2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Nevada
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The Nevada congressional elections of 2006 took place on November 7, 2006, when each of the state's three congressional districts elected a representative to the United States House of Representatives. Nevada was considered a battleground state due to the close victory margins. The primaries were held on August 15.
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November 7, 2006
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All 3 Nevada seats to the United States House of Representatives | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Nevada was one of seven states in which the party that won the state's popular vote did not win a majority of seats in 2006, the other states being Indiana, New Mexico, Michigan, Ohio, Iowa, and Wisconsin.
Overview
Statewide
| Party | Candidates | Votes | Seats | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | +/– | % | |||
| Democratic | 3 | 287,879 | 50.08 | 1 |  |
33.33 | |
| Republican | 3 | 260,317 | 45.29 | 2 | |
66.67 | |
| Independent American | 3 | 13,107 | 2.28 | 0 | |
0.0 | |
| Libertarian | 2 | 8,000 | 1.39 | 0 | |
0.0 | |
| Independent | 1 | 5,524 | 0.96 | 0 | |
0.0 | |
| Total | 12 | 574,827 | 100.0 | 3 | |
100.0 | |
By district
Results of the 2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Nevada by district:[1]
| District | Democratic | Republican | Others | Total | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | ||
| District 1 | 85,025 | 64.84% | 40,917 | 31.20% | 5,182 | 3.95% | 131,124 | 100.0% | Democratic Hold |
| District 2 | 104,593 | 44.94% | 117,168 | 50.35% | 10,963 | 4.71% | 232,724 | 100.0% | Republican Hold |
| District 3 | 98,261 | 46.57% | 102,232 | 48.46% | 10,486 | 4.97% | 210,979 | 100.0% | Republican Hold |
| Total | 287,879 | 50.08% | 260,317 | 45.29% | 26,631 | 4.63% | 574,827 | 100.0% | |
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.[2]
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Shelley Berkley, incumbent U.S. Representative
Eliminated in primary
- Asimo Sondra "Silver" Lawlor
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Shelley Berkley (incumbent) | 29,655 | 90.1 | |
| Democratic | Asimo Sondra "Silver" Lawlor | 3,267 | 9.9 | |
| Total votes | 32,922 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Kenneth Wegner, Gulf War veteran and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2004
Eliminated in primary
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Kenneth Wegner | 10,615 | 51.2 | |
| Republican | Russ Mickelson | 7,907 | 38.2 | |
| Republican | Michael Monroe | 2,193 | 10.6 | |
| Total votes | 20,715 | 100.0 | ||
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
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[4] | Safe D | November 6, 2006 |
| Rothenberg[5] | Safe D | November 6, 2006 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Safe D | November 6, 2006 |
| Real Clear Politics[7] | Safe D | November 7, 2006 |
| CQ Politics[8] | Safe D | November 7, 2006 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Shelley Berkley (incumbent) | 85,025 | 64.8 | |
| Republican | Kenneth Wegner | 40,917 | 31.2 | |
| Libertarian | Jim Duensing | 2,843 | 2.2 | |
| Independent American | Darnell Roberts | 2,339 | 1.8 | |
| Majority | 44,108 | 33.6 | ||
| Total votes | 131,124 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Finances
Campaigns
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelley Berkley (D) | $1,742,767 | $1,674,409 | $673,509 | |
| Kenneth Wegner (R) | $96,582 | $96,534 | $48 | |
| Jim Duensing (L) | Unreported | |||
| Darnell Roberts (IN) | Unreported | |||
Outside Spending
| Candidate (party) | Supported | Opposed |
|---|---|---|
| Shelley Berkley (D) | $301 | $0 |
| Kenneth Wegner (R) | $0 | $0 |
| Jim Duensing (L) | $0 | $0 |
| Darnell Roberts (IN) | $0 | $0 |
District 2
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 County results Heller: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Derby: 40–50% | |||||||||||||||||
