From the election of Republican Joe Lombardo as Governor, to retaining Catherine Cortez Masto, a Democrat, as Senator, the 'purpleness' of the Silver State might have been apparent in the midterm elections. However, some say Nevada is leaning more blue than purple.
“Unless the elections are really close, the purple doesn't come out anymore,” said Fred Lokken, Professor of Political Science at Truckee Meadows Community College. “The hue of blue is building."
Lokken says the pandemic, not politics, played the biggest role in governor Sisolak’s loss and in Lombardo’s win.
"The candidate for the Democrats, the incumbent was in trouble for something he did the best job he could do, but did not satisfy enough voters,” he said.
In the Senate race, Lokken believe Nevadans appear to be happy with the work of Senator Cortez Masto.
“She has a remarkable amount of support from the Republican party,” he said. “Especially in small business."
However, Laxalt, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump did not win, which Lokken says shows this -
“Donald Trump’s endorsements in the state were pretty worthless,” said Lokken.
In the race for Secretary of State, Democrat Francisco 'Cisco' Aguilar defeated Trump-endorsed Republican Jim Marchant. Marchant has gone on record several times denying the voting process in 2020. Lokken says this race showed a majority of Nevadans will not support the election fraud narrative.
"That whole theme was rejected and was pretty significantly repudiated,” he said.
The system is not perfect, though. Mail-in ballots are offered to all Nevada voters after state legislators approved them in 2021. Tallying the ballots has proven to be lengthy.
"The legislature should look at ways to expedite the counting so that it would move more quickly once the election is done,” said Lokken.
Election officials have until Friday to canvass and make all ballots official.
