Ballot Battleground: Nevada

The field is set. 27 candidates — the most ever by far — filed to run for Nevada’s 2nd congressional district after the sudden retirement announcement from Republican Rep. Mark Amodei.

With no incumbent running and a potentially bluer national landscape, some political insiders believe a Democrat could flip the seat for the first time ever. Is that a reality? Who are the top contenders on both sides?

This week on the Ballot Battleground: Nevada podcast, host Ben Margiott speaks with UNR political science professor Jeremy Gelman about the partisan makeup of CD2, its deep red history, the possibility of a flip and the type of candidate who might have a realistic shot.

Full list of candidates for Nevada's Congressional District 2, other key races
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Candidate filing has begun, mock elections are happening and officials are testing new ballot marking devices — the 2026 midterm election cycle is officially here.

This week on the Ballot Battleground: Nevada podcast, host Ben Margiott interviews Nevada's elections chief, Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar.

Ben and Sec. Aguilar discuss Nevada's new ballot marking devices, voter ID proposals at the state and federal level, whether Election Day should be a holiday, how Nevadans could vote in the future and much more.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Harry Reid was the most powerful politician Nevada has ever produced — and the machine he built still shapes state politics today.

This week on Ballot Battleground: Nevada, The Nevada Independent CEO and veteran journalist Jon Ralston joins host Ben Margiott to discuss his new book, The Game Changer, and what it reveals about Reid’s rise from Searchlight to Senate Majority Leader — and how he rewrote the political playbook for Democrats.

Then we turn to the present: the wide-open race for Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District following Rep. Mark Amodei’s surprise retirement. Who’s in, who’s out, who could jump in — and do Democrats actually have a shot at flipping CD2?
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nevada has already climbed the Presidential primary calendar, establishing itself in the slate of early states that vote prior to Super Tuesday.

But now Democratic party leaders want to move up to first in the nation, with the Nevada Dems officially submitting their bid to the DNC last month.

Why is Nevada deserving of the coveted top spot?

In the first episode of season 3 of Ballot Battleground: Nevada, host Ben Margiott speaks to DNC Vice Chair Artie Blanco about Nevada’s bid to become the first Democratic presidential contest in 2028.

We unpack how the DNC sets the calendar, why Nevada’s diversity and battleground status matter, and what lessons were learned from the 2024 primary shake-up.

Plus, what a “Nevada first” calendar could mean for voters, campaigns, and national policy priorities.

WATCH Ballot Battleground: Nevada on YouTube
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ballot Battleground: Nevada is back for Season 3.

2026 is an election year — and here in Nevada, the stakes are high. From Congressional races and a crucial Governor’s race to state and local contests and major ballot questions, we’re covering it all.

I’m Ben Margiott, a reporter at News 4 Reno and Fox 11, and I'm passionate about breaking down Nevada politics to make it more accessible, more digestible, and more relevant for voters across our critical battleground state.

Season 3 kicks off February 4, with new episodes every other Wednesday to start — and weekly episodes as Election Day approaches.

Listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And new this season, you can watch full episodes on YouTube on the News 4 Reno page.

Subscribe, follow, and get ready for the 2026 election season.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices