Indy Elections takes you behind the headlines of Nevada politics, delivering scoops and smart analysis on the races that could reshape our lives. We’ve merged previous subscribers to D.C. Download and Indy Elections 2024 — you can change your newsletter settings here.

In today’s edition: We’re bringing our elections newsletter back. Plus: Nevada’s film industry could see a boost, Democrats are up with a familiar-sounding ad, and we’ve got a small exclusive on the fight for an independent redistricting commission.

Welcome back to Indy Elections! Dozens of candidates have already announced they’re running in 2026. If it’s not too early for them, it’s not too early for us. 

I’m your new newsletter editor, Mini Racker. Though I just joined The Nevada Independent, I’ve been covering politics from Washington, D.C., for nearly seven years. I love writing about elections because they provide an all-too-rare opportunity for ordinary people to exercise real influence over our government. This newsletter is for readers who crave a deeper understanding of Nevada candidates’ strategies, campaign trends and who’s pulling the levers of power. We’re harnessing the power of the full Indy reporting team to make connections and bring you insights you won’t find anywhere else. 

We’re also sunsetting our D.C. Download newsletter — but you’ll find its spirit lives on here in a new section by that name. We know that it can be especially hard to keep track of your elected representatives when they’re three time zones away, and we hope this will help. Thanks for joining us. 

This newsletter is published every other week. We want to hear from you! Send us questions, coverage suggestions, tips, and anything that will make us laugh. Email your newsletter editor Mini Racker at [email protected]. 

Lombardo wants a special session. Will film tax make it in?

The governor cryptically announced Monday that he wants a special session “to finish what the Legislature left unfinished.” Behind the scenes, a coalition of Southern Nevada unions has been pushing to ensure a vast expansion of Nevada’s film tax credit program is on the agenda.

The effort comes as Strip resort operators are facing the industry’s worst economic downturn since the Great Recession 15 years ago and tourism and visitation have declined. 

Members of the coalition emphasize that the film tax credit proposal is key to increasing the number of jobs in Southern Nevada and diversifying the economy. Despite economists largely panning the economic benefits of film tax credits, proponents say that Nevada’s legislation would require investment from developers and the industry before any money went out the door.

Read our story to learn who’s putting $1 million toward promoting the credits and why a certain state senator could again block the proposal.

— Tabitha Mueller

The 2026 races we’re watching (and who’s watching them)

Federal 

There’s no Senate race this time around, so I’ll be focusing on the competitive congressional races: NV-01, NV-03, and NV-04 — and perhaps safely Republican NV-02 if things get really interesting. 

Statewide

All six of Nevada’s constitutional offices are up for election in 2026, including the governor’s seat. 

Capital Bureau Chief Tabitha Mueller is leading our coverage of the gubernatorial and attorney general races. 

Politics and data reporter Eric Neugeboren is taking point on the secretary of state and controller races.

Politics and Latino communities reporter Isabella Aldrete is helming coverage of the lieutenant governor and treasurer races. 

Legislative

Democrats hold majorities in the state Senate and Assembly. But the party is one seat shy in each chamber of the two-thirds supermajorities that would allow them to easily override the governor’s vetoes. 

With 11 seats in the state Senate and all 42 seats in the Assembly on the ballot this cycle, Republicans and Democrats in the 2026 campaign will be vying to grow their control of seats in the chambers. 

The Nevada Independent’s legislative team (consisting of Tabitha, Eric and Isabella) will be assessing the state of play in the legislative races over the coming months and centering coverage on the races most likely to alter control of the chamber. 

Southern Nevada

Southern Nevada government accountability reporter Oona Milliken will be leading coverage of the Clark County Commission and city council races. 

School boards

Reporter Rocio Hernandez is covering K-12 school board elections, particularly for two of Nevada’s largest school districts, Clark and Washoe counties.  

We’ll also be covering other races in the future.

What We’re Reading and Writing

The Nevada Independent: Teachers’ posts on Charlie Kirk raise questions about the limits of free speech in schools

After Charlie Kirk’s killing, educators are facing consequences for speech officials say promotes political violence — including in Nevada.

The Nevada Independent: Rising insurance costs complicate Nevada marketplace’s open enrollment effort

Rising health care costs are already worrying Nevadans, giving congressional Democrats more reason to hold firm in their insurance subsidy demands as the shutdown continues.

The New York Times: Is Sports Betting Illegal in Your State? Not if You Call It a ‘Prediction Market.’

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) slammed prediction markets such as Kalshi, a company that counts Donald Trump Jr. among its advisers, saying, “What they’re doing is essentially calling sports betting by another name, and that’s just wrong.”

