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2016 United States Senate election in Nevada

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The 2016 United States Senate election in Nevada was held November 8, 2016 to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Nevada, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. The state primary election was held June 14, 2016.[1]

Quick facts Nominee, Party ...
2016 United States Senate election in Nevada

 2010
November 8, 2016
2022 
 
Nominee Catherine Cortez Masto Joe Heck
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 521,994 495,079
Percentage 47.10% 44.67%

Cortez Masto:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Heck:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Tie:      40–50%      50%      No votes

U.S. senator before election

Harry Reid
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Catherine Cortez Masto
Democratic

Close

Incumbent Democratic Senator Harry Reid, the Senate Minority Leader and former Senate Majority Leader, initially said he would seek re-election to a sixth term, but announced on March 26, 2015, that he would retire instead.[2][3] Democratic former State Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto defeated Republican U.S. Representative Joe Heck in the general election on November 8, 2016. Heck won sixteen of the state's seventeen counties; however, since Cortez Masto won Clark County, which comprises nearly three-quarters of the state's population, she defeated Heck statewide by almost 27,000 votes, and became the first female and first Latina senator in Nevada's history. As of 2025, this would be the last time Washoe County voted for a Republican Senate candidate.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Withdrew

Declined

Democratic endorsements

Catherine Cortez Masto

U.S. presidents

U.S. vice presidents

U.S. Cabinet members and Cabinet-level officials

U.S. senators

Statewide officials

State legislators

Organizations

Results

Results by county:
  Cortez Masto—80–90%
  Cortez Masto—70–80%
  Cortez Masto—60–70%
  Cortez Masto—50–60%
  Cortez Masto—<40%
More information Party, Candidate ...
Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Catherine Cortez Masto 81,944 81.0%
Democratic Allen Rheinhart 5,645 6.0%
Democratic None of these candidates 5,498 5.0%
Democratic Liddo Susan O'Briant 4,834 5.0%
Democratic Bobby Mahendra 3,760 3.0%
Total votes 101,681 100.0%
Close

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

  • Sharron Angle, former state assemblywoman, nominee for this seat in 2010 and candidate for NV-02 in 2006[35]
  • D'Nese Davis, artist and teacher[5]
  • Eddie Hamilton, retired auto executive and perennial candidate[5][36]
  • Joe Heck, U.S. representative[37]
  • Thomas "Sad Tom" Heck, retired air force officer[5][38]
  • Robert Leeds, author, retired Merchant Marine and perennial candidate[5]
  • Carlo "Mazunga" Poliak, retired sanitation worker and perennial candidate[5]
  • Juston Preble, sales consultant[5]
  • Bill Tarbell, retired minister and candidate for governor in 2014[5]

Withdrawn

Declined

Endorsements

Joe Heck

Polling

More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Joe
Heck
Sharron
Angle
Other Undecided
Public Opinion Strategies[61] March 28–30, 2016 500 ± 4.38% 67% 11% 3% 17%
Close

Results

Results by county:
  Heck—70–80%
  Heck—60–70%
  Heck—50–60%
  Heck—40–50%
More information Party, Candidate ...
Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joe Heck 74,517 65.0%
Republican Sharron Angle 26,142 23.0%
Republican None of these candidates 3,902 3.0%
Republican Thomas Heck 3,570 3.0%
Republican Eddie Hamilton 2,507 2.0%
Republican D'Nese Davis 1,937 1.8%
Republican Bill Tarbell 1,179 1.0%
Republican Robert Leeds 662 0.6%
Republican Juston Preble 582 0.5%
Republican Carlo Poliak 279 0.2%
Total votes 114,827 100.0%
Close

Independent American primary

Candidates

Declared

  • Tom Jones, retired businessman and perennial candidate[62]

