreasurerThe Nevada State Treasurer is an elected office in the U.S. state of Nevada. The Nevada State Treasurer is based in Carson City, Nevada. The Treasurer is elected for 4 year terms and the current Treasurer for the 2007-2011 term is Kate Marshall.... - Jacques Maye
- Nancy Price, former regent of the Nevada System of Higher EducationNevada System of Higher EducationThe Nevada System of Higher Education was formed in 1968 to oversee all state-supported higher education in the U.S. state of Nevada. The name was changed in 2004. Two doctoral-granting research universities, one state college, four community colleges and one research institute comprise the...
and unsuccessful candidate for the 2nd district in 2010 - Rex Ricks
Declined to run
- Jill DerbyJill DerbyJill Talbot Derby served from 1988 to 2006 as an elected Regent for the Nevada System of Higher Education, serving three terms as Board Chair. She ran as the Democratic candidate for the open seat of Nevada's 2nd congressional district in the 2006 election, losing but gaining national attention by...
, former regent of the Nevada System of Higher Education and unsuccessful candidate for the 2nd district in 2006 and 2008
Republican nomination
The central committee of the Nevada Republican PartyNevada Republican Party
The Nevada Republican Party is the affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Nevada. The Republican Party promotes the beliefs that individuals, not the government, make the best decisions. -History:...
will vote to decide the Republican nominee in June 2011. Any Republican who receives at least two votes from members of the central committee can compete in the nomination process, which will be held under an two-round system
Two-round system
The two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...
.
Declared candidates
- Mark Amodei, state party chairman and former State SenatorNevada SenateThe Nevada Senate is the upper house of the Nevada Legislature, the state legislature of U.S. state of Nevada. The Senate consists of 21 members from 19 districts, two of which are multimember. Each senator represented approximately 94,700 people as of the 2000 census, although 2006 Census Bureau...
- Greg BrowerGreg BrowerGreg Brower is an attorney in private practice, a Senator in the Nevada Senate, former United States Attorney in the state of Nevada and a former member of the Nevada Assembly. He is a member of the Republican Party....
, State SenatorNevada SenateThe Nevada Senate is the upper house of the Nevada Legislature, the state legislature of U.S. state of Nevada. The Senate consists of 21 members from 19 districts, two of which are multimember. Each senator represented approximately 94,700 people as of the 2000 census, although 2006 Census Bureau...
and former United States AttorneyUnited States AttorneyUnited States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands... - Hal Carmack
- Guy Felton
- William R. Graves
- Edward Hamilton, perennial candidatePerennial candidateA perennial candidate is one who frequently runs for public office with a record of success that is infrequent, if existent at all. Perennial candidates are often either members of minority political parties or have political opinions that are not mainstream. They may run without any serious hope...
- Ryan Henderson, opticianOpticianAn optician is a person who is trained to fill prescriptions for eye correction in the field of medicine, also known as a dispensing optician or optician, dispensing...
- Greg Hudson
- Robert X. Leeds
- Kirk LippoldKirk LippoldCommander Kirk S. Lippold, USN , was the Commanding Officer of the USS Cole on October 12, 2000 when the ship was attacked and bombed by Al-Qaeda terrorists during a refueling stop in the Yemeni port of Aden, killing 17 U.S. sailors...
, former USS ColeUSS Cole (DDG-67)The second USS Cole is an Arleigh Burke-class Aegis-equipped guided missile destroyer homeported in NS Norfolk, Virginia. The Cole is named in honor of Marine Sergeant Darrell S. Cole, a machine-gunner killed in action on Iwo Jima on 19 February 1945, during World War II...
commander - Daniel Miller
- Troy "Gunny" Orosco
- Phillip D. Telander
- Busch Voigts, Jr.
- Jonathan M. Yuspa
- Sidney Zeller, U.S. Marine Corps veteran
Declined to run
- Sharron AngleSharron AngleSharron Elaine Angle is an American politician who served as a Republican member of the Nevada Assembly from 1999 to 2007. She ran unsuccessfully as the 2010 Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate seat in Nevada, garnering 45 percent of the vote...
, former member of the Nevada AssemblyNevada AssemblyThe 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...
and 2010 Republican nominee for the U.S. SenateUnited States Senate election in Nevada, 2010-Tarkanian:-Angle:-Polling:Includes current candidates who have polled at least 2% in at least one poll.-Results:-Candidates:*Harry Reid , incumbent U.S... - Brian KrolickiBrian KrolickiBrian K. Krolicki is an American politician. He is the 33rd and current Lieutenant Governor of Nevada, elected in 2006. As the Lieutenant Governor, he presides over the Nevada State Senate, chairs the Commission on Tourism, and serves on the State Board of Transportation and the Reno Tahoe Winter...
, Lieutenant Governor of NevadaLieutenant Governor of NevadaThe Nevada Lieutenant Governor is an elected office in the U.S. state of Nevada. The Nevada Lieutenant Governor is based in Carson City, Nevada and elected for 4 year terms. The 33rd and current Lt. Governor for the 2007-2011 term is Brian Krolicki....
Independent candidates
- Earl Ammerman
- Roland Lee
- Helmuth Lehmann, businessman and author
- Christopher Simon
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Mark Amodei (R) |
Kate Marshall (D) |
Timothy Fasano (IAP) |
Helmuth Lehmann (I) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling | September 9-11, 2011 | 629 | ± 3.9% | 50% | 37% | 4% | 4% | 5% |
| Public Policy Polling | August 18-21, 2011 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 43% | 42% | 3% | 3% | 8% |
Commissioned by Daily Kos
Daily Kos
Daily Kos is an American political blog that publishes news and opinions from a progressive point of view. It functions as a discussion forum and group blog for a variety of netroots activists, whose efforts are primarily directed toward influencing and strengthening the Democratic Party...
and the SEIU
Service Employees International Union
Service Employees International Union is a labor union representing about 1.8 million workers in over 100 occupations in the United States , and Canada...
Results
External links
- Mark Amodei campaign website
- Earl Ammerman campaign website
- Greg Brower campaign website
- Chad Dehne campaign website
- Timothy Fasano campaign website
- Guy Felton campaign website
- Ryan Henderson campaign website
- Helmuth Lehmann campaign website
- Kirk Lippold campaign website
- Kate Marshall campaign website
- Nancy Price campaign website
- Rex Ricks campaign website
- Sidney Zeller campaign website