Two candidates want to represent Las Vegas' Ward 2. Here's where they stand

The City of Las Vegas is in a tough financial spot. After a more than $600 million settlement with a local developer in 2025, the city was left with a $100 million budget deficit for 2026.  

The city is also looking to renegotiate or discontinue an important interlocal agreement with Clark County that deals with firefighter coverage, sewer services, land annexation and zoning. 

There's also the threat of an economic slump, marked by a continued decline in tourism and a shaky nationwide economy after the U.S. went to war with Iran and high inflation.

In Ward 2, which covers much of Summerlin, two candidates are running to tackle some of these issues. Attorney and judge Shannon Nordstrom is up against Luke McCarthy, a veteran firefighter. 

The seat is currently filled by an interim councilmember, former CEO of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce Kara Kelley, after the previous councilmember, Victoria Seaman, left her post to take a job in the Trump administration. Since Kelley vowed not to run for her appointed position, the seat is open. 

Read more to see where these candidates think about local policy and politics. 

The candidates 

McCarthy has 25 years of experience as a firefighter, with 20 of those years in Las Vegas. He has held leadership positions in the Clark County International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) Local 1908 and has served as a board member for Nevada Child Seekers. 

Originally from the East Coast, McCarthy has a degree in political science from Trinity College in Connecticut, as well as two additional degrees in fire safety and crisis management. He said in an interview that his two daughters and wife urged him to run. 

"[My daughter] said, 'Dad, you talk politics all the time, you've been involved in politics behind the scenes, if you don't do this, you're going to regret it,'" McCarthy told The Nevada Independent. 

Another deciding factor, McCarthy said, was seeing how many people were struggling in Las Vegas due to homelessness and drug addiction. On many days, he said his job involved going into the tunnels of Las Vegas and helping people on the outskirts of society. 

"In a lot of ways, firefighters have become social workers," McCarthy said. "People need treatment, and they need to be pushed toward treatment. It's too easy for folks to stay homeless, because we as a society have allowed folks to live for so long in the shadows." 

McCarthy said his policy priorities in office include continuing to improve public safety by supporting law enforcement, boosting development and increasing transparency in government, which he praised Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkeley for doing with her monthly press conferences. 

Otherwise, he said he had a simple problem to focus on. 

"This is going to sound silly. It's not. Electric bicycles have become a huge problem for us in the fire department and for the people living in Summerlin," McCarthy said, noting that he's seen serious accidents involving scooters and e-bikes. "We're taking these kids to the hospital with broken arms, broken clavicles, smashed up faces." 

McCarthy has been endorsed by Berkeley, Teamsters Nevada, Vegas Chamber of Commerce, more than 10 law enforcement agencies, Clark County IAFF and several local state firefighters unions as well as Culinary Workers Union Local 226. 

Nordstrom echoed McCarthy's sentiment on e-bikes in an interview, which she thinks is a public safety concern for voters. 

"They want to still feel safe, they want us to continue to support our first responders, they worry about homelessness in some neighborhoods and the misuse of e-motorcycles and e-bikes in other neighborhoods," Nordstrom said. "I think all those things that fall under public safety are a concern for the city." 

Nordstrom has been an attorney since 2001, graduating from the University of the Pacific and has served as interim and pro tempore judge in municipal and justice court at various points since 2018. She previously ran for Las Vegas Municipal Court Judge, Department 5, in 2024 and lost to Judge Rebecca Wolfson. 

She's also been involved in Scouts BSA, formerly known as Boy Scouts of America, is a member of the Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers and has served on the State Bar of Nevada Ethics and Professional Responsibility Committee. 

"I wanted someone who was gonna represent us, the people. Not someone who was gonna, representing the political establishment," Nordstrom said. "I appreciate Luke's service as a firefighter. But for a long time, he's been a political operative and influencer."

She's been endorsed by Seaman, former Republican County Commissioner Bruce Woodbury, Michelle R. Jotz, former chairperson of the Las Vegas Metro Police Managers and Supervisors Association as well as several local legal professionals. 

Comparing the candidates' views

The Nevada Independent is taking a new approach to inform readers about the candidates running for local government: A survey asking candidates to rate their agreement with a series of policy statements, with the option to elaborate on their answers. They were asked to rate their agreement on a scale of strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree or strongly disagree.

Use the tool below to see how the Las Vegas Ward 2 candidates responded.