Libertarian primary

Candidates

Declined

Independents

Candidates

Declared

  • Tony Gumina, physician and businessman[5]
  • Tom Sawyer, retired railroad worker[5]
  • G.A. Villa[5] (not on final ballot)[65]
  • Jarrod M. Williams, veteran[5][66]

General election

Debates

More information Dates, Location ...
Dates Location Cortez Masto Heck Link
October 14, 2016 North Las Vegas, Nevada Participant Participant [67]
Close

Predictions

More information Source, Ranking ...
Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[68] Tossup November 2, 2016
Sabato's Crystal Ball[69] Lean D November 7, 2016
Rothenberg Political Report[70] Tossup November 3, 2016
Daily Kos[71] Lean D November 8, 2016
Real Clear Politics[72] Tossup November 7, 2016
Close

Polling

More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[a]
Margin
of error
Catherine
Cortez Masto (D)
Joe
Heck (R)
None of These
Candidates
Other Undecided
SurveyMonkey[73] November 1–7, 2016 1,207 (LV) ± 4.6% 50% 45% 5%
Gravis Marketing[74] November 3–6, 2016 1,158 (LV) ± 2.9% 49% 43% 8%
SurveyMonkey[75] October 31 – November 6, 2016 1,124 (LV) ± 4.6% 49% 46% 5%
Emerson College[76] November 4–5, 2016 600 (LV) ± 3.9% 48% 47% 3%[b] 1%
SurveyMonkey[77] October 28 – November 3, 2016 1,016 (LV) ± 4.6% 49% 46% 5%
SurveyMonkey[78] October 27 – November 2, 2016 937 (LV) ± 4.6% 48% 47% 5%
Public Policy Polling (D)[79] October 31 – November 1, 2016 688 (LV) ± 3.7% 47% 44% 9%
JMC Analytics & Polling (R)[80][A] October 28 – November 1, 2016 600 (LV) ± 4.0% 45% 43% 3% 1% 7%
The Times Picayune/Lucid[81] October 28 – November 1, 2016 892 (LV) ± 3.0% 47% 41% 13%
CNN/ORC[82] October 27 – November 1, 2016 790 (LV) ± 3.5% 47% 49% 3%[c] 1%
860 (RV) 47% 48% 4%[d] 1%
SurveyMonkey[83] October 26 – November 1, 2016 994 (LV) ± 4.6% 47% 47% 6%
SurveyMonkey[84] October 25–31, 2016 1,010 (LV) ± 4.6% 47% 47% 6%
Emerson College[85] October 26–27, 2016 550 (LV) ± 4.1% 44% 48% 3%[e] 6%
Gravis Marketing (R)[86][B] October 25, 2016 875 (RV) ± 3.3% 50% 44% 6%
Marist College[87] October 20–24, 2016 707 (LV) ± 3.7% 42% 49% 4% 5%
985 (RV) ± 3.1% 42% 47% 4% 6%
Bendixen & Amandi International[88][C] October 20–23, 2016 800 (LV) ± 3.5% 45% 44% 2% 9%
Rasmussen Reports (R)[89][D] October 20–22, 2016 826 (LV) ± 3.5% 43% 41% 7%[f] 8%
Monmouth University[90] October 14–17, 2016 413 (LV) ± 4.8% 42% 45% 5% 4%[g] 4%
CNN/ORC[91] October 10–15, 2016 698 (LV) ± 3.5% 52% 45% 2%[h] 1%
862 (RV) 50% 44% 4%[i] 2%
CBS News/YouGov[92] October 12–14, 2016 996 (LV) ± 4.5% 39% 39% 4%[j] 18%
JMC Analytics & Polling (R)[93][A] October 10–13, 2016 600 (LV) ± 4.0% 40% 35% 4% 6%[k] 16%
Public Opinion Strategies (R)[94][E] October 11–12, 2016 600 (RV) ± 4.0% 44% 47% 2% 2%[l] 5%
Clarity Campaign Labs (D)[95][F] October 10–11, 2016 1,010 (LV) ± 3.1% 41% 40% 8%[m] 11%
Public Policy Polling (D)[96][G] October 10–11, 2016 986 (LV) ± 3.1% 43% 39% 18%
Emerson College[97] October 2–4, 2016 700 (LV) ± 3.6% 41% 45% 7% 7%
Hart Research Associates (D)[98] September 27 – October 2, 2016 700 (LV) ± 3.2% 46% 47% 7%
Bendixen & Amandi International[99][C] September 27–29, 2016 800 (LV) ± 3.5% 45% 47% 8%
Suffolk University[100] September 27–29, 2016 500 (LV) ± 4.4% 35% 38% 4% 5%[n] 18%
Fox News[101] September 18–20, 2016 704 (LV) ± 3.5% 36% 43% 5% 7% 8%
805 (RV) 34% 41% 8% 7% 10%
Rasmussen Reports (R)[102][D] September 16–18, 2016 800 (LV) ± 4.0% 40% 44% 6%[o] 11%
Insights West[103] September 12–14, 2016 398 (LV) ± 4.9% 39% 43% 4%[p] 14%
Monmouth University[104] September 11–13, 2016 406 (LV) ± 4.9% 43% 46% 3% 4%[q] 4%
GQR Research (D)[105][F] September 6–8, 2016 600 (LV) ± 4.0% 49% 47% 4%
Marist College[106] September 6–8, 2016 627 (LV) ± 3.9% 45% 47% 1% 7%
915 (RV) ± 3.2% 46% 45% 1% 8%
Public Policy Polling (D)[107] September 6–7, 2016 815 (LV) ± 3.4% 42% 41% 16%
Suffolk University[108] August 15–17, 2016 500 (LV) ± 4.4% 37% 37% 6% 6%[r] 14%
CBS News/YouGov[109] August 2–5, 2016 993 (LV) ± 4.6% 35% 38% 4%[s] 23%
Rasmussen Reports (R)[110][D] July 29–31, 2016 750 (LV) ± 4.0% 41% 42% 6%[t] 11%
Rasmussen Reports (R)[111][D] July 22–24, 2016 750 (LV) ± 4.0% 37% 46% 5%[u] 12%
Monmouth University[112] July 7–10, 2016 408 (LV) ± 4.9% 40% 42% 6% 6%[v] 7%
GQR Research (D)[113][H] June 11–20, 2016 300 (LV) ± 5.7% 41% 46%
Gravis Marketing[114] May 24–25, 2016 1,637 (RV) ± 2.0% 45% 43% 12%
Gravis Marketing[115] February 14–15, 2016 1,366 (LV) ± 3.0% 41% 44% 15%
Gravis Marketing[116] December 23–27, 2015 909 (LV) ± 3.0% 37% 47% 16%
Public Policy Polling (D)[117] July 13–14, 2015 677 (V) ± 3.8% 42% 41%
Close
Hypothetical polling

