Meet the 13 Republicans running in Nevada's 2nd Congressional District
- May 29
- 2 min read
May 28th, 2026 at 2:00 AM
After Rep. Mark Amodei's (R-NV) surprise retirement announcement, Nevada's 2nd Congressional District will elect a new representative for the first time in 15 years. Given the district's Republican bent — it has never elected a Democrat and Republicans outnumber Democrats 3 to 2 — the GOP primary in June is likely to decide who that new member of Congress will be.
The open race in the state's one safe Republican seat has attracted 13 contenders. The front-runners are retired Air Force Lt. Col David Flippo (R), who has President Donald Trump's endorsement and is campaigning against illegal immigration, and former state Sen. James Settelmeyer (R-Minden), who is banking on his multigenerational Nevada roots and conservative principles. Sources who spoke to The Nevada Independent suggested Settelmeyer would operate in the Amodei tradition.
Flippo previously earned the support and attention of a slew of national figures, including far-right influencer Laura Loomer. Settelmeyer is endorsed by Amodei and Gov. Joe Lombardo (R).
By the end of the first quarter, Flippo's cash on hand far outpaced any other candidate in the race after he loaned his campaign nearly $1.2 million. The money picture won't be complete until after the primary, but a new disclosure last week revealed an additional $80,000 of self-funding.
His team is putting that money to good use — AdImpact lists his campaign's spending at more than half a million dollars, making him the top spender by far. The super PAC American Honor PAC and the Freedom Caucus Fund have also stepped in to support him.
But Settelmeyer has his own outside help. In addition to his own campaign's ad spending, a super PAC called Conservatives for American Excellence has spent more than $300,000 backing him.
Here's what sets each of the candidates apart — and resources to learn more.
Nevada Current: Flippo, Settelmeyer — and 11 more Republicans — seek open Northern Nevada U.S. House seat
And you can click the below links to scroll to a specific candidate:
Sherman Tylawsky
Ph.D. candidate Sherman Tylawsky (R) is 28 years old and has interned in Congress. He founded The George Washington Institute, which aims to spread lessons from leaders in American history. He currently lives in Carson City.
He told KRNV he'd be focused on growing the supply chain with fewer regulations and taxes. In an interview with the Carson City GOP, he said he questions the value of income taxes compared with other options, such as taxes on consumption. He also praised Trump's rhetoric and action on immigration, though he suggested he'd support immigration reform.
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