The 2018 Nevada gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the next governor of Nevada. Incumbent Republican governor Brian Sandoval was ineligible to run for re-election due to the absolute two-term limit established by the Nevada Constitution. Nevada is one of eight U.S. states (or nine U.S. states and territory) that prohibits its governors or any other state and territorial executive branch officials from serving more than two terms, even if they are nonconsecutive.
The candidate filing deadline was March 16, 2018 and the primary election was held on June 12, 2018. The Republican nominee was Adam Laxalt and the Democratic nominee was Steve Sisolak. Sisolak won the election, becoming the first Democrat to be elected governor of Nevada since Bob Miller won his second full term in 1994, and the first non-incumbent Democrat to win since 1982. This was one of eight Republican-held governorships up for election in a state won by Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominated
- Adam Laxalt, Nevada Attorney General
Eliminated in primary
- William W. Boyd, small business owner
- Stephanie Carlisle, businesswoman
- Jared Fisher, small business owner
- Dan Schwartz, Nevada State Treasurer and candidate for NV-04 in 2012 (endorsed Laxalt)
Declined
- Mark Amodei, U.S. representative (ran for re-election and won)
- Joe Heck, former U.S. representative and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2016
- Dean Heller, U.S. senator (endorsed Laxalt and ran for re-election and lost)
- Steve Hill, former executive director of the Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development
- Mark Hutchison, lieutenant governor (endorsed Laxalt)
- Ron Knecht, Nevada State Controller (ran for re-election and lost)
- Brian Krolicki, former lieutenant governor
Endorsements
Adam Laxalt
U.S. executive branch officials
- Mike Pence, 48th vice president of the United States
- Donald Trump, 45th president of the United States
U.S. senators
- Dean Heller, U.S. senator
State officials
- Bob Barengo, former speaker of the Nevada Assembly (Democrat)
- Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida
- Mark Hutchison, 34th lieutenant governor of Nevada
- Bob List, former governor of Nevada
- Susana Martinez, governor of New Mexico
- Dan Schwartz, 22nd treasurer of Nevada and 2018 Republican primary candidate for governor
Local officials
- Randy Adams, Mineral County sheriff
- Jerry Allen, Pershing County Sheriff
- Chuck Allen, Washoe County sheriff
- Mike Allen, Humboldt County sheriff
- Gerald Antinoro, Storey County sheriff
- Bob Cashell, former mayor of Reno
- Tom Collins, former Clark County Commissioner (Democrat)
- Roy Edgington, Jr., Fernley mayor
- Kenneth Elgan, Esmeralda County sheriff
- Kenneth Furlong, Carson City sheriff
- Mike Giles, Lovelock mayor
- Oscar Goodman, former mayor of Las Vegas
- Dana Holbrook, Carlin mayor
- Chris Johnson, Elko mayor
- Kerry Lee, Lincoln County sheriff
- Al Litman, Mesquite mayor
- Keith Logan, Eureka County sheriff
- Al McNeil, Lyon County sheriff
- Ron Pierini, Douglas County sheriff
- James Pitts, Elko County sheriff
- Di An Putnam, Winnemucca mayor
- Tommy Rowe, Caliente mayor
- Ken Tedford, Fallon mayor
- Ben Trotter, Churchill County sheriff
- Ron Unger, Lander County sheriff
- Melody VanCamp, Ely mayor
- Dan Watts, White Pine County sheriff
- Sharon Wehrly, Nye County sheriff
- Rod Woodbury, Boulder City mayor
Individuals
- Dema Guinn, former First Lady of Nevada
Organizations
- Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce
- National Federation of Independent Business
- Nevada Veterans Association
- NRA Political Victory Fund
Newspapers
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominated
- Steve Sisolak, chair of the Clark County Commission
Eliminated in primary
- Kyle Chamberlain, activist and photographer
- Chris Giunchigliani, vice-chair of the Clark County Commission and candidate for mayor of Las Vegas in 2011
Declined
- Aaron Ford, Majority Leader of the Nevada Senate (ran for attorney general and won)
- Vince Juaristi, consultant and former gubernatorial aide
- Tick Segerblom, state senator (ran for Clark County Commission and won)
- Dina Titus, U.S. representative for Nevada's 1st congressional district and nominee for governor in 2006 (endorsed Sisolak and ran for re-election and won)
Endorsements
Steve Sisolak
Federal politicians
- Eric Holder, 82nd United States Attorney General (2009–2015)
- Jeff Merkley, U.S. senator from Oregon
- Barack Obama, 44th president of the United States (2009–2017), U.S. senator from Illinois (2005–2008)
- Harry Reid, U.S. senator from Nevada (1987–2017) and Senate Majority Leader (2007–2015)
- Dina Titus, U.S. representative from Nevada (3rd district: 2009–2011 and 1st district: 2013–present)
State legislators
- Julia Ratti, Nevada state senator (D-13)
City politicians
- Michael Bloomberg, 108th mayor of New York City (2002–2013) and founder of Bloomberg L.P. and gun control organizations
- Daniel Corona, mayor of West Wendover (2016–present)
- Hillary Schieve, 28th mayor of Reno (2014–present)
Independents
Declared
Endorsements
Ryan Bundy
Individuals
- Donna Cox, Nye County commissioner
- Ron Paul, former U.S. representative
General election
Endorsements
Adam Laxalt (R)
U.S. executive branch officials
- Mike Pence, 48th vice president of the United States (2017–2021)
- Donald Trump, 45th president of the United States (2017–2021)
U.S. senators
- Dean Heller, U.S. senator from Nevada (2011–2019) and former U.S. representative from Nevada's 2nd congressional district (2007–2011)
State officials
- Bob Barengo, former speaker of the Nevada Assembly (Democrat)
- Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida (1999–2007)
- Mark Hutchison, lieutenant governor of Nevada (2015–2019)
- Bob List, former governor of Nevada (1979–1983)
- Susana Martinez, governor of New Mexico (2011–2019)
- Dan Schwartz, 22nd treasurer of Nevada and 2018 Republican primary candidate for governor
Local officials
- Randy Adams, Mineral County sheriff
- Chuck Allen, Washoe County sheriff
- Jerry Allen, Pershing County sheriff
- Mike Allen, Humboldt County sheriff
- Gerald Antinoro, Storey County sheriff
- Bob Cashell, former mayor of Reno
- Tom Collins, former Clark County Commissioner (Democrat)
- Roy Edgington, Jr., Fernley mayor
- Kenneth Elgan, Esmeralda County sheriff
- Kenneth Furlong, Carson City sheriff
- Mike Giles, Lovelock mayor
- Oscar Goodman, former mayor of Las Vegas
- Dana Holbrook, Carlin mayor
- Chris Johnson, Elko mayor
- Kerry Lee, Lincoln County sheriff
- Al Litman, Mesquite mayor
- Keith Logan, Eureka County sheriff
- Al McNeil, Lyon County sheriff
- Ron Pierini, Douglas County sheriff
- James Pitts, Elko County sheriff
- Di An Putnam, Winnemucca mayor
- Tommy Rowe, Caliente mayor
- Ken Tedford, Fallon mayor
- Ben Trotter, Churchill County sheriff
- Ron Unger, Lander County sheriff
- Melody VanCamp, Ely mayor
- Dan Watts, White Pine County sheriff
- Sharon Wehrly, Nye County sheriff
- Rod Woodbury, Boulder City mayor
Individuals
- Dema Guinn, former First Lady of Nevada
Organizations
- Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce
- National Federation of Independent Business
- Nevada Veterans Association
- NRA Political Victory Fund
Newspapers
Steve Sisolak (D)
U.S. executive branch officials
- Joe Biden, 47th vice president of the United States (2009–2017), U.S. senator from Delaware (1973–2009)
- Hillary Clinton, U.S. senator from New York (2001–2009), 67th United States Secretary of State (2009–2013) and 2016 Democratic nominee for president
- Eric Holder, 82nd United States attorney general (2009–2015)
- Barack Obama, 44th president of the United States (2009–2017), U.S. senator from Illinois (2005–2008)
U.S. senators
- Catherine Cortez Masto, U.S. senator from Nevada (2017–present) and former Nevada Attorney General (2007–2015)
- Jeff Merkley, U.S. senator from Oregon (2009–present)
- Harry Reid, U.S. senator from Nevada (1987–2017) and Senate Majority Leader (2007–2015)
U.S. representatives
- Dina Titus, U.S. representative from Nevada's 1st congressional district (2013–present) and 3rd district (2009–2011)
State legislators
- Julia Ratti, Nevada state senator (D-13)
City politicians
- Michael Bloomberg, 108th mayor of New York City (2002–2013) and founder of Bloomberg L.P. and gun control organizations
- Daniel Corona, mayor of West Wendover (2016–present)
- Hillary Schieve, 28th mayor of Reno (2014–present)
Declined to endorse
- Brian Sandoval, 29th governor of Nevada (2011–2019)
Polling
%support01020304050605/24/20179/17/201810/26/201811/4/2018Adam LaxaltSteve SisolakJared LordNone of theseOther/UndecidedOpinion polling for the 2018 Nevada gubernat...
Results
While Sisolak only won two of the state's counties, those two counties account for more than 80% of the total state population. His overwhelming victory in Clark County, home of Las Vegas, and his narrow victory in Washoe County were enough to pull him over the finish line. Sisolak became the first Democrat to be elected Governor of Nevada since Bob Miller's successful re-election bid in 1994.
By county
While Laxalt won 15 of Nevada's county-level jurisdictions (14 counties and the independent city of Carson City), Sisolak carried the two largest, Clark (home to Las Vegas) and Washoe (home to Reno). Sisolak ultimately prevailed by winning his home county, Clark, by over 86,000 votes, double his statewide margin of 39,700 votes.
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
- Clark (largest municipality: Las Vegas)
- Washoe (largest municipality: Reno)
By congressional district
Sisolak won three of four congressional districts.