2016 United States Senate election in Nevada

The 2016 United States Senate election in Nevada was held November 8, 2016 to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Nevada, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. The state primary election was held June 14, 2016.

2016 United States Senate election in Nevada

← 2010
November 8, 2016
2022 →
 
Nominee Catherine Cortez Masto Joe Heck
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 521,994 495,079
Percentage 47.10% 44.67%

Cortez Masto:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Heck:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Tie:      40–50%      50%      No votes

U.S. senator before election

Harry Reid
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Catherine Cortez Masto
Democratic

Incumbent Democratic Senator Harry Reid, the Senate Minority Leader and former Senate Majority Leader, initially said he would seek re-election to a sixth term, but announced on March 26, 2015, that he would retire instead. Democratic former State Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto defeated Republican U.S. Representative Joe Heck in the general election on November 8, 2016. Heck won sixteen of the state's seventeen counties; however, since Cortez Masto won Clark County, which comprises nearly three-quarters of the state's population, she defeated Heck statewide by almost 27,000 votes, and became the first female and first Latina senator in Nevada's history. As of 2025, this would be the last time Washoe County voted for a Republican Senate candidate.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

  • Catherine Cortez Masto, former Nevada Attorney General
  • Bobby Mahendra
  • Liddo Susan O'Briant, instructional assistant
  • Allen Rheinhart, Black Lives Matter activist and candidate for governor in 2014

Withdrew

  • Harry Reid, incumbent U.S. senator

Declined

  • Shelley Berkley, former U.S. representative and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2012
  • Lucy Flores, former state assemblywoman and nominee for lieutenant governor in 2014 (lost primary for NV-04)
  • Steven Horsford, former U.S. representative
  • John Lee, Mayor of North Las Vegas, former state senator and candidate for NV-04 in 2012
  • Kate Marshall, former state treasurer of Nevada, nominee for Nevada's 2nd congressional district in 2011 and nominee for Secretary of State of Nevada in 2014
  • Ross Miller, former secretary of state of Nevada and nominee for Nevada Attorney General in 2014
  • Rory Reid, former Clark County Commissioner, nominee for governor in 2010 and son of U.S. Senator Harry Reid
  • Steve Sisolak, chairman of the Clark County Commission
  • Dina Titus, U.S. representative and nominee for Governor of Nevada in 2006 (running for re-election)

Democratic endorsements

Catherine Cortez Masto

U.S. presidents

U.S. vice presidents

U.S. Cabinet members and Cabinet-level officials

U.S. senators

  • Barbara Boxer, California
  • Sherrod Brown, Ohio
  • Richard Bryan, Nevada (former; also former governor of Nevada)
  • Kirsten Gillibrand, New York
  • Gary Peters, Michigan
  • Harry Reid, Nevada
  • Bernie Sanders, Vermont and 2016 presidential candidate
  • Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts

Statewide officials

State legislators

  • Barbara Buckley, former Speaker of the Nevada Assembly

Organizations

  • Bend the Arc Jewish Action PAC
  • Daily Kos
  • Democracy for America
  • Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
  • EMILY's List
  • Human Rights Campaign
  • League of Conservation Voters
  • Nevada Association of Public Safety Officers, Peace Officers Research of Nevada, the Fraternal Order of Police and the Southern Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs
  • NRDC Action Fund
  • Planned Parenthood

Results

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Catherine Cortez Masto 81,944 81.0%
Democratic Allen Rheinhart 5,645 6.0%
Democratic None of these candidates 5,498 5.0%
Democratic Liddo Susan O'Briant 4,834 5.0%
Democratic Bobby Mahendra 3,760 3.0%
Total votes 101,681 100.0%

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

  • Sharron Angle, former state assemblywoman, nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2010 and candidate for NV-02 in 2006
  • D'Nese Davis, artist and teacher
  • Eddie Hamilton, retired auto executive and perennial candidate
  • Joe Heck, U.S. representative
  • Thomas "Sad Tom" Heck, retired air force officer
  • Robert Leeds, author, retired Merchant Marine and perennial candidate
  • Carlo "Mazunga" Poliak, retired sanitation worker and perennial candidate
  • Juston Preble, sales consultant
  • Bill Tarbell, retired minister and candidate for governor in 2014

