By james art LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — National Republicans are more hopeful of Sam Brown defeating Democratic Sen. Jackie Rosen than Republicans winning the three Democratic-controlled southern Nevada House seats, said National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley of Republicans, on 8 News Now on Friday.
“We’re seeing a lot of positive movement here now in Nevada for Sam Brown and for Donald Trump,” Whatley said. “Right now, there is a national focus that ensures we flip the Senate. We feel really good that Sam Browne is closing strong right now.”
The race between Brown and Rosen could decide which party holds the majority in the US Senate. Heading into the election, Democrats, with four independents with them, held a 51-seat majority in the Senate. Republicans hold an 8-seat majority in the House of Representatives.
An Emerson College Polling/8 News Now/The Hill poll released Oct. 9 — before Brown and Rosen held their only debate aired on 8 News Now — showed 50.4 percent of voters backing Rosen, compared to 41, 7% who say they support Brown.
Democrats have controlled southern Nevada’s three congressional districts — three of the state’s four — since 2017. Voters first elected Democratic Rep. Dina Titus in District 1 in 2012. Democratic Rep. Susie Lee in District 3 and Rep. District 4 Democrat Stephen Horsford won for the first time in 2018.
“I think in Nevada, most of these House races really seem off the mark,” Whatley said.
“Do you believe former President Trump has a chance in Nevada, do you believe Sam Brown has a chance in Nevada, but the House races are a little tougher?” 8 News Now Investigator David Charnes asked Whatley.
“I would say that’s probably a fair assessment at this point,” the chairman said.
Mark Robertson, who is running against Titus in 2022, is the Republican candidate in District 1. Drew Johnson, who narrowly lost a 2022 Clark County Commission race, is the Republican candidate in District 3. The former mayor of North Las Vegas and gubernatorial candidate John Lee is the GOP candidate in District 4.
Representatives for Robertson and Lee said they have not seen a drop in national Republican support or funding.
“I am grateful that Chamber Speaker Mike Johnson recently came to Las Vegas to raise money directly for my campaign,” Drew Johnson said in a statement. “Speaker Johnson knows, as voters here in our district know, that Susie Lee has voted with the Harris-Biden administration 100 percent of the time, raising inflation and the cost of living, opening our southern border and pushing a radical agenda on our young girls to compete against men in sports. Southern Nevadans are done with Susie Lee, and I look forward to rebuilding a program that works for every person in Southern Nevada.”
In response to Drew Johnson’s statement, a spokesperson for Congresswoman Susie Lee sent the following statement: “It’s easy to sit in front of your computer and blog about politics, but actually rolling up your sleeves to solve problems for Nevada is what Susie Lee has done for more than 30 years and as the most bipartisan member of Congress. Drew Johnson has never actually made an effort to help Nevadans, instead pushing a reckless agenda that includes cutting Social Security by 30%, raising the retirement age, repealing the Affordable Care Act, allowing politicians to ban abortions and make Nevada the nation’s nuclear waste dump. Voters are actively rejecting Drew Johnson at the polls because he is too extreme for southern Nevada.
Statewide early voting turnout shows a slight lead for Republicans, although party registration does not determine how a person voted.
A recent poll between Vice President Kamala Harris and Trump shows a close race in Nevada with statistically tied results. President Joe Biden won Nevada in 2020 by 33,000 votes – or about 2%.
Narrow margins often decide Nevada elections: In 2022, Republican Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo won by about 15,000 votes; Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto won by about 8,000 votes.
In-person early voting ends Friday, November 1. The day of the lecture is Tuesday, November 5. Polls are open in Nevada from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. or until the last person in line votes. State law allows clerks to receive and count postmarked ballots on Election Day until Saturday, Nov. 9.
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