Nevada 2nd Congressional District GOP primary tests Trump endorsement power

Nevada state Sen. Carrie Buck won the Republican nomination for Nevada’s 1st Congressional District on Tuesday, defeating businessman Michael Boris and other candidates in a closely watched primary contest to challenge Democratic Rep. Dina Titus in November.

Buck’s victory comes after receiving endorsements from President Donald Trump and Gov. Joe Lombardo, as well as backing from national Republican groups focused on protecting and expanding the party’s House majority.

Buck, an educator and former school principal who represents a Henderson-area district in the Nevada Senate, entered the race in 2025, arguing her experience in education and state government prepared her to take on Titus.

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The Republican primary field also included appliance repair contractor Michael Boris, former pastor and educator Jim Blockey, Rick Saga and Marie Encar Arnold. 

Buck’s campaign held a significant fundraising advantage throughout much of the race and was viewed by many Nevada political observers as the frontrunner entering Election Day.

Boris had argued that Republicans needed an outsider candidate to defeat Titus, criticizing Buck as an establishment-backed contender.

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The general election now shifts to a district that has long favored Democrats, though it has become more competitive following recent redistricting. The Cook Political Report has rated the race as “Likely Democrat,” reflecting Titus’ incumbency and the district’s Democratic lean despite growing Republican optimism.

Nevada’s 1st District, which includes much of eastern Las Vegas, Henderson and surrounding communities, carries a Cook Partisan Voting Index of D+2 and has been represented by Titus since 2013. Republicans have not won the seat since former Rep. John Ensign left office in 1999.

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Titus, who faced primary opposition of her own, is expected to begin the general election campaign with a substantial fundraising advantage. Republicans believe Buck gives the party its strongest chance to compete in a district that has become more competitive in recent years.

Attention now turns to the general election against Titus, a veteran Democrat who has represented the district since 2013 and remains one of Nevada’s most established political figures.