Withdrawn

  • Bob Beers, Las Vegas City Councilman, former state senator and candidate for governor in 2006

Declined

  • Mark Amodei, U.S. representative (running for re-election)
  • Greg Brower, state senator and former United States Attorney for the District of Nevada
  • Barbara Cegavske, Secretary of State of Nevada, former state senator and candidate for NV-04 in 2012
  • Heidi Gansert, former state assemblywoman and former chief of staff to Governor Brian Sandoval
  • Cresent Hardy, U.S. representative (lost re-election to NV-04)
  • Steve Hill, executive director of the Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development
  • Mark Hutchison, Lieutenant Governor of Nevada and former state senator
  • Ron Knecht, Nevada State Controller, former regent of the University of Nevada, Reno and former state assemblyman
  • Brian Krolicki, former lieutenant governor of Nevada
  • Adam Laxalt, Nevada Attorney General
  • Michael Roberson, Majority Leader of the Nevada Senate (running for NV-03)
  • Wayne Allyn Root, former member of the Libertarian National Committee and Libertarian Party nominee for Vice President of the United States in 2008
  • Brian Sandoval, Governor of Nevada
  • Dan Schwartz, state treasurer and candidate for NV-04 in 2012

Endorsements

Joe Heck

U.S. presidents

U.S. senators

  • Dean Heller, Nevada
  • Mitch McConnell, Kentucky and Senate Majority Leader

U.S. representatives

  • Mark Amodei, Nevada
  • Cresent Hardy, Nevada

Mayors

  • Carolyn Goodman, Las Vegas

Individuals

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Joe
Heck
Sharron
Angle
Other Undecided
Public Opinion Strategies March 28–30, 2016 500 ± 4.38% 67% 11% 3% 17%

Results

Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joe Heck 74,517 65.0%
Republican Sharron Angle 26,142 23.0%
Republican None of these candidates 3,902 3.0%
Republican Thomas Heck 3,570 3.0%
Republican Eddie Hamilton 2,507 2.0%
Republican D'Nese Davis 1,937 1.8%
Republican Bill Tarbell 1,179 1.0%
Republican Robert Leeds 662 0.6%
Republican Juston Preble 582 0.5%
Republican Carlo Poliak 279 0.2%
Total votes 114,827 100.0%

Independent American primary

Candidates

Declared

  • Tom Jones, retired businessman and perennial candidate

Libertarian primary

Candidates

Declined

  • Dennis Hof, owner of the Moonlite Bunny Ranch (running for the State Senate)

Independents

Candidates

Declared

  • Tony Gumina, physician and businessman
  • Tom Sawyer, retired railroad worker
  • G.A. Villa (not on final ballot)
  • Jarrod M. Williams, veteran

General election

Debates

Dates Location Cortez Masto Heck Link
October 14, 2016 North Las Vegas, Nevada Participant Participant

Predictions

Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report Tossup November 2, 2016
Sabato's Crystal Ball Lean D November 7, 2016
Rothenberg Political Report Tossup November 3, 2016
Daily Kos Lean D November 8, 2016
Real Clear Politics Tossup November 7, 2016

