Nevada SOS fires back after Trump admin pushes for more election changes
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In today's edition: Trump tries another avenue to sway the midterms in Nevada. Plus: Carrie Buck posts another mega-haul, Joe Lombardo's campaign manager discusses the nominees the governor didn't endorse and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) swings through Nevada.
With voting in the general election set to start in three months, we've refreshed our voter guide so you can begin to familiarize yourself with the key matchups.
This newsletter is published every week. We want to hear from you! Email your newsletter editor Mini Racker at [email protected].
How Trump is trying to sway Nevada elections
President Donald Trump's Justice Department recently sent threats warnings to every state that election officials could face criminal penalties if noncitizens vote in the midterms. The letters from U.S. Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon sought responses about how officials planned to comply with election laws.
Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar (D) immediately dismissed the letter, saying the state already has "numerous safeguards" to keep noncitizens from voting.
In a brief phone call with The Indy, Dhillon said she was not aware of Nevada's specific safeguards. Spokespeople for the DOJ and the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Nevada did not respond to requests for comment.
The Nevada Secretary of State's Office formally responded to the demand letter Monday (as we scooped on X), reiterating that the state already has safeguards and rules in place and highlighting past and present compliance with federal and state election laws.
"In each and every election, this office accomplishes the twin goals of guaranteeing eligible citizens' right to vote and protecting the integrity of that vote," Aguilar wrote in the letter. "Nothing has changed."
It's the latest example of the federal government trying to influence this year's elections in Nevada and elsewhere.
Other efforts include:
- A lawsuit, still pending in court, demanding Nevada share voters' drivers license and partial Social Security numbers with the DOJ
- Trump's attempt to create a federal voter list by executive order and only send ballots to people on it
- The president's likely doomed push to pass the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship when registering to vote and photo ID at the polls while curbing mail-in voting
- Another failed executive order with similar aims to the SAVE America Act that would have required mail ballots be received by Election Day
- The Republican National Committee's lawsuit against Nevada and a handful of other states that allow citizens born abroad to vote in the state if their parents did, even if they have never lived there
— Mini Racker and Tabitha Mueller
Carrie Big Bucks
State Sen. Carrie Buck (R-Henderson), the Republican nominee in Nevada's 1st Congressional District, will announce raising $815,000 in the second quarter, her campaign told The Indy first.
That record sum includes the $284,000 she raised in roughly the first half of the quarter, which Nevada congressional candidates were required to disclose ahead of the June 9 primary. Her opponent, Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), raised $98,000 between the beginning of April and May 20, but has not yet publicized all of her own numbers for the full quarter. The fundraising deadline is Wednesday.
What it means: The haul represents yet another stellar fundraising quarter for the Republican, who outraised the sitting congresswoman in the last three months of 2025 and the first three months of 2026. Since then, she earned Trump's endorsement and support from key joint fundraising committees.
Though Titus is known for kicking her fundraising into high gear in the months right before an election, the congresswoman has never faced a Republican nominee who raised as much as Buck in a single quarter. Her district became more competitive after redistricting in 2021, but even 2022 and 2024 GOP nominee Mark Robertson brought in just $1.74 million across the entirety of his two campaigns — a number Buck reached in just one bid, months before Election Day.
— Mini Racker
What we're reading and writing
📻📹A senior adviser to Attorney General Aaron Ford (D) says the gubernatorial candidate "intends to be on the air in due course" as Gov. Joe Lombardo (R) and allies massively outspend him.
👶The governor won't say where he stands on birthright citizenship — but 4th Congressional District GOP nominee Cody Whipple did.
D.C. Download: Congress Does Something
This week, the biggest federal housing package in a generation became law with the support of the entire Nevada delegation but without President Trump's signature.
The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act aims to crack down on investors who buy up properties (just like the president wanted), cut red tape and speed up development in order to make housing more affordable. The issue has particular political resonance as voters in Nevada and beyond struggle with rising costs.
"It's just right in front of him, just laid on a silver platter — well, maybe he'd like it better if it was a gold platter," Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) quipped at a recent Capitol Hill press conference led by Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV).