D.C. Download

• Perhaps you could have guessed Cortez Masto was going to support the GOP-backed continuing resolution to keep the government open before she voted. She sat on the floor next to moderate Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Sen. Angus King (I-ME), who joined her as just one of three non-Republicans to support the measure. She got plaudits from power players such as the U.S. Travel Association and the Vegas Chamber. Now, she says she’s working with Republicans to break the stalemate.
• Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) plans to keep the House out of session until next Tuesday and promised to give members 48 hours’ notice if any votes are scheduled before then. That means, for now, senators can only end the shutdown by approving the measure the House already passed. 

AD-NALYSIS OF THE WEEK: Is this déjà vu?

A web ad produced by the Nevada State Democratic Party in September proves that time, or at least the election cycle, is a circle.

Between clips of reporters questioning Gov. Joe Lombardo’s absence at the state’s first cyberattack press conference, a buzzing phone underscores the ad’s criticism that “there is a crisis. Lombardo isn’t answering.” 

It’s reminiscent of an ad Lombardo’s campaign published three years ago featuring recordings of various state agencies saying they were unable to respond to the call. 

“Families are struggling and Steve Sisloak can’t be bothered to answer the phone,” it said.

We’re not the only ones who have noted the similarities. 

A month-old YouTube comment on Lombardo’s ad said, “Who’s not answering the phone now Joe?” 

In response, Lombardo’s team said they’ve been working around the clock to address the crisis and the governor has been involved at every stage. But don’t expect the issue to go quietly on the campaign trail.

— Tabitha Mueller

Mini Series

🗺️ Push for independent redistricting thwarted again — A lawsuit filed by nationally recognized Democratic Party lawyers has forced organizers to withdraw a proposed ballot question that would have created an independent redistricting commission in Nevada. 

• The measure would take map-drawing powers from the hands of the reliably Democratic Nevada Legislature and hand it to a third-party entity. 
• However, Sondra Cosgrove, who is spearheading the ballot measure campaign, exclusively tells The Nevada Independent that she has imminent plans to challenge the provision of the state Constitution requiring mandates to be funded, which sank her previous efforts. 
• The battle comes amid a national war over redistricting as both major parties seek control of the closely divided U.S. House. In Texas, Republicans have redrawn the congressional map to give their party an edge. In California, Democrats have sought to do the same, but need voters to approve the changes next month by supporting Proposition 50. That ballot measure campaign is already one of the most expensive in state history, and has fueled some ad spending in the Reno media market that serves portions of California. 

🧒🏻 Conine, Aguilar backed by group focused on electing young Dems — The Next 50, an organization that wants to elect “next-generation leadership on the center-left,” last week endorsed Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar for re-election and Treasurer Zach Conine in his bid for attorney general. 

• The group, whose endorsements are likely to help the coffers of both candidates, touted Aguilar’s election reforms and Conine’s response to the pandemic. 
• Conine is running in a primary against Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro (D-Las Vegas), while nobody aside from Aguilar has officially announced their candidacy for secretary of state. The release also drew attention to Conine as the only candidate in his race who has won a statewide election — perhaps a talking point in campaign circles.

💵Another candidate wants Justin Jones’ seat — Las Vegas royalty Albert Mack threw his hat into the ring for County Commissioner Justin Jones’ (D) District F seat. Mack’s connected to some deep pockets: his grandfather, Jerome Mack, was a casino magnate and the founder of Bank of Las Vegas, now Valley Bank, and is the namesake of UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center. Jones isn’t seeking re-election, and the race for his seat could be contentious — Assm. Heidi Kasama (R-Las Vegas), a longtime real estate broker, has already raised $500,000 for her bid. 

🏛️ Is Annie Black coming back? — With the resignation of Assm. Toby Yurek (R-Las Vegas), former Assm. Annie Black (R-Mesquite), who has frustrated Republicans and Democrats alike, hinted that she may be looking at running for the seat again. Remember her anti-mask crusade? “They didn’t know what to do with me then. God have mercy on them now,” Black posted on social media about the position opening.

— Kiara Adams, Mini Racker, Tabitha Mueller, Oona Milliken and Eric Neugeboren

Looking Ahead

• Friday, Oct. 10 — If the shutdown continues, federal workers will miss their first paycheck
• Wednesday, Oct. 15  — Federal candidates must file their quarterly fundraising reports 

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A post that caught our eye: 

A million-dollar heist fit for the 2020s. 

We’ll see you next week. 

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