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin
of error
Catherine
Cortez Masto (D)
Joe
Heck (R)
None of These
Candidates
Other Undecided
SurveyMonkey November 1–7, 2016 1,207 (LV) ± 4.6% 50% 45% 5%
Gravis Marketing November 3–6, 2016 1,158 (LV) ± 2.9% 49% 43% 8%
SurveyMonkey October 31 – November 6, 2016 1,124 (LV) ± 4.6% 49% 46% 5%
Emerson College November 4–5, 2016 600 (LV) ± 3.9% 48% 47% 3% 1%
SurveyMonkey October 28 – November 3, 2016 1,016 (LV) ± 4.6% 49% 46% 5%
SurveyMonkey October 27 – November 2, 2016 937 (LV) ± 4.6% 48% 47% 5%
Public Policy Polling (D) October 31 – November 1, 2016 688 (LV) ± 3.7% 47% 44% 9%
JMC Analytics & Polling (R) October 28 – November 1, 2016 600 (LV) ± 4.0% 45% 43% 3% 1% 7%
The Times Picayune/Lucid October 28 – November 1, 2016 892 (LV) ± 3.0% 47% 41% 13%
CNN/ORC October 27 – November 1, 2016 790 (LV) ± 3.5% 47% 49% 3% 1%
860 (RV) 47% 48% 4% 1%
SurveyMonkey October 26 – November 1, 2016 994 (LV) ± 4.6% 47% 47% 6%
SurveyMonkey October 25–31, 2016 1,010 (LV) ± 4.6% 47% 47% 6%
Emerson College October 26–27, 2016 550 (LV) ± 4.1% 44% 48% 3% 6%
Gravis Marketing (R) October 25, 2016 875 (RV) ± 3.3% 50% 44% 6%
Marist College October 20–24, 2016 707 (LV) ± 3.7% 42% 49% 4% 5%
985 (RV) ± 3.1% 42% 47% 4% 6%
Bendixen & Amandi International October 20–23, 2016 800 (LV) ± 3.5% 45% 44% 2% 9%
Rasmussen Reports (R) October 20–22, 2016 826 (LV) ± 3.5% 43% 41% 7% 8%
Monmouth University October 14–17, 2016 413 (LV) ± 4.8% 42% 45% 5% 4% 4%
CNN/ORC October 10–15, 2016 698 (LV) ± 3.5% 52% 45% 2% 1%
862 (RV) 50% 44% 4% 2%
CBS News/YouGov October 12–14, 2016 996 (LV) ± 4.5% 39% 39% 4% 18%
JMC Analytics & Polling (R) October 10–13, 2016 600 (LV) ± 4.0% 40% 35% 4% 6% 16%
Public Opinion Strategies (R) October 11–12, 2016 600 (RV) ± 4.0% 44% 47% 2% 2% 5%
Clarity Campaign Labs (D) October 10–11, 2016 1,010 (LV) ± 3.1% 41% 40% 8% 11%
Public Policy Polling (D) October 10–11, 2016 986 (LV) ± 3.1% 43% 39% 18%
Emerson College October 2–4, 2016 700 (LV) ± 3.6% 41% 45% 7% 7%
Hart Research Associates (D) September 27 – October 2, 2016 700 (LV) ± 3.2% 46% 47% 7%
Bendixen & Amandi International September 27–29, 2016 800 (LV) ± 3.5% 45% 47% 8%
Suffolk University September 27–29, 2016 500 (LV) ± 4.4% 35% 38% 4% 5% 18%
Fox News September 18–20, 2016 704 (LV) ± 3.5% 36% 43% 5% 7% 8%
805 (RV) 34% 41% 8% 7% 10%
Rasmussen Reports (R) September 16–18, 2016 800 (LV) ± 4.0% 40% 44% 6% 11%
Insights West September 12–14, 2016 398 (LV) ± 4.9% 39% 43% 4% 14%
Monmouth University September 11–13, 2016 406 (LV) ± 4.9% 43% 46% 3% 4% 4%
GQR Research (D) September 6–8, 2016 600 (LV) ± 4.0% 49% 47% 4%
Marist College September 6–8, 2016 627 (LV) ± 3.9% 45% 47% 1% 7%
915 (RV) ± 3.2% 46% 45% 1% 8%
Public Policy Polling (D) September 6–7, 2016 815 (LV) ± 3.4% 42% 41% 16%
Suffolk University August 15–17, 2016 500 (LV) ± 4.4% 37% 37% 6% 6% 14%
CBS News/YouGov August 2–5, 2016 993 (LV) ± 4.6% 35% 38% 4% 23%
Rasmussen Reports (R) July 29–31, 2016 750 (LV) ± 4.0% 41% 42% 6% 11%
Rasmussen Reports (R) July 22–24, 2016 750 (LV) ± 4.0% 37% 46% 5% 12%
Monmouth University July 7–10, 2016 408 (LV) ± 4.9% 40% 42% 6% 6% 7%
GQR Research (D) June 11–20, 2016 300 (LV) ± 5.7% 41% 46%
Gravis Marketing May 24–25, 2016 1,637 (RV) ± 2.0% 45% 43% 12%
Gravis Marketing February 14–15, 2016 1,366 (LV) ± 3.0% 41% 44% 15%
Gravis Marketing December 23–27, 2015 909 (LV) ± 3.0% 37% 47% 16%
Public Policy Polling (D) July 13–14, 2015 677 (V) ± 3.8% 42% 41%
Hypothetical polling

