Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026 | 2 a.m.
Editor's note: Este artículo está traducido al español.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee added Teresa Benitez-Thompson to its “Red to Blue” programme Monday, bringing nationalist enactment organizational and fundraising enactment to her bid for Nevada’s unfastened 2nd Congressional District — a spot nary Democrat has ever won.
Benitez-Thompson, the erstwhile bulk person of the Nevada Assembly, faces Republican David Flippo successful the Nov. 3 wide election.
The territory covers astir of Northern Nevada, including Reno and Carson City, and has been held lone by Republicans since it was created aft the 1980 census. It has a Cook Partisan Voting Index of R+7, meaning it voted astir 7 percent points much Republican than the federation successful the past 2 statesmanlike elections.
The closest a Democrat has travel was successful 2006, erstwhile Jill Derby mislaid to Dean Heller by astir 5 points.
The programme gives selected candidates strategical guidance, unit resources, campaigner grooming and fundraising help, according to the committee.
“Teresa Benitez-Thompson is simply a dedicated nationalist servant who’s spent her beingness warring for moving Nevadans. In the authorities Legislature, Teresa was known for crossing the aisle and doing what’s close for Northern Nevadans. Against a scandal-plagued hostile who adjacent Republicans don’t like, Teresa is the person Nevada families deserve,” U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., the committee’s chair, said successful a statement.
In announcing the Red to Blue decision, the committee besides said U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., who is retiring, has called Flippo a “fraud” and described him arsenic “arrogant” and “incredibly disrespectful.”
The Washington Post reported Sept. 24 that Flippo had falsely claimed aggregate times successful caller years that helium received a Bronze Star “for valor.”
That favoritism is reserved for combat heroism alternatively than meritorious service. According to The Post, the Bronze Star Flippo received successful 2004, during a 24-year Air Force career, did not transportation the “V” instrumentality that denotes valor.
Flippo run spokesperson Rory McShane told The Post that the run “has sent virtually hundreds of fundraising solicitations via substance messages, email, letter, etc. A copywriter accidentally utilizing aged talking points does not a ungraded make.”
Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald and Combat Vets for Congress Chairman Bill Conrad defended Flippo. “Lt. Col. David Flippo earned the Bronze Star. His subject grounds besides includes an Outstanding Unit Award with Valor. A copywriter mixed up the 2 distinctions. That does not erase oregon diminish the subject grounds David Flippo earned,” they wrote.
The committee had already added the territory to its “Districts successful Play” database successful July, soon aft a Wedgewood Polling survey released July 21 showed Benitez-Thompson starring Flippo by 2 points. That canvass had a tiny illustration of 350 respondents and came from a steadfast with small polling history.
Flippo run manager Woodrow Johnston questioned its credibility. He pointed to results successful different Wedgewood survey that showed Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo winning 85% of the Black ballot against Attorney General Aaron Ford, the Democratic nominee for governor, who is Black.
A Strategies 360 canvass conducted Aug. 22-26 gave Flippo a 45% to 42% lead. A GBAO survey for the Democratic-aligned Nevada Alliance, conducted Aug. 31-Sept. 3, recovered Benitez-Thompson up 38% to 37%, with Independent American Party campaigner Lynn Chapman astatine 14%. In August, prediction markets gave Flippo a 75% accidental of winning.
“You ne'er get a canvass successful that district,” UNLV prof David Damore told the Sun successful August. “Because they’re conscionable not competitive.”
Damore said the quality this rhythm is simply a operation of factors: a well-known Democratic candidate, an unfastened seat, a contested GOP superior and a Republican incumbent who has withheld his endorsement from the party’s nominee.
Amodei, who has held the spot since 2011, announced a astonishment status Feb. 6. He won 55% of the ballot successful 2024. Amodei said successful an August interrogation with “Nevada Newsmakers” that determination was “no way” helium would endorse Flippo.
Benitez-Thompson was archetypal elected to the Assembly successful 2010 and served arsenic bulk person from 2016 to 2022, erstwhile she near bureau due to the fact that of word limits. She past served arsenic Ford’s main of unit until leaving to tally for Congress. She has lived successful Northern Nevada for much than 40 years.
According to the committee, Benitez-Thompson started her vocation successful advocacy arsenic a teenager. Her younger sister became large and astir had to take betwixt nutrient and staying successful school.
Benitez-Thompson testified astatine the authorities Capitol connected her family’s behalf, and lawmakers changed policies truthful young women could be schoolhouse and inactive get nutrient assistance. She aboriginal worked arsenic a assemblage advocate, organizer and societal worker.
She is campaigning connected lowering costs and protecting moving families, the committee said.
“There’s been a ton of enactment from radical wrong the district,” Benitez-Thompson told the Sun successful August. “It’s continuing to turn each azygous day. It truly reflects an appetite for alteration astatine the grassroots level.”
Flippo is simply a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel who has ne'er held elected office. He moved to Northern Nevada aft Amodei announced his retirement.
With President Donald Trump’s endorsement, helium won the June 9 Republican superior with 45% of the vote. He received 33,002 votes to 25,497 for James Settelmeyer, a erstwhile authorities legislator and Lombardo’s manager of the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Flippo mislaid the 2024 Republican superior successful Nevada’s 4th Congressional District to erstwhile North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee. In 2022, helium mislaid a Republican superior for a Nevada Assembly seat.
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