2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Nevada

Overview

Statewide

By district

Results of the 2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Nevada by district:

District 1

Incumbent Democrat Shelley Berkley, who had represented the district since 1999, ran for re-election. She was re-elected with 66.0% of the vote in 2004 and the district had a PVI of D+9.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Shelley Berkley, incumbent U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

• Asimo Sondra "Silver" Lawlor

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Kenneth Wegner, Gulf War veteran and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2004

Eliminated in primary

• Russ Mickelson, former Air Force pilot, retired Defense Department employee and nominee for this seat in 2004
• Michael Monroe, handyman

Results

Libertarian primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Jim Duensing, radio talk show host and nominee for this seat in 2004

Independent American primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Darnell Roberts

Reform primary

Candidates

Withdrawn

• Bruce Westcott, businessman and Republican candidate for Governor in 1998 & 2002

General election

Predictions

Results

Finances

Campaigns

Outside Spending

District 2

Heller:
Derby: The district covers all of Nevada outside of Clark County as well as some parts of Clark County. Incumbent Republican Jim Gibbons, who had represented the district since 1997, opted to run for governor rather than re-election, having considered a run for Senate in 2004. He was re–elected with 67.2% of the vote in 2004 and the district had a PVI of R+8.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Dean Heller, Secretary of State of Nevada

Eliminated in primary

• Sharron Angle, state representative
• Dawn Gibbons, former state representative and wife of Jim Gibbons
• Richard Gilster, pastor
• Glenn Thomas, retired aerospace engineer

Declined

• Kathy Augustine, Nevada State Controller
• Jim Gibbons, incumbent U.S. Representative and nominee for Governor in 1994 (running for Governor)
• Brian Krolicki, Nevada State Treasurer (running for Lieutenant Governor)

Campaign

There was a "fiercely contested and often bruising" three-way race (with two minor candidates raising the total to five candidates). 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.

Endorsements

U.S. Representatives

• Marilyn Musgrave, U.S. representative from Colorado's 4th congressional district (2003–present)
• Mike Pence, U.S. representative from Indiana's 6th congressional district (2001–present)
• Jim Ryun, U.S. representative from Kansas's 2nd congressional district (1996–present)
• Pat Toomey, U.S. representative from Pennsylvania's 15th congressional district (1999–2005)

Organizations

• Club for Growth
• National Right to Life Committee
• NRA Political Victory Fund
• Susan B. Anthony List

State legislators

• Maurice Washington, state senator

State officials

• Kenny Guinn, Governor of Nevada

U.S. Representatives

• Jon Porter, U.S. representative from Nevada's 3rd congressional district (2003–present)

State legislators

• Mark Amodei, state senator

Polling

Results

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."

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

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. At that point, Angle conceded the race.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Jill Derby, Regent for the University and Community College System of Nevada

Declined

• Frankie Sue Del Papa, former Attorney General of Nevada, former Secretary of State of Nevada, candidate for Governor in 1998 and U.S. Senate in 2000

Libertarian primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Scott Babb

Independent American primary

Candidates

Nominee

• James Krochus

Other Candidates

• Daniel Rosen (Independent)

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.

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."

Endorsements

Organizations

• Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Red to Blue" Program

Polling

The Las Vegas Sun, quoting University of Nevada-Reno political scientist Eric Herzik, noted that the intra-fighting has given the Democratic Party a chance in this otherwise Republican 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."

With Angle

With Gibbons

Predictions

Results

Finances

Campaigns

Outside Spending

District 3

Incumbent Republican Jon Porter, who had represented the district since 2003, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 54.5% of the vote in 2004 and the district had a PVI of D+1.

Republican primary

Porter was a member of the moderate/liberal Republican Main Street Partnership and was a supporter of stem-cell research.

Candidates

Nominee

• Jon Porter, incumbent U.S. Representative

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Tessa Hafen, former press secretary for US Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid

Eliminated in primary

• Mark Budetich Jr, Merchant Marine electrician and candidate for this seat in 2002 and 2004
• Barry Michaels, chiropractor
• Anna Nevenic, writer, peace activist and candidate for this seat in 2004
• Freddie Warman

Declined

• Andre Agassi, professional tennis player

Results

Libertarian primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Joseph Silvestri, teacher, realtor and nominee for this seat in 2004

Independent American primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Josh Hansen

General election

Endorsements

Organizations

• Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Red to Blue" Program

;Individuals

• Wesley Clark, retired Army General, 2004 democratic presidential candidate

Debate

• Complete video of debate, October 19, 2006

Polling

Predictions

Results

On election day Porter edged out Hafen by just under 4,000 votes, by far his tightest margin of victory in his congressional career thus far.

