Danny Tarkanian

2004 Nevada State Senate election

On May 4, 2004, Tarkanian filed to run in Nevada's 11th Senate district (map) against incumbent Michael A. Schneider.^[13] Schneider defeated Tarkanian in the general election.^[14]

Following the election, Tarkanian successfully sued his Democratic opponent for libel and defamation.

During the campaign, Schneider made various accusations against Tarkanian, including accusing him of involvement with the creation of illegal telemarketing companies designed to defraud the elderly. The case went to trial on July 27, 2009. Schneider stood by statements he made in a 2004 debate with Tarkanian and in campaign ads and fliers accusing Tarkanian. Former assistant U.S. Attorney Leif Reid, son of senator Harry Reid, testified that Tarkanian was not part of the investigation into the telemarketing companies. On July 31, 2009, a Clark County District Court jury ruled in Tarkanian's favor and awarded him $50,000 in damages. On August 3, 2009, Schneider agreed to pay a $150,000 settlement in the case.^[15][16]

2006 Secretary of State election

In December 2005, Tarkanian announced his second bid for public office, this time a statewide election for Nevada Secretary of State.^[17] He defeated Brian Scroggins in the Republican primary and faced Democratic nominee Ross Miller, the son of former Nevada governor Bob Miller in the general election. Miller defeated Tarkanian in the general election.^[18]

2010 U.S. Senate election

In 2009, Tarkanian announced that he would run against Democratic U.S. Senator Harry Reid. Before other candidates entered the primary, Tarkanian was the front-runner for the Republican nomination. Shortly after Tarkanian's announcement, former Nevada Republican Party chairwoman Sue Lowden and former assemblywoman Sharron Angle entered the primary field and overtook him in the polls. Tarkanian placed third in the primary, with Angle winning the nomination. Angle would go on to lose the general election to Reid.

2012 U.S. House election

In January 2012, he announced he would run in Nevada's 4th congressional district.^[19] The district includes most of northern Clark County, as well as all or part of the rural counties of Esmeralda, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Nye and White Pine.^[20] 46% of the district were registered Democrats, higher than the statewide average of 43%. Registered Republicans were 33% of the district, while they made up 35% statewide.^[21]

In June 2012, Tarkanian won the Republican primary with 32% of the vote, defeating eight other candidates. Among the eight candidates was state senator Barbara Cegavske, who had the endorsements of the party establishment.^[22] Tarkanian faced Democratic State Senate majority leader Steven Horsford in the general election. He lost to Horsford, 50%–42%. Although Tarkanian won the rural counties in the district by 2:1 margins, it was not enough to overcome a 28,800-vote deficit in the district's share of Clark County, home to four-fifths of the district's vote.

2014 Nevada System of Higher Education Regent election

Tarkanian filed to run for NSHE Regent on March 14, 2014, and withdrew on March 25, 2014, citing that he did not want to oppose a family friend, attorney Trevor Hayes.^[23]

2016 U.S. House election

In 2016, Tarkanian ran to represent Nevada's 3rd congressional district, an open seat. He won the Republican primary with 32% of the vote, running against Democratic nominee Jacky Rosen.^[24][25] Rosen won 47.23–45.96%, with Independent American candidate Warren Markowitz and independent David Goossen obtaining 3.73% and 3.07% of the vote, respectively.^[26]

After the election, Tarkanian sued Rosen for defamation.^[27]

2018 elections

On August 8, 2017, Tarkanian announced on Fox News that he would run against incumbent Republican senator Dean Heller in the 2018 primary. Tarkanian promised to be a stronger support of president Donald Trump^[28][29] He ran with the endorsement of Steve Bannon, executive chairman for Breitbart News.^[30] In October 2017, Tarkanian was photographed with brothel owner Dennis Hof at a county fair.^[31] On February 1, 2018, in a meeting between Republican National Committee members and Donald Trump, Trump said that he would travel to Nevada to support Heller, who was doing well in the polls, in the Republican primary against Tarkanian.^[32]

On March 16, 2018, hours before the filing deadline and at the request of Trump, Tarkanian announced that he would be withdrawing from the Senate race and would instead run for Nevada's 3rd congressional district.^[33][34][35] He won the Republican primary on June 12, 2018, with 44.1% of the vote. He faced Democrat Susie Lee in the general election and lost 51.89–42.83%, with Libertarian candidate Steve Brown, Independent American candidate Harry Vickers, and several independent candidates carrying a combined 5.3% of the vote.^[36]

2020 Douglas County Commission election

Tarkanian ran against incumbent Republican Dave Nelson for District 1 of the Douglas County Commission, which includes the town of Gardnerville. He defeated Nelson in the June 17 primary by 17 votes. Although Nelson indicated he would seek a recount, he ultimately decided against it. Tarkanian ran unopposed in the general election, making his primary victory tantamount to election.^[37]

2022 U.S. House election

In 2022, Tarkanian ran as a candidate for Nevada's 2nd congressional district, mounting a primary challenge against Republican incumbent Mark Amodei.

Amodei was re-nominated with 54.87% of the vote, with Tarkanian received 32.59%, and the rest of the vote split amongst three other candidates.

As a candidate, Tarkanian has spoken in favor of banning taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood and breaking up Big Tech companies through antitrust enforcement.^[38]

2024 Douglas County Commission election

In 2024, Tarkanian was re-elected to a second term to District 1 of the Douglas County Commission. He won renomination 54%–46% and won the November general election with 63.75%.^[2][39]

2026 Nevada Attorney General election

Tarkanian was a candidate in the 2026 Nevada attorney general election,^[39] but was defeated in the Republican primary by Adrianna Guzmán Fralick.^[40]