with Harry Reid

More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Harry
Reid (D)
Brian
Krolicki (R)
Other Undecided
Gravis Marketing[118] February 21–22, 2015 955 ± 3% 45% 46% 8%
Close
More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Harry
Reid (D)
Adam
Laxalt (R)
Other Undecided
Gravis Marketing[118] February 21–22, 2015 955 ± 3% 46% 48% 6%
Close
More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Harry
Reid (D)
Brian
Sandoval (R)
Other Undecided
Harper Polling[119] July 26–29, 2014 602 ± 3.99% 43% 53% 4%
Close

with Dina Titus

More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Dina
Titus (D)
Sharron
Angle (R)
Other Undecided
Gravis Marketing[120] March 27, 2015 850 ± 3% 54% 31% 14%
Close
More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Dina
Titus (D)
Adam
Laxalt (R)
Other Undecided
Gravis Marketing[120] March 27, 2015 850 ± 3% 46% 44% 10%
Close
More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Dina
Titus (D)
Michael
Roberson (R)
Other Undecided
Gravis Marketing[120] March 27, 2015 850 ± 3% 48% 41% 12%
Close
More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Dina
Titus (D)
Brian
Sandoval (R)
Other Undecided
Gravis Marketing[120] March 27, 2015 850 ± 3% 37% 55% 8%
Close