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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.[9] He was re–elected with 67.2% of the vote in 2004 and the district had a PVI of R+8.[2]
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
Eliminated in primary
- Sharron Angle, state representative
- Dawn Gibbons, former state representative and wife of Jim Gibbons[10]
- Richard Gilster, pastor[11]
- 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)[12][13]
- Brian Krolicki, Nevada State Treasurer (running for Lieutenant Governor)[10]
Campaign
There was a "fiercely contested and often bruising"[14] 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
State legislators
- Maurice Washington, state senator
State officials
U.S. Representatives
- Jon Porter, U.S. representative from Nevada's 3rd congressional district (2003–present)
State legislators
- Mark Amodei, state senator
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Sharron Angle |
Kathy Augustine |
Dawn Gibbons |
Richard Gilster |
Dean Heller |
Glenn Thomas |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason-Dixon (Las Vegas Review-Journal)[15] | August 8–11, 2006 | 400 (LV) | ±5.0% | 32% | – | 19% | 1% | 32% | 1% | 16% |
| Neighborhood Research (R) | August 8–10, 2006 | ? | ±5.6% | 33% | – | 21% | – | 19% | – | 27% |
| Global Strategy Group (Nevada Credit Union League)[16] | August 1–3, 2006 | ? | ±5.0% | 26% | – | 23% | – | 30% | – | 21% |
| Neighborhood Research (R) | July 26–27, 2006 | ? | ±5.6% | 19% | – | 22% | – | 24% | – | 35% |
| Hart Research (D) | July 20–22, 2006 | ? | ±4.0% | 19% | – | 19% | – | 35% | – | 27% |
| Research 2000[17] | May 12–14, 2006 | 400 (V) | ±5.0% | 15% | – | 32% | – | 27% | – | 26% |
| Hart Research (D) | March 12–13, 2006 | ? | ±4.7% | 12% | – | 34% | – | 25% | – | 29% |
| Mason-Dixon (Las Vegas Review-Journal)[18] | October 21–24, 2005 | ? | ±7.0% | 14% | – | 23% | – | 37% | – | 26% |
| Strategic Solutions[19] | April 27, 2005 | 325 (V) | ±5.6% | 8% | 3% | 16% | – | 28% | – | 43% |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Dean Heller | 24,770 | 35.9 | |
| Republican | Sharron Angle | 24,349 | 35.3 | |
| Republican | Dawn Gibbons | 17,317 | 25.1 | |
| Republican | Glenn Thomas | 1,835 | 2.7 | |
| Republican | Richard Gilster | 721 | 1.0 | |
| Total votes | 68,992 | 100.0 | ||
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."[21]
Exacerbating the disunity of the Nevada GOP, Nevada's Republican Party chairman, Paul Adams, announced his support for Angle's court challenge.[22]
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.[23] 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[10]
Libertarian primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Scott Babb[24]
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.[23]
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." [21]
Endorsements
Organizations
- Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Red to Blue" Program[25]
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."[22]
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Dean Heller (R) |
Jill Derby (D) |
James Krochus (IA) |
Daniel Rosen (I) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason-Dixon (Las Vegas Review-Journal)[26] | October 26–30, 2006 | 400 (RV) | ±5.0% | 47% | 39% | 1% | 1% | 12% |
| Research 2000 (Reno Gazette-Journal/KRNV-DT)[27] | October 23–25, 2006 | 600 (LV) | ±4.0% | 48% | 40% | – | – | 12% |
| Mellman Group (Derby–D)[28] | October 14–16, 2006 | 400 (V) | ±4.9% | 40% | 40% | 5% | 15% | |
| Mason-Dixon (Las Vegas Review-Journal)[29] | September 19–21, 2006 | 400 (RV) | ±5.0% | 45% | 42% | 1% | – | 12% |
| Mellman Group (Derby–D) | September 7–9, 2006 | ? | ±5.0% | 44% | 35% | 5% | 15% | |
| Research 2000 (Reno Gazette-Journal/KRNV-DT)[30] | September 5–7, 2006 | 600 (LV) | ±4.0% | 45% | 37% | – | – | 18% |
| Research 2000 (Reno Gazette-Journal/KRNV-DT) | May 12–15, 2006 | 400 (LV) | ±5.0% | 39% | 31% | – | – | 30% |
| Hart Research (D)[31] | March 12–13, 2006 | 429 (RV) | ±4.7% | 43% | 25% | – | – | 32% |
With Angle
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Sharron Angle (R) |
Jill Derby (D) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research 2000 (Reno Gazette-Journal/KRNV-DT) | May 12–15, 2006 | 400 (LV) | ±5.0% | 31% | 30% | 39% |
