Nevada GOP Faces Choice: Trump-endorsed or Seasoned Candidate?

WHO:

ABC News - Republican Rep. Mark Amodei announced his retirement.

ABC News - Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo is backing former state Sen. James Settelmeyer.

ABC News - Retired Lt. Col. David Flippo is a candidate who has never held elected office but has the endorsement of Trump.

ABC News - Trump endorsed Flippo last week.

ABC News - Settelmeyer was a co-chair of Trump's 2024 Nevada campaign.

ABC News - Political science professors Jeremy Gelman and Fred Lokken provided insights on the race.

WHAT:

ABC News - The primary is testing Republican voters' appetite for a veteran politician or a newcomer with Trump's backing.

ABC News - The primary is scheduled for Tuesday.

ABC News - Settelmeyer has nearly two decades of political experience.

ABC News - Flippo has focused his attacks on Settelmeyer’s voting record.

ABC News - Flippo stated, “I’m strong on my values, I’m stronger on the conservative principles, and I don’t have the voting record."

ABC News - Settelmeyer emphasized the importance of choosing a representative who understands northern Nevada.

WHERE:

ABC News - The congressional seat is in Nevada's 2nd District, covering all of northern Nevada.

ABC News - Washoe County, home to Reno, is a swing county in the district.

WHEN:

ABC News - The primary election is on Tuesday.

WHY:

ABC News - The race is seen as a test of Trump's influence over Republican voters.

ABC News - Democrats aim to flip the seat, believing Flippo's ties to Trump could alienate nonpartisan voters.

HOW:

ABC News - Flippo entered the race after well-known conservative figures declined to run.

ABC News - Settelmeyer has pledged to regularly commute back to Nevada from Washington.

ABC News - Flippo has the backing of national Republicans affiliated with Trump's MAGA movement.

(UPDATED June 5, 2026 08:19 UTC)

Republican Rep. Mark Amodei has announced his retirement, prompting a competitive primary in Nevada's 2nd District, where former state Sen. James Settelmeyer is backed by Governor Joe Lombardo and has nearly two decades of political experience. Retired Lt. Col. David Flippo, who has never held elected office but is endorsed by Trump, is challenging Settelmeyer, focusing his campaign on the latter's voting record while asserting his strong conservative values. The primary election is scheduled for Tuesday, and it will serve as a crucial test of Trump's influence over Republican voters, with Democrats hoping to capitalize on Flippo's ties to Trump to attract nonpartisan voters.