with Catherine Cortez Masto

More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Catherine
Cortez Masto (D)
Sharron
Angle (R)
Other Undecided
Gravis Marketing[115] February 14–15, 2016 1,366 ± 3% 46% 33% 21%
Gravis Marketing[121] December 23–27, 2015 909 ± 3% 45% 32% 22%
Gravis Marketing[120] March 27, 2015 850 ± 3% 53% 30% 17%
Close
More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Catherine
Cortez Masto (D)
Adam
Laxalt (R)
Other Undecided
Gravis Marketing[120] March 27, 2015 850 ± 3% 44% 39% 17%
Close
More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Catherine
Cortez Masto (D)
Michael
Roberson (R)
Other Undecided
Gravis Marketing[120] March 27, 2015 850 ± 3% 47% 35% 19%
Close
More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Catherine
Cortez Masto (D)
Brian
Sandoval (R)
Other Undecided
Gravis Marketing[120] March 27, 2015 850 ± 3% 37% 53% 10%
Close

Results

Cortez Masto won her bid to succeed Harry Reid 47% to 45%, or by 2.43%, running 0.01% better than Hillary Clinton.[122]

More information Party, Candidate ...
United States Senate election in Nevada, 2016 [123]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Catherine Cortez Masto 521,994 47.10% −3.19%
Republican Joe Heck 495,079 44.67% +0.12%
None of These Candidates 42,257 3.81% +1.56%
Independent American Tom Jones 17,128 1.55% +1.11%
Independent Thomas Sawyer 14,208 1.28% N/A
Independent Tony Gumina 10,740 0.97% N/A
Independent Jarrod Williams 6,888 0.62% N/A
Total votes 1,108,294 100.0% N/A
Democratic hold
Close

By county

More information County, Catherine Cortez Masto Democratic ...
County[123] Catherine Cortez Masto