Look out for my deep dive this weekend on the impact it could have in Nevada, including whether or not it might help you buy a house.
— Mini Racker
2028 Watch
If you were hanging around in an unassuming strip mall in the Historic Westside in Las Vegas on Saturday, you might have seen something unexpected: California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and Attorney General Aaron Ford (D).
They were there for a Democratic field office opening ahead of the November election, along with Assm. Daniele Monroe-Moreno (D-North Las Vegas), candidate for North Las Vegas mayor and the chair of the Nevada Democratic Party, and Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV).
Andy Howard and his daughter were among the 80 attendees. He said he was excited about seeing Newsom, and said the war in Iran, the United States' support of Israel and healthcare were his top issues.
Asked by reporters if he was considering a run for president, Newsom said he had been too "honest" last year when asked the same question.
"I said, 'Well yes," Newsom said, saying his transparency then had caused considerable speculation.
Though Newsom declined to speak definitely on his future plans, his focus was on the White House.
He criticized President Trump's administration, calling it the "most corrupt" in history, "period, full stop." He also said Trump was attempting to stronghold and silence political opposition such as by subpoenaing journalists who were covering the administration.
Other potential presidential hopefuls, both Republican and Democratic, have also passed through the Silver State in the last year.
— Oona Milliken
Mini Series: Bob and Weaver
🎤 So, what are we? — Joe Weaver, the campaign manager for Gov. Joe Lombardo's re-election bid, expressed support for 2nd Congressional District GOP nominee David Flippo and secretary of state GOP nominee Jim Marchant, according to a recording obtained by The Indy. Lombardo didn't endorse either of the candidates in the June primary, and he has yet to formally endorse them in the general election.
Asked about Flippo at a June event hosted by the Mt. Rose Republican Women, Weaver said: "Flippo's success is our success, our success is Flippo's success" and "we have to rally around our Republican candidates." He also said that "Jim Marchant is our nominee, we have to get behind him."
Lombardo backed other candidates in those primaries.
🧼 Website scrubbing time — The website for Adriana Guzmán Fralick, the Republican nominee for attorney general, looks a bit different than it did during primary season. The site's front page previously touted her endorsements from Lombardo and President Donald Trump, but that is gone now. Her support of legislation mirroring the federal SAVE act was also atop her "issues" page during the primary, but now it is at the bottom.
💸 BIG money haul — Attorney General Aaron Ford's gubernatorial campaign announced it had raised nearly $2.6 million across its campaign and affiliated PAC during the second quarter of the year. The amount reflects what his campaign called a "record haul for a non-incumbent candidate."
🤔More trouble at the LG's office? — Lieutenant Governor Stavros Anthony's (R) office has been hit by more ethics complaints, including allegations against three of his staffers. Douglas County Commissioner Danny Tarkanian (R) filed the complaints earlier this month, claiming Anthony's employees were actively campaigning during work hours.
- Tarkanian, who ran for the Republican nomination for attorney general but lost, also claimed that Anthony's staffers were campaigning for his primary opponent, Adriana Guzmán Fralick, linking to screenshots and social media accounts. Tarkanian told The Indy that he waited to file the complaint after the election so people didn't think it was a "publicity stunt."
- Before filing the complaint, Tarkanian reached out to Anthony to let him know about the issue, but he said he never received a response.
- "I know there's gonna be some Republicans, they're gonna say, 'Why would you do this? It is gonna hurt Stravo's students' campaign,'" Tarkanian said in a brief interview. "I don't know if it will …, but I will say this — just because you're Republican doesn't mean you can be unethical."
- Another complaint shared with The Indy alleges that Anthony's chief of staff Rudy Pamintuan used his role to promote an investor visa scheme for a resort development in the Northern Mariana Islands.
— Eric Neugeboren and Isabella Aldrete
Looking Ahead
- Wednesday, July 15 — Nevada candidates must file campaign finance reports
- Thursday, July 23 — A Democratic National Committee panel kicks off discussion of bids to host the first in the nation primary of 2028
A post that caught our eye:
We'll see you next week.
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