Finances

Campaigns

Outside Spending

Notes

References

References

1. "2006 Election Statistics".
2. "Cook Political Report, PVI for the 110th Congress". Cook Political Report.
3. (12 June 2014). "Handyman Mike Monroe’s strong show in congressional primary has everyone asking why". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
4. (6 November 2006). "2006 Competitive House Race Chart". Cook Political Report.
5. (6 November 2006). "2006 House Ratings". The Rothenberg Political Report.
6. (6 November 2006). "2006 House". Sabato's Crystal Ball.
7. (7 November 2006). "Battle for the House of Representatives". Real Clear Politics.
8. "Balance of Power Scorecard: House". Congressional Quarterly Inc.
9. (22 August 2003). "Gibbons Expected to Announce Decision on Reid Challenge Next Week". Roll Call.
10. (7 January 2005). "Gibbons’ Wife to Explore Run for His House Seat". Roll Call.
11. (2 August 2009). "List of Candidates". The Record Courier.
12. (4 January 2005). "Gibbons sets a course to run for governor". Northern Nevada Business Weekly.
13. (31 August 2005). "Rep. Gibbons to Run for Nevada Gov.'s Seat". Fox News.
14. Marie Horrigan. (August 16, 2006). "Heller Appears to Have Won GOP Primary in Nevada's 2nd". CQPolitics.com.
15. [http://www.reviewjournal.com/special/polls/august2006/district2-gop.html ''Las Vegas Review-Journal'' 2nd Rep Aug 06]
16. [http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Aug-12-Sat-2006/news/9023527.html Global Strategy Group]
17. [http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/text/2006/may/18/051810220.html Research 2000]
18. [http://www.reviewjournal.com/special/polls/oct2005/republican_congressional.html ''Las Vegas Review-Journal'' 2nd Rep Oct 05]
19. (4 May 2005). "Nevada: Heller Leads D. Gibbons in GOP Primary Survey". Roll Call.
20. "Primary Elections (August 15, 2006)". State of Nevada, 2006 Official Statewide Primary Election Results, August 15, 2006.
21. Michael J. Mishak and J. Patrick Coolican. (August 30, 2006). "What was Paul Adams thinking?". Las Vegas Sun.
22. Marie Horrigan. (September 5, 2006). "Heller's Win in Nevada 2 GOP Primary Becomes Official". CQPolitics.com.
23. (17 February 2006). "Babb, Derby, Gibbons vie for same congressional seat". Pahrump Valley Times.
24. Marie Horrigan. (August 28, 2006). "Fight Over GOP Nod in Nevada 2 Could Help Democrat's Bid". CQPolitics.com.
25. "Our Red to Blue Candidates". DCCC.
26. [https://www.reviewjournal.com/special/polls/oct2006/district2.html ''Las Vegas Review-Journal'' LARJ 2nd Oct]
27. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930030322/http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/nevada/2006/oct/29/102910499.html Poll: Nevada incumbent senator continues to lead Carter]
28. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070324191609/reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Oct-24-Tue-2006/news/10396552.html Poll: Heller, Derby tied in House race]
29. [http://www.reviewjournal.com/special/polls/sept2006/district2.html ''Las Vegas Review-Journal'' LARJ 2nd Sep]
30. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070311052158/http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/nevada/2006/sep/13/091310179.html Poll shows close contest in Nevada 2nd Congressional race]
31. [https://web.archive.org/web/20160324063048/http://www.dcpoliticalreport.com/members/2006/NVPoll.htm 2006 Nevada Polls]
32. (11 July 2005). "Citizen Hopes to Serve Up Agassi as Porter Foe". Roll Call.
33. "Tessa Hafen (NV-3) | WesPAC".
34. [http://www.reviewjournal.com/special/polls/oct2006/district3.html ''Las Vegas Review-Journal'' LARJ 3rd Oct]
35. [http://constituentdynamics.com/mw/2006/pdf/round3/NV3_round3.pdf RT Strategies/CD RT Oct]
36. [http://www.reviewjournal.com/special/polls/sept2006/district3.html ''Las Vegas Review-Journal'' LARJ 3rd Sep]
37. [http://constituentdynamics.com/mw/2006/pdf/round3/NV3_round1.pdf RT Strategies/CD RT Aug]