Nevada is a state that’s difficult to explain to outsiders. 

For many, our backyard is considered to be little more than a vacation destination — a place to escape normalcy for a long weekend. However, for those of us who call this state home, it’s far more than a tourist-dependent economy or vast tracts of undeveloped land in the middle of the American West.  

All around us there are cues that this state isn’t quite like the others. Sure, the slot machines in gas stations, the brothels tucked away in rural counties and the dominance of the Las Vegas Strip are all reminders of just how different we are — but the truth is, Nevada is so much more than the hedonistic stereotypes cultivated by those marketing gurus at the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. 

The sprawling landscapes of our sparsely populated state are almost too grand to put into words. The unexpected vibrancy of the Spring Mountains, the eerie stillness of Walker Lake and the cold deep waters of Lake Tahoe are natural wonders that mesmerize all who explore them. 

And while traveling from one natural wonder to the next, it becomes apparent no community in the Silver State is content with being just another dot on the map. Each town, every little neighborhood tavern and every city hall offers its unique take on what it means to be Nevadan — and each is just as arresting and endearing as the last. 

From mining towns to ghost towns, this state is marked by communities that revel in their unique slice of Nevada history — each giving rise to a similarly unique sense of what our state’s future can (or should) look like. It’s therefore no surprise that our politics here are equally as diverse — with deep ideological and political fault lines running through the electorate. 

Like everywhere else, we certainly have our partisan tensions and cultural divides: rural vs. urban, south vs. north and red vs. blue, just to name a few. Much of Nevada’s diverse ideological tendencies share an independent streak that guides our approach to how we try to solve our state’s social and economic challenges. 

Our state’s complex cocktail of political preferences often confounds outsiders who operate in states that fit neatly along a more traditional political spectrum. Compared with states such as California or Utah, Nevada’s voters are far more hesitant to color themselves with a blue or red brush — a tendency that is evidenced by our ever-growing share of non-major party registrations and our currently divided government.

Unlike other states with Republican governors, for example, Nevadans continue to favor liberal protections on abortion — and unlike other states with large Democratic majorities in the Legislature, we’ve maintained a relatively low-tax environment for businesses. In many respects, we’ve long adhered to a more laissez faire approach to issues as diverse as tax policy and marijuana legalization, even when it means bucking the national trends of one’s preferred political party.  

Indeed, to outsiders we’re a confused mismatch of voters from all over the political spectrum. (Much to the chagrin of political parties that prefer partisan pandering over pragmatic governing.) And our sense of independence isn’t relegated only to politics. 

As a rule, we hesitate to let others define our state. We balk at those who describe Las Vegas as a suburb of Los Angeles (even if we joke about it ourselves), and we recoil at those who insist we’re destined to forever be a mere tourist economy run by casino interests. Instead, we boast that we’re the lithium capital of North America, that Las Vegas is the entertainment capital of the world, Reno is the world’s biggest little city, and that Tonopah is one of America’s top 10 “true Western Towns.”

In every corner of this state, we know we’re unique and we take pride in it. 

To be sure, such ideological and geographical diversity can often make for frustrating public policy battles and political environments. However, it’s also what makes this state such an interesting, intriguing and promising place to call home. We’re more than a mere “swing state” with some quirky idiosyncrasies; we’re a state that revels in being different from the other 49. 

Nevada is a land full of romance, absurdity and promise all at once — offering a plethora of reasons for almost anyone to fall in love with the people, places and diversity that can be found within our borders. It’s a land full of grand desert landscapes, sprawling suburban communities and far-flung rural outposts. It’s a land of cowboys, metropolitans, entrepreneurs and blue-collar workers — all comprising a fiercely independent and diverse electorate with a niche for nearly any policy preference. 

Yes, Nevada is a confusing and complex state that’s unlike anywhere else, making it difficult for outsiders to fully understand. However, that’s what endears it to those of us who have chosen to live here — and why so many of us are thankful to call it our home. 

Michael Schaus is a communications and branding expert based in Las Vegas, Nevada, and founder of Schaus Creative LLC — an agency dedicated to helping organizations, businesses and activists tell their story and motivate change. He has more than a decade of experience in public affairs commentary, having worked as a news director, columnist, political humorist, and most recently as the director of communications for a public policy think tank. Follow him at SchausCreative.com or on Twitter at @schausmichael.