Election Denier Secures GOP Nomination for Nevada Secretary of State
WHO:
ABC News - Jim Marchant won the Republican nomination for Nevada Secretary of State.
ABC News - Cisco Aguilar is the incumbent Democratic Secretary of State.
ABC News - Marchant previously lost to Democratic Rep. Steven Horsford in the 2020 election for Nevada’s 4th Congressional District.
ABC News - Six Nevada Republicans signed fake electoral certificates claiming Trump won the state in 2020.
WHAT:
ABC News - Marchant's victory in the GOP primary sets up a rematch with Aguilar in November, where he can potentially try to overturn the results of the 2028 presidential election.
ABC News - Marchant stated, “Despite being massively outspent in this election, I'm proud to again be chosen by Nevada conservatives to be their champion in the race for Secretary of State.”
ABC News - Aguilar ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.
ABC News - Marchant's campaign website outlines his desire to require paper ballots counted by hand.
ABC News - Marchant's victory in the GOP primary sets up a rematch with Aguilar in November.
ABC News - Marchant claimed that mail ballots were fraudulent despite using that method to vote in Florida.
ABC News - Marchant reported raising and spending no money ahead of the primary.
ABC News - Folkins-Roberts reported spending about $11,000, and Angle reported $20,000 in the primary.
ABC News - Marchant wants to eliminate electronic voting machines and end universal mail ballots if elected.
ABC News - Marchant called his win a “victory for voter ID.”
WHERE:
ABC News - The election is taking place in Nevada, a key presidential battleground state.
ABC News - Allegiant Stadium was organized as a polling location in 2024.
WHEN:
ABC News - The rematch between Marchant and Aguilar is scheduled for November.
ABC News - The winner will oversee the 2028 presidential election in Nevada.
WHY:
ABC News - Marchant has long questioned Nevada’s voting security and claimed he and Trump were victims of election fraud in 2020, despite officials finding no evidence of any widespread fraud.
ABC News - Marchant has long questioned Nevada’s voting security and claimed he and Trump were victims of election fraud in 2020.
ABC News - Aguilar has promoted efforts to streamline election processes and improve voter turnout.
HOW:
ABC News - Aguilar highlighted a bill he successfully helped steer through the Legislature that makes it a felony to harass election officials.
ABC News - Marchant's campaign website outlines his desire to require paper ballots counted by hand.
(UPDATED June 16, 2026 06:53 UTC)
Marchant's victory in the GOP primary sets the stage for a rematch with Aguilar in November, where he aims to challenge the results of the 2028 presidential election. Marchant expressed pride in being chosen by Nevada conservatives despite being heavily outspent, while Aguilar ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and emphasized his successful legislation making it a felony to harass election officials. Marchant's campaign is focused on requiring paper ballots counted by hand, reflecting his ongoing concerns about voting security in Nevada.
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(UPDATED June 16, 2026 04:24 UTC)
Jim Marchant has secured the Republican nomination for Nevada Secretary of State, setting up a rematch against incumbent Democrat Cisco Aguilar in the upcoming election in November. Marchant, who previously lost to Democratic Rep. Steven Horsford in the 2020 election, has been vocal about his concerns regarding voting security, claiming he and Trump were victims of election fraud that year, and he aims to eliminate electronic voting machines and universal mail ballots if elected. His campaign emphasizes a push for voter ID and a return to paper ballots counted by hand, reflecting his ongoing skepticism about the integrity of mail-in voting.