Nevada state senator announces bid for U.S. House seat

Republican state Sen. Carrie Buck announced this morning that she is launching a bid for Nevada’s 1st Congressional District, setting up a potential challenge against longtime Democratic incumbent Dina Titus.

Titus, who has represented the district since 2013, is Nevada’s longest-serving Democratic member of Congress. She secured reelection in 2024 with a comfortable margin, defeating Republican Mark Robertson by approximately 24,000 votes in a race that drew over 323,000 ballots.

In her announcement on social media, Buck highlighted her background in education. A former principal, she has a doctorate degree in educational leadership and is president of the Pinecrest Foundation, a group working to fund charter schools. 

“As a teacher, charter school leader, and conservative state Senator, I’ve fought to turn around failing schools, empower parents, and bring real accountability to government,” the 54-year-old legislator said. “I’m ready to bring the same fight to Washington, because our families deserve a leader who gets results and puts Nevadans first.”

Buck brings notable electoral experience to the race, having been the only Republican to flip a state senate seat in 2020. Incumbent Joyce Woodhouse was term-limited; Buck beat Kristee Watson by about 300 votes.

However, she must first navigate a Republican primary that includes Jim Marchant, a prominent election denier with a track record of unsuccessful campaigns. 

Marchant lost the 2024 U.S. Senate primary to Sam Brown, fell short in the 2022 secretary of state race, and was defeated by Rep. Steven Horsford in the 4th Congressional District in 2020.