with Harry Reid

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Harry
Reid (D)
Brian
Krolicki (R)
Other Undecided
Gravis Marketing February 21–22, 2015 955 ± 3% 45% 46% 8%
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Harry
Reid (D)
Adam
Laxalt (R)
Other Undecided
Gravis Marketing February 21–22, 2015 955 ± 3% 46% 48% 6%
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Harry
Reid (D)
Brian
Sandoval (R)
Other Undecided
Harper Polling July 26–29, 2014 602 ± 3.99% 43% 53% 4%

with Dina Titus

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Dina
Titus (D)
Sharron
Angle (R)
Other Undecided
Gravis Marketing March 27, 2015 850 ± 3% 54% 31% 14%
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Dina
Titus (D)
Adam
Laxalt (R)
Other Undecided
Gravis Marketing March 27, 2015 850 ± 3% 46% 44% 10%
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Dina
Titus (D)
Michael
Roberson (R)
Other Undecided
Gravis Marketing March 27, 2015 850 ± 3% 48% 41% 12%
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Dina
Titus (D)
Brian
Sandoval (R)
Other Undecided
Gravis Marketing March 27, 2015 850 ± 3% 37% 55% 8%

with Catherine Cortez Masto

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Catherine
Cortez Masto (D)
Sharron
Angle (R)
Other Undecided
Gravis Marketing February 14–15, 2016 1,366 ± 3% 46% 33% 21%
Gravis Marketing December 23–27, 2015 909 ± 3% 45% 32% 22%
Gravis Marketing March 27, 2015 850 ± 3% 53% 30% 17%
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Catherine
Cortez Masto (D)
Adam
Laxalt (R)
Other Undecided
Gravis Marketing March 27, 2015 850 ± 3% 44% 39% 17%
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Catherine
Cortez Masto (D)
Michael
Roberson (R)
Other Undecided
Gravis Marketing March 27, 2015 850 ± 3% 47% 35% 19%
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Catherine
Cortez Masto (D)
Brian
Sandoval (R)
Other Undecided
Gravis Marketing March 27, 2015 850 ± 3% 37% 53% 10%

Results

Cortez Masto won her bid to succeed Harry Reid 47% to 45%, or by 2.43%, running 0.01% better than Hillary Clinton.

United States Senate election in Nevada, 2016
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Catherine Cortez Masto 521,994 47.10% −3.19%
Republican Joe Heck 495,079 44.67% +0.12%
None of These Candidates 42,257 3.81% +1.56%
Independent American Tom Jones 17,128 1.55% +1.11%
Independent Thomas Sawyer 14,208 1.28% N/A
Independent Tony Gumina 10,740 0.97% N/A
Independent Jarrod Williams 6,888 0.62% N/A
Total votes 1,108,294 100.0% N/A
Democratic hold

