NEVADA
      Nov. 6, 2018 Governor

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Steve Sisolak (D)
 480,007
 49.39%
Adam Paul Laxalt (R)
 440,320
 45.31%
NOTC
 18,865
 1.94%
Ryan Bundy (NPP)
 13,891
 1.43%
Russell Best (IAP)
 10,076
 1.04%
Jared Lord (L)
 8,640
 0.89%

971,799
Active Registered Voters: 1,564,066.  Total Turnout: 975,980.
Plurality: 39,687 votes (4.08 percentage points).
 NV Secretary of State



DEMOCRATIC PICK-UP
Notes: Gov. Brian Sandoval (R) was term-limited and the race to succeed him was a close contest.  Clark County Commission chair Steve Sisolak (D) defeated Attorney General Adam Laxalt (R) and three other candidates, Russell Best (IAP), Jared Lord (L) and Ryan Bundy (NPP).  In addition to the governor's race, there was the very competitive U.S. Senate race, two open U.S. House seats, and a closely divided legislature, which favored high turnout.

The state was closely divided.  At close of registration for the general election, Oct. 18, 2018, Democrats had a registration advantage of 4.8 percentage points over Republicans (Dem. 38.3%, Rep. 33.5% and NonP. 22.6%) down from 6.1 percentage points in 2016.  In 2016 Clinton-Kaine carried the state by 2.42 percentage points (27,202 votes) while former Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto (D) defeated U.S. Rep. Joe Heck (R) in the U.S. Senate race by 2.43 percentage points (26,231 votes). 

In the June 12 Democratic primary Sisolak defeated fellow Clark County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani by 50.03% to 38.86%.  In the Republican primary Laxalt tallied 71.49% of the vote.

Amazingly for such a close race there were no general election debates, with each side blaming the other. 

Trump made three appearances in Nevada, on June 23 (Las Vegas), Sept. 20 (Las Vegas) and Oct. 20 (Elko) (+).

The AP reported Laxalt's and Sisolak's campaigns spent "more than $22 million combined" and that outside groups spent $48.6 million on the governor's race and other state contests.  Big spenders included Nevada Families First (aligned with the DGA) at $9.5 million and the Republican Governors Association at $8.9 million (>).




 Campaign Managers:
Steve Sisolak:  Chris Sloan
(Uuly 2018...reported by the Nevada Independent on July 20, succeeding Rob Hill)  Director of government affairs (Oct. 2009-July 2018) at IUPAT Finishing Trades Institute and international legislative representative at IUPAT (Jan. 2008-Oct. 2009).  Master's degree from GSPM at The George Washington University, 2014; bachelor's degree in political science and government from Earlham College, 2007.

Adam Laxalt:  Kristin Davison
(Nov. 2017)  Campaign manager on Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam's run for governor to May 2018, then replaced.  Senior role on U.S. Sen. Luther Strange (AL)'s campaign in 2017 special election (lost in primary runoff to Roy Moore).  Worked on the campaigns of Sen. Roy Blunt (MO) and Sen. Marco Rubio (FL).  Served as chief of staff at Karl Rove and Co..


See also:
Stephanie Mencimer.  "Will Ryan Bundy Help Elect a Democrat as Nevada Governor?"  Mother Jones, Nov. 5, 2018.

Michelle Rindels.  "Breaking decades-long norm, Nevada's competitive governor's race unlikely to feature debate."  The Nevada Independent, Oct. 14, 2018.

Michael Lyle and Hugh Jackson.  "Sisolak pivots to Laxalt."  Nevada Current, June 13, 2018.





    
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