Democratic

Joe Heck

Republican

None of these Candidates Tom Jones

Independent American

Thomas Sawyer

Independent

Tony Gumina

Independent

Jarrod Williams

Independent

Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # % # % # % # % # % # %
Carson City 9,741 39.24% 13,027 52.47% 895 3.61% 448 1.80% 358 1.44% 201 0.81% 156 0.63% -3,286 -13.23% 24,826
Churchill 2,240 20.56% 7,711 70.78% 352 3.23% 246 2.26% 192 1.76% 95 0.87% 58 0.53% -5,471 -50.22% 10,894
Clark 386,179 51.27% 303,734 40.32% 29,849 3.96% 11,307 1.50% 9,359 1.24% 7,985 1.06% 4,830 0.64% 82,445 10.95% 753,243
Douglas 8,410 30.42% 17,587 63.6% 767 2.77% 350 1.27% 282 1.02% 153 0.55% 101 0.37% -9,177 -33.19% 27,650
Elko 3,199 17.42% 13,462 73.29% 723 3.94% 394 3.1% 360 1.96% 135 0.74% 94 0.51% -10,263 -55.88% 18,367
Esmeralda 66 15.71% 312 74.29% 13 3.1% 22 5.24% 3 0.71% 4 0.95% 0 0.00% -246 -58.57% 420
Eureka 88 10.36% 692 81.51% 29 3.42% 16 1.88% 16 1.88% 5 0.59% 3 0.35% -604 -71.14% 849
Humboldt 1,406 20.57% 4,397 64.34% 235 3.44% 127 1.86% 126 1.84% 62 0.91% 31 0.45% -2,991 -43.77% 6,834
Lander 417 18.29% 1,704 74.74% 113 4.96% 54 2.37% 49 2.15% 23 1.01% 33 1.45% -1,287 -56.45% 2,280
Lincoln 315 14.85% 1,609 75.86% 91 4.29% 51 2.40% 27 1.27% 20 0.94% 8 0.38% -1,294 -61.01% 2,121
Lyon 6,323 26.82% 15,231 64.60% 780 3.31% 534 2.26% 375 1.59% 216 0.92% 119 0.50% -8,908 -37.78% 23,578
Mineral 627 31.54% 1,141 57.39% 89 4.48% 47 2.36% 45 2.26% 20 1.01% 19 0.96% -514 -25.85% 1,988
Nye 5,253 27.13% 11,611 59.97% 929 4.80% 747 3.86% 390 2.01% 248 1.28% 182 0.94% -6,358 -32.84% 19,360
Pershing 466 23.63% 1,286 65.21% 77 3.90% 67 3.40% 45 2.28% 19 0.96% 12 0.61% -800 -41.58% 1,972
Storey 791 31.10% 1,551 60.99% 83 3.26% 58 2.28% 34 1.34% 19 0.75% 7 0.28% -760 -29.89% 2,543
Washoe 95,750 46.04% 97,433 46.85% 7,064 3.40% 2,553 1.23% 2,453 1.18% 1,506 0.72% 1,198 0.58% -1,683 -0.81% 207,957
White Pine 723 19.29% 2,591 69.11% 168 4.48% 107 2.85% 94 2.51% 37 0.99% 29 0.77% -1,868 -49.82% 3,749
Totals 521,994 47.10% 495,079 44.67% 42,257 3.81% 17,128 1.55% 14,208 1.28% 10,740 0.97% 6,888 0.62% 26,915 2.43% 1,108,294
Close
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

By congressional district

Cortez Masto won two of four congressional districts, with the remaining two going to Heck, including one that elected a Democrat.[124]

More information District, Cortez Masto ...
District Cortez Masto Heck Representative
1st 60% 30% Dina Titus
2nd 40% 53% Mark Amodei
3rd 45% 47% Joe Heck
Jacky Rosen
4th 49% 42% Cresent Hardy
Ruben Kihuen
Close

See also

Notes

  1. Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
  2. "Someone else" with 3%
  3. "Neither" with 3%
  4. "Neither" with 4%
  5. "Someone else" with 3%
  6. "Some other candidate" with 7%
  7. Jones (IA) with 4%
  8. "Neither" with 2%
  9. "Neither" with 4%
  10. "Someone else" with 4%
  11. Jones (IA) with 3%; Gumina (I) with 2%; Sawyer (I) with 1%; Williams (I) with <1%
  12. "Refused" with 2%
  13. "Other/None" with 8%
  14. "Refused" with 2%; Gumina (I) with 1%; Jones (IA) with 1%; Sawyer (I) with 1%; Williams (I) with <1%
  15. "Some other candidate" with 6%
  16. "Some other candidate" with 4%
  17. Jones (IA) with 4%
  18. "Refused" with 3%; Gumina (I) with 1%; Jones (IA) with 1%; Sawyer (I) with 1%
  19. "Someone else" with 4%
  20. "Some other candidate" with 6%
  21. "Some other candidate" with 5%
  22. Jones (IA) with 5%; "Other" with 1%

Partisan clients

  1. Poll conducted for 8 News NOW.
  2. Poll conducted for Breitbart News Network, a far-right news outlet.
  3. Poll conducted for the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
  4. Poll conducted for KTNV-TV.
  5. Poll conducted for the Senate Leadership Fund, a Super PAC dedicated to electing a Republican majority in the U.S. Senate.
  6. Poll conducted for End Citizens United.
  7. Poll conducted for Cortez Masto's campaign.
  8. Poll conducted for Democracy Corps, a non-profit organization associated with the Democratic Party.

References

Related Articles

Timelines

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