Benitez-Thompson makes history as first Democrat to win NV 2nd congressional district

In a development that was unthinkable at the start of the year — and that stands as testament to how deep the nation’s rejection of Donald Trump and his policies was in the midterm elections — Democratic former state legislator Teresa Benitez-Thompson defeated Republican David Flippo in Nevada’s second congressional district.

No Democrat has ever won the district since it was created after the 1980 Census.

With a nearly 7 percentage point lead as of Wednesday morning and an estimated 90% of votes counted, Benitez-Thompson declared victory.

“I am honored that Northern Nevadans have placed their trust in me to represent our home in Congress,” Benitez-Thompson said in a release. “Our region faces unique challenges that only someone with deep local roots and a genuine commitment to our communities can tackle. In Congress, I will fight every single day to protect our wallets, our water, and our way of life.”

“I’m especially grateful to our dedicated supporters, volunteers, and staff who worked tirelessly to make sure a Northern Nevadan actually represents Northern Nevada,” Benitez-Thompson added.

Flippo started the year running in Nevada’s fourth congressional district, hoping to unseat Democratic Rep. Steven Horsford. But when Republican incumbent Rep. Mark Amodei announced in February that he was retiring, Flippo flipped to compete in the much more Republican-friendly CD2.

Both Amodei and Gov. Joe Lombardo had endorsed James Settelmeyer in the Republican primary. But Trump endorsed Flippo, and Flippo won.

Multiple Democrats had filed in the CD2 primary. After Trump’s endorsement of Flippo, Democrats, entertaining the prospect that a Democrat might actually win the district, coalesced around Benitez-Thompson.

Flippo’s candidacy almost immediately started to make news, and not in a positive way. He was hammered as an opportunist for switching districts. He came under fire for what critics called shoddy finance reports. And most damagingly, his campaign materials said he had been awarded a Bronze Star with valor while in the Air Force. Flippo was awarded a Bronze Star for merit, but not valor, and critics accused him of “stolen valor.”

After the primary Amodei barely hid his displeasure with Flippo and the nominee’s relative unfamiliarity with the district. Amodei ended up announcing that he couldn’t support the nominee, and said he had instead voted for the Independent American Party candidate.