ABSTRACT
Shifts in the state’s demographic and geographic orientation have moved Nevada from a state that leaned Republican to one that leans Democratic. This chapter provides an overview of the state's demographics, electoral trends, party strength, and public opinion to frame a discussion of the electoral and political context leading up to the 2018 election cycle. This is followed by an analysis of how the 2018 political environment interacted with Dean Heller’s and Jacky Rosen’s strengths and weaknesses. The chapter considers the candidates’ strategies and those of the myriad of outside groups that spent heavily in the state. Heller's troubles actually began in 2016 when he openly opposed Donald J. Trump's candidacy. The Democrats’ superior ground game was but one indicator of Rosen’s resource advantage. The chapter concludes with an assessment of why Rosen prevailed and what her victory portends for Nevada and the Mountain West in 2020 and beyond.