| Hart Research (D) | March 12–13, 2006 | 429 (RV) | ±4.7% | 32% | 28% | 40% |
With Gibbons
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Dawn Gibbons (R) |
Jill Derby (D) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research 2000 (Reno Gazette-Journal/KRNV-DT) | May 12–15, 2006 | 400 (LV) | ±5.0% | 35% | 30% | 35% |
| Hart Research (D) | March 12–13, 2006 | 429 (RV) | ±4.7% | 37% | 33% | 30% |
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[4] | Lean R | November 6, 2006 |
| Rothenberg[5] | Likely R | November 6, 2006 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Lean R | November 6, 2006 |
| Real Clear Politics[7] | Lean R | November 7, 2006 |
| CQ Politics[8] | Lean R | November 7, 2006 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Dean Heller | 117,168 | 50.3 | |
| Democratic | Jill Derby | 104,593 | 44.9 | |
| Independent | Daniel Rosen | 5,524 | 2.4 | |
| Independent American | James Krochus | 5,439 | 2.3 | |
| Majority | 12,575 | 5.4 | ||
| Total votes | 232,724 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Finances
Campaigns
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dean Heller (R) | $1,634,942 | $1,609,281 | $25,658 | |
| Jill Derby (D) | $1,610,549 | $1,594,051 | $16,496 | |
| Daniel Rosen (I) | Unreported | |||
| James Krochus (IA) | Unreported | |||
Outside Spending
| Candidate (party) | Supported | Opposed |
|---|---|---|
| Dean Heller (R) | $207,355 | $722,582 |
| Jill Derby (D) | $232,280 | $481,215 |
| Daniel Rosen (I) | $0 | $0 |
| James Krochus (IA) | $0 | $0 |
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.[2]
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
Declined
- Andre Agassi, professional tennis player[32]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tessa Hafen | 22,118 | 57.6 | |
| Democratic | Barry Michaels | 6,005 | 15.6 | |
| Democratic | Anna Nevenic | 4,832 | 12.6 | |
| Democratic | Mark Budetich | 3,885 | 10.1 | |
| Democratic | Freddie Warman | 1,578 | 4.1 | |
| Total votes | 38,418 | 100.0 | ||
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[25]
- Individuals
- Wesley Clark, retired Army General, 2004 democratic presidential candidate[33]
Debate
- Complete video of debate, October 19, 2006
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Jon Porter (R) |
Tessa Hafen (D) |
Joseph Silvestri (L) |
Josh Hansen (IA) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason-Dixon (Las Vegas Review-Journal)[34] | October 26–30, 2006 | 400 (RV) | ±5.0% | 46% | 39% | 1% | 4% | 10% |
| RT Strategies and Constituent Dynamics[35] | October 24–26, 2006 | 1,031 (LV) | ±3.0% | 51% | 44% | – | – | 5% |
| Mason-Dixon (Las Vegas Review-Journal)[36] | September 19–21, 2006 | 400 (RV) | ±5.0% | 47% | 37% | 1% | 2% | 13% |
| RT Strategies and Constituent Dynamics[37] | August 27–29, 2006 | 1,018 (LV) | ±3.1% | 51% | 43% | – | – | 6% |
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[4] | Tossup | November 6, 2006 |
| Rothenberg[5] | Tilt R | November 6, 2006 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Tilt R | November 6, 2006 |
| Real Clear Politics[7] | Lean R | November 7, 2006 |
| CQ Politics[8] | Lean R | November 7, 2006 |
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.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jon Porter (incumbent) | 102,232 | 48.5 | |
| Democratic | Tessa Hafen | 98,261 | 46.6 | |
| Independent American | Josh Hansen | 5,329 | 2.5 | |
| Libertarian | Joseph Silvestri | 5,157 | 2.4 | |
| Majority | 3,971 | 1.9 | ||
| Total votes | 210,979 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Finances
Campaigns
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jon Porter (R) | $3,015,397 | $3,036,311 | $107,933 | |
| Tessa Hafen (D) | $1,497,306 | $1,501,465 | $5,248 | |
| Joseph Silvestri (L) | Unreported | |||
| Joshua Hansen (IA) | Unreported | |||
Outside Spending
| Candidate (party) | Supported | Opposed |
|---|---|---|
| Jon Porter (R) | $201,728 | $775,260 |
| Tessa Hafen (D) | $761,207 | $444,884 |
| Joseph Silvestri (L) | $0 | $0 |
| Joshua Hansen (IA) | $0 | $0 |
Notes
- Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear