Minja Yan, the Democratic candidate for the Clark County Commission District F seat, isn't interested in political labels. 

"I would say my policies are more on the progressive side of things," Yan said, carefully sidestepping a question from The Nevada Independent about whether she would call herself a progressive. "But I don't want to limit that to, 'Oh, this is her campaign, this is what it's all about.'" 

At 31, the real estate agent is not only one of the youngest candidates in the open race for District F — she's one that almost no one expected to be here. 

Commissioner Justin Jones, whose term has been marked by an ethics controversy, announced his decision last year not to run for re-election for the swing district. He endorsed nonprofit leader Minddie Lloyd, who quickly attracted big donations, establishment support and a six-figure support led by Jones.

Lloyd's best-funded opponent was attorney Lenna Hovanessian, who works for an Armenian rights organization and was backed by Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV).

Yet on primary election night, it was Yan who defeated Lloyd, Hovanessian and four other candidates to advance to the general election, where she will face off against Assm. Heidi Kasama (R-Las Vegas) and former state Sen. Becky Harris, a former Republican who is running as a nonpartisan. 

She's staked her campaign on a vow to "challenge the status quo," promising to bring light rail to Las Vegas, rezone the city to allow for more housing, reduce urban sprawl, invest in healthcare and education, and promised to not take corporate donations. 

Her Instagram page is filled with videos closer to New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani's social media approach than Clark County's typical candidates, such as her on a Las Vegas bus, and another being pelted with pickleballs to get out the vote. 

Yan's age will be a bonus to her campaign, according to County Commissioner Tick Segerblom (D), who is running for re-election this year. He said Yan's win was a "shock" on election night — he had initially supported Lloyd, but has pivoted to backing Yan. 

"There is a real sentiment of 'Let's try something new,'" Segerblom said.

So who is this political newcomer? Is she qualified? And where does she stand on the issues? The Nevada Independent sat down with Yan to find out more. 

The issues 

Yan's bread-and-butter policies are building out transportation infrastructure, conscientious land use, increasing affordable housing and streamlining bureaucratic processes. Recently, she's also attended at least three county and city board meetings to protest data center development — she is a member of the Sierra Club, an environmental group whose local Nevada chapter has been lobbying hard against data centers. 

Policy is the driving force behind her platform, Yan said. More than anything, she said voters are looking for someone with a plan.

"What we need is a long-term vision. Where are we going as Southern Nevada in the next 20 years? What do we need to set us up for success?" Yan asked. "I don't see that. You're not seeing that … cohesive long-term vision."

If elected, she said she wants to work with local Southern Nevada municipalities to develop a comprehensive regional plan with set performance goals. Right now, she said the status quo is not working, and people are voting with their feet. 

"I know a lot of young people that are born and raised in Las Vegas. Once they graduate they want to move out of our state," Yan said. "They don't see that this city provides opportunities for them to stay here. They don't see themselves having a long-term future here in Las Vegas." 

Her opponents are more traditional than she is. Kasama's platform focuses on public safety, fiscal responsibility, promoting development in the city and fostering conservative values. 

Harris, who registered as a nonpartisan last year, is focusing on the cost of living, creating safe neighborhoods and fostering the economy in order to keep good jobs in the city. 

Segerblom said there's a path for Yan to win if she plays her cards right. He said there's a lot of anti-Trump sentiment in the country right now, and he also said Harris and Kasama, women with similar backgrounds and politics, might pull votes from each other. However, he wondered if Yan has enough institutional support to edge out her opponents. 

"Now, whether you can [win] without the major support from hotels and the major groups that give money …" Segerblom said, trailing off. "I'm not sure." 

Politics in the 'pothole' office

District F covers the southwestern parts of the city, including parts of Summerlin, Spring Valley and Enterprise. It covers much of Chinatown, which has emerged as a formidable culinary tourist destination, and wealthier neighborhoods in Summerlin bordering Red Rock, such as The Summit. 

UNLV history professor Michael Green said District F is not known to be particularly progressive. Jones narrowly won his "nail-biter" election in 2022 against his Republican opponent Drew Johnson by just a little more than 300 votes, and this year's Republican primary for the seat was highly competitive given GOP optimism over their chances in the district. 

According to Green, a progressive winning an office such as the county commission, which he dubbed the "pothole office" for its lack of partisan politics and focus on municipal issues, is entirely possible for Yan. 

"AOC was originally elected not so much because she was so progressive as that she was running against a veteran congressman who'd ignored his district," Green said, using the progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) as an example. "If you are Minja Yan, or Heidi Kasama, or you're Becky Harris, you have to convey that you're going to watch out for them." 

Green said Yan conveyed a sense of being a progressive, but didn't fully embrace many progressive issues. In an interview with The Indy, Yan declined to say if she would support rent control, saying only she hadn't "done a lot of research" on the topic. She also touted reforms at the Clark County Department of Business Licensing in order to cut red tape for small businesses. 

"That sounds like good old-fashioned local politics," Green said. "That doesn't sound progressive to me." 

Former lawmaker and County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani, who endorsed Lloyd in the primary, said Yan's progressive tilt, policy-forward platform, paired with her youth and energy, resonated with people despite her lack of spending. 

"Money doesn't always matter, it's if people can relate to you," Giunchigliani said. "They felt she was energetic and open, and in this climate of politics, that says something." 

As for the general election, Giunchigliani said it was a toss-up. She said Kasama was not well-liked by everyone in her Assembly district, which overlaps with District F, and that Harris' connection to casinos — she previously chaired the Nevada Gaming Control Board and was part of UNLV's International Center for Gaming Regulation — was not necessarily going to resonate with voters either. 

"It's hard to win a county commission seat," Giunchigliani said, but seemed optimistic about Yan's chances. "People are looking for a fresh face, someone who's excited, energetic and honest."

Background

Originally from Guangzhou, China, Yan's family moved to the United States when she was around 10. She grew up in southwest Las Vegas and went to UNLV, graduating in 2016 with a degree in accounting before going on to New York University for a master's in real estate with a concentration in finance and investment. 

After her time in New York, Yan said she wanted to move back home in order to make a mark.

"Maybe I can contribute something to building the future of the city, compared to New York where it's already very well-developed and I don't have that personal connection," Yan recalled.

From there, Yan has worked in commercial real estate at the firm Millennium Commercial Properties for more than seven years, and has served as an adjunct professor at UNLV teaching real estate for almost a year. 

It's working in real estate that Yan said she was first introduced to politics. As a Nevada member of the Urban Land Institute (a national organization for real estate, land use and urban planning professionals), she was chosen to serve on the Regional Transportation Commission board for regional growth, a move that "opened" her eyes to how policy decisions affect how Las Vegas can grow. 

However, she became frustrated with the lack of action in getting big infrastructure projects and policy changes across the finish line. 

"I've been talking about responsible growth, I've been talking about building mass public transit, building a light rail, for … the past few years," Yan said, on why she decided to run for office. "It's time for my generation to really step up." 

Yan's friend and peer, Nevada Board of Regents member Aaron Bautista, said he met Yan in 2023 during a leadership conference. When he found out she was running for county commission, Bautista said it was welcome news, especially because they are both in the same generation. 

"I really believe that this is someone who could help make the change for our community better," Bautista said. "What I like about millennials and Gen Z is that a lot of our platforms resonate with so many different people, not just Democrats or Republicans but also the nonpartisans."

Michael Nolan and Seraphina Harris-Feron from MuckRock's Sunlight Research Desk provided research and data analysis for this story.