2010 Nevada gubernatorial election explained

See also: 2010 United States gubernatorial elections.

Election Name:	2010 Nevada gubernatorial election
Country:	Nevada
Type:	presidential
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	2006 Nevada gubernatorial election
Previous Year:	2006
Next Election:	2014 Nevada gubernatorial election
Next Year:	2014
Election Date:	November 2, 2010
Image1:	File:Brian Sandoval 2010 (cropped).jpg
Nominee1:	Brian Sandoval
Party1:	Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:	382,350
Percentage1:	53.36%
Nominee2:	Rory Reid
Party2:	Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:	298,170
Percentage2:	41.61%
Map Size:	250px
Governor
Before Election:	Jim Gibbons
Before Party:	Republican Party (United States)
After Election:	Brian Sandoval
After Party:	Republican Party (United States)

The 2010 Nevada gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010, to elect the Governor of Nevada, who would serve a four-year term to begin on January 3, 2011. Despite speculation that incumbent Republican Governor Jim Gibbons would not run for a second term due to low approval ratings, he ran for re-election.^{[1] [2] [3]} He struggled in the polls, and ultimately federal judge and former Attorney General of Nevada Brian Sandoval secured the nomination. Sandoval defeated Democrat Rory