Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) is projected to defeat Republican Adam Laxalt, placing an finish to a nail-biter of a race and guaranteeing Democrats will keep their Senate majority.
NBC Information and CBS Information each known as the race round 9:18 pm. ET.
Cortez Masto, the nation’s first elected Latina senator who gained her first election in 2016 by simply over 2 factors, fended off a aggressive bid from Laxalt, the previous state lawyer common, who was endorsed by former President Trump. The Silver State was thought of one in every of Republicans’ finest pickup alternatives within the Senate, particularly as a slew of polls confirmed Laxalt and Cortez Masto polling throughout the margin of error.
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) emerged victorious in what was thought of one in every of Republicans’ finest pickup alternatives within the Senate. (Greg Nash)
Throughout the election, Laxalt leaned into points like inflation, crime and border safety whereas Cortez Masto had leaned into abortion and slammed the Republican for his doubtful feedback in regards to the 2020 election, amongst different points.
However Nevada is thought for its uncomfortably shut elections. Each Hillary Clinton in 2016 and President Biden in 2020 gained the state by 2.4 share factors. A part of why Nevada politics are so unpredictable comes from the truth that the state’s inhabitants is transient, given its tourism and hospitality business, which means politicians should reintroduce themselves to voters each few years.
Throughout his marketing campaign towards Cortez Masto, Adam Laxalt leaned into points like inflation, crime and border safety that Republicans throughout the nation have been making a spotlight. (Related Press)
And this election 12 months — which already noticed headwinds for Democrats on the nationwide degree — was an particularly difficult one for the incumbent’s occasion given how residents and companies are nonetheless reeling from the consequences of COVID-19 on their economic system.
Added to damage was the loss of life of former Senate Majority Chief Harry Reid (D-Nev.), recognized for his spectacular Democratic voter outreach infrastructure within the state, dubbed the “Reid Machine.” Political observers had been unsure how properly the remainder of that operation would maintain given the loss of life of its normal bearer.
So it got here as one thing of a shock to many Democrats that the occasion did so properly in Nevada this cycle. Not solely did Cortez Masto win reelection, however the three Home Democratic incumbents up for reelection all gained their districts as properly, whereas a Democrat additionally gained the secretary of state race over a Trump-aligned election denier.
There was one notable Democratic casualty in Nevada: Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) misplaced his reelection bid towards Republican Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo. Nonetheless, Democrats are celebrating that an anticipated “crimson wave” by no means emerged within the Silver State.
With management of the higher chamber locked down, Democrats at the moment are trying to Georgia, which can maintain a Senate runoff on Dec. 6 between Sen. Raphael Warnock (D) and Herschel Walker (R) and will be certain that the occasion expands its majority.