By county

County Catherine Cortez Masto

Democratic

Joe Heck

Republican

None of these Candidates Tom Jones

Independent American

Thomas Sawyer

Independent

Tony Gumina

Independent

Jarrod Williams

Independent

Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # % # % # % # % # % # %
Carson City 9,741 39.24% 13,027 52.47% 895 3.61% 448 1.80% 358 1.44% 201 0.81% 156 0.63% -3,286 -13.23% 24,826
Churchill 2,240 20.56% 7,711 70.78% 352 3.23% 246 2.26% 192 1.76% 95 0.87% 58 0.53% -5,471 -50.22% 10,894
Clark 386,179 51.27% 303,734 40.32% 29,849 3.96% 11,307 1.50% 9,359 1.24% 7,985 1.06% 4,830 0.64% 82,445 10.95% 753,243
Douglas 8,410 30.42% 17,587 63.6% 767 2.77% 350 1.27% 282 1.02% 153 0.55% 101 0.37% -9,177 -33.19% 27,650
Elko 3,199 17.42% 13,462 73.29% 723 3.94% 394 3.1% 360 1.96% 135 0.74% 94 0.51% -10,263 -55.88% 18,367
Esmeralda 66 15.71% 312 74.29% 13 3.1% 22 5.24% 3 0.71% 4 0.95% 0 0.00% -246 -58.57% 420
Eureka 88 10.36% 692 81.51% 29 3.42% 16 1.88% 16 1.88% 5 0.59% 3 0.35% -604 -71.14% 849
Humboldt 1,406 20.57% 4,397 64.34% 235 3.44% 127 1.86% 126 1.84% 62 0.91% 31 0.45% -2,991 -43.77% 6,834
Lander 417 18.29% 1,704 74.74% 113 4.96% 54 2.37% 49 2.15% 23 1.01% 33 1.45% -1,287 -56.45% 2,280
Lincoln 315 14.85% 1,609 75.86% 91 4.29% 51 2.40% 27 1.27% 20 0.94% 8 0.38% -1,294 -61.01% 2,121
Lyon 6,323 26.82% 15,231 64.60% 780 3.31% 534 2.26% 375 1.59% 216 0.92% 119 0.50% -8,908 -37.78% 23,578
Mineral 627 31.54% 1,141 57.39% 89 4.48% 47 2.36% 45 2.26% 20 1.01% 19 0.96% -514 -25.85% 1,988
Nye 5,253 27.13% 11,611 59.97% 929 4.80% 747 3.86% 390 2.01% 248 1.28% 182 0.94% -6,358 -32.84% 19,360
Pershing 466 23.63% 1,286 65.21% 77 3.90% 67 3.40% 45 2.28% 19 0.96% 12 0.61% -800 -41.58% 1,972
Storey 791 31.10% 1,551 60.99% 83 3.26% 58 2.28% 34 1.34% 19 0.75% 7 0.28% -760 -29.89% 2,543
Washoe 95,750 46.04% 97,433 46.85% 7,064 3.40% 2,553 1.23% 2,453 1.18% 1,506 0.72% 1,198 0.58% -1,683 -0.81% 207,957
White Pine 723 19.29% 2,591 69.11% 168 4.48% 107 2.85% 94 2.51% 37 0.99% 29 0.77% -1,868 -49.82% 3,749
Totals 521,994 47.10% 495,079 44.67% 42,257 3.81% 17,128 1.55% 14,208 1.28% 10,740 0.97% 6,888 0.62% 26,915 2.43% 1,108,294
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
  • Mineral (largest municipality: Hawthorne)
  • Washoe (largest municipality: Reno)

By congressional district

Cortez Masto won two of four congressional districts, with the remaining two going to Heck, including one that elected a Democrat.

District Cortez Masto Heck Representative
1st 60% 30% Dina Titus
2nd 40% 53% Mark Amodei
3rd 45% 47% Joe Heck
Jacky Rosen
4th 49% 42% Cresent Hardy
Ruben Kihuen

See also

wikipedia, wiki, encyclopedia, book, library, article, read, free download, Information about 2016 United States Senate election in Nevada, What is 2016 United States Senate election in Nevada? What does 2016 United States Senate election in Nevada mean?