Which Candidates Will Get Through the Primary on June 9th?
Here are my picks for winners in the contested races in the upcoming primary election. I predict that these candidates will face off in the general election in November.
This is for Northern Nevada, Washoe County, and the City of Reno, for races with primary challengers. I will pick the winners for the general election after the primary.
Congressional District 2
Northern Nevada’s open 2nd Congressional District race has become one of the most contested in the state following Republican Congressman Mark Amodei’s retirement.
James Settelmeyer - Republican former Nevada State Senator and longtime rancher from Douglas County, known for conservative positions on water and land use issues. He has the endorsement of Amodei.
Website: James Settelmeyer Campaign
Teresa Benitez-Thompson - Democratic former Nevada Assembly Majority Leader representing Reno/Sparks, known for work on education, healthcare, and labor-backed legislation.
Website: Teresa Benitez-Thompson Campaign
Greg Kidd was an early Democrat entrant, but he now has a host of competitors.
Nevada Governor
Nevada’s 2026 governor’s race is one of the most competitive contests, with incumbent Joe Lombardo facing Attorney General Aaron Ford in what early polling shows as a dead heat.
Joe Lombardo - Republican incumbent Governor of Nevada and former Clark County Sheriff. His platform has emphasized public safety, economic growth, education reform, and a business-friendly approach.
Website: Joe Lombardo for Governor
Aaron Ford - Democratic Nevada Attorney General and former State Senate Majority Leader. His campaign has focused on affordability, housing, consumer protection, education, and labor support.
Website: Aaron Ford for Governor
Past winners for governor previously held statewide office. No one has jumped from local office to the governorship. This makes Lombardo and Ford the likely primary winners.
Attorney General
Adriana Guzmán Fralick - Republican attorney and former federal prosecutor. Running on a law-and-order and public integrity platform.
Website: Adriana Guzmán Fralick Campaign
Nicole Cannizzaro - Democratic Nevada Senate Majority Leader and former prosecutor. A figure in Carson City with strong support from labor and education.
Website: Nicole Cannizzaro Campaign
Secretary of State
Sharon Angle - Republican, longtime activist and former Nevada Assemblywoman, best known for her 2010 U.S. Senate run against Harry Reid.
Website: Vote Sharon Angle
Cisco Aguilar - Democrat incumbent Nevada Secretary of State, and a former attorney and business executive who has focused his tenure on election modernization.
Website: SoS Cisco Aguilar
Assembly District 25
Michael Ginsburg - Republican businessman and community advocate running on economic and public safety issues in the Reno area.
Website: Michael Ginsburg Campaign
Selena La Rue Hatch - Democratic incumbent Assemblymember. Former educator focused on education funding, housing, and healthcare.
Website: Selena La Rue Hatch Campaign
I wrote about Hatch in this article. She has a large coalition that helps her to win.
Reno Mayor
Kathleen Taylor - Current Reno Ward 1 councilmember. Small business owner emphasizing “back to basics” government, public safety, and budget management.
Website: Kathleen Taylor for Reno Mayor
Kate Marshall - Former Nevada State Treasurer and former Lieutenant Governor. Known for her fiscal management background and long history in Nevada politics.
Website: Kate Marshall for Mayor
The race has heated up since I wrote this, and the front-runners have become more obvious.
Reno Ward 2
Summer Pellett - Construction business owner and neighborhood-focused candidate emphasizing housing, infrastructure, and quality-of-life concerns in Ward 2.
Website: Summer Pellett Campaign
Matt Johnson - Former small business owner candidate focused on development, public safety, and economic growth in Reno’s urban core.
Website: Matt Johnson Campaign
I covered Reno Ward 2 in this article. We have two strong contenders.
Washoe County District 2
Mike Clark - Republican incumbent County Commissioner, known for speaking out about property rights and skepticism toward expanding county regulation.
Website: Mike Clark Campaign
Marie Rodriguez—a Democratic candidate focused on neighborhood planning, affordability, and community services—is also the mother of Joe Rodriguez.
Website: Marie Rodriquez Campaign
Mike Clark has a challenger, but he is the incumbent with a history of speaking out.
Washoe County District 5
Tammy Holt-Still - Republican candidate emphasizing rural representation, water rights, and growth management.
Website: Tammy Holt-Still Campaign
Brian Wadsworth - Democratic candidate and community advocate focused on infrastructure, public services, and balanced growth.
Website: Brian Wadsworth Campaign
Take the Poll
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Good morning this is Rob Pierce. Rob for Washoe.com. I would love to have a conversation with you or anyone about my campaign. I have worked hard to represent the wishes of the people of Washoe County for years. I am the only veteran running and I have been and I am currently involved with matters that people care about for years, and I have the heavy endorsements from numerous people. My campaign isn’t about going negative it’s about how my experience can help people of Washoe County. I am currently active as I am in 7 different boards of influence in Washoe county. I appreciate your commitment to the people of our area but with my experience and my history of public service, i honestly believe I am by far the best candidate. My positions are all advisory i can’t set policies that’s the job of a Commisioner. That’s one of the reasons I am running. Look up my campaign and make an educated decision. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. I’m the candidate that cares. I will always be there for you. I’m not in this for me.
I think this is a pretty good estimate of who will actually win.
Now, who I WANT to win,
Federal
Representative in Congress, District 2: James A. Settlemeyer
Statewide
Governor: Joseph Lombardo
Secretary of State: Shirley A. Folkins-Roberts
State Treasurer: Jeff Carter
Attorney General: Adriana Guzmán Fralick
County
Washoe County District Attorney: Chris Hicks
City of Reno
Reno Mayor: Kathleen Taylor
I am right-leaning, but not MAGA. I tend to support practical, grounded Republicans and candidates who seem focused on competence, local issues, public safety, and functioning government over political theater. I’m not interested in extremes. I want leaders who can actually govern, communicate clearly, and serve the public without turning every office into a culture-war battleground.