On Friday, President Donald Trump endorsed David Flippo to replace Republican Congressman Mark Amodei, who announced he would not seek reelection earlier this year.
But Amodei had already endorsed former state senator James Settelmeyer as his replacement.
So the president’s endorsement, which came halfway through early voting, has further complicated a wide-open race that some Democrats see as their first chance to flip what’s been a reliably-red district.
UNR political scientist Jeremy Gelman said the two Republicans reflect a divide within the party.
“Flippo’s running a nationalized campaign. He has a few Nevada endorsements, but almost all of them are national political figures, including the president,” he said. “Settelmeyer’s the exact opposite. If you go to his website, you have a who’s who of Nevada Republicans of the past decade.”
Flippo, who has never served in elected office, originally filed to run for Southern Nevada’s CD4 but moved north after Amodei announced his retirement. He has presented himself as a MAGA true believer and picked up endorsements from Trump-aligned groups like Turning Point and Gun Owners of America.
Settelmeyer, a fourth-generation cattle rancher, is appealing to Northern Nevadans’ sense of regional identity. He’s pointed to his past support for rural communities and old-school conservative values while he served as a four-term lawmaker. Settelmeyer also has support from Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo.
Meanwhile, Amodei called Trump’s endorsement of Flippo a “mistake” in a social media post.
“I proudly voted for pure Nevada, Nevada proud, James Settelmeyer. With all due respect Mr. President, Nevada already has five representatives who live in Clark County. Your endorsement if followed, would make it six out of six,” he wrote.
Ultimately, Gelman said, the result will come down to how voters are feeling, not just about Trump, but the economy.
“If it becomes a close race here, no matter if it’s Settelmeyer or Flippo, that’s a reflection of a very adverse national environment for Republicans,” he said. “That has implications that go well beyond just this seat.”
Early primary voting lasts until Friday, June 5, and Election Day is Tuesday, June 9.
