RENO, Nev. (AP) 鈥� Nevada’s only Republican congressional seat is open for the first time in 15 years, and the primary is testing Republican voters’ appetite for a veteran politician or a newcomer with President Donald Trump’s backing.
Republican Rep. announced his retirement earlier this year, creating an opening in the state’s 2nd District, which covers all of northern Nevada. He and Republican Gov. are backing former state Sen. against retired Lt. Col. David Flippo, who has never held elected office but won the endorsement of Trump and key allies in his MAGA movement. The primary is Tuesday.
Republicans boast a large registration advantage in the district, and experts and strategists are watching the race for clues about how much influence Trump continues to hold over the party’s voters as he enters the last half of his final term. Nevada Democrats, meanwhile, say they’ll try to flip the seat despite the uphill climb and think Flippo could be an easier opponent because his ties to Trump could turn off nonpartisan voters in the , home to Reno.
Settelmeyer became a frontrunner when he entered the race with nearly two decades of political experience in the Legislature and state government. But Flippo quickly gained attention when he switched from a congressional race in southern Nevada. He began renting a house to run for the seat and brought with him endorsements from well-known conservative groups like Turning Point Action, founded by the late political activist .
Trump endorsed Flippo last week after both candidates had been fighting to show their ties to the president. Settelmeyer had been a co-chair of Trump’s 2024 Nevada campaign.
鈥淚 love the State 鈥� The People are special! I will never let you down and, with David Flippo, I am just adding to that Statement,鈥� Trump posted on his social media.
Race represents a changing GOP
The candidates have focused on the economy, water and 鈥� a major issue in Nevada where the majority of land is owned by the federal government 鈥� and they agree on many policies. That means their personalities and resumes have also been at the center of the campaign.
Flippo, a financial adviser, entered the race after well-known Nevada conservative figures declined to run, saying the race needed a 鈥渟trong conservative.鈥�
He’s focused his attacks on Settelmeyer鈥檚 voting record, including Settelmeyer’s support for allowing immigrants living in the country illegally to drive.
鈥淚鈥檓 strong on my values, I鈥檓 stronger on the conservative principles, and I don鈥檛 have the voting record,” Flippo said in a recent interview.
But Settelmeyer says his legislative record proves he understands the state and how to govern. He served in both the Senate and Assembly and as director of the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. He’s pledged to regularly commute back to Nevada from Washington, as Amodei did.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just very important that at the end of the day, that northern Nevada chooses a northern Nevadan to go to DC to represent northern Nevada,鈥� Settelmeyer recently told a small crowd in Washoe Valley.
He’s emphasized that message by pointing to Flippo’s recent move to the district as well as his lack of political experience. Flippo ran in the Republican primary for Nevada鈥檚 4th District in 2024 and lost.
鈥淭wenty years ago, we would have said this race is probably a shoe-in for the more experienced candidate,鈥� said Jeremy Gelman, a political science professor at the University of Nevada in Reno. 鈥淭he way Republican primary politics have evolved, that鈥檚 not the case anymore.鈥�
Candidates tow the MAGA line
Part of Amodei鈥檚 success was his ability to both support Trump鈥檚 agenda while occasionally speaking against him, said Fred Lokken, political science professor at the Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno.
He was the first House Republican to into Trump in 2019, though he ultimately voted against impeachment. He spoke critically of Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota earlier this year and opposed efforts to defund public broadcasting in 2025.
In Senate primaries in and , Trump鈥檚 support played a big role in the outcome, Gelman said. Trump is determining who will help get his top issues over the finish line in the last two years of his term, and likely viewed Flippo as a better ally because his campaign is focused on more national issues.
Flippo has the backing of national Republicans closely affiliated with Trump’s 鈥淢ake America Great Again鈥� movement, such as former Rep. Matt Gaetz and the Freedom Caucus Fund, the political action committee for the hard-right conservative bloc of House Republicans. Trump, in his endorsement, noted Flippo has the backing of 鈥渢he most Highly Respected MAGA Warriors in Nevada.鈥�
Settelmeyer’s campaign, meanwhile, said northern Nevada voters “deserve a representative who knows our issues, understands our communities, and has the experience to represent them in Washington, not someone who only moved here when a political opportunity opened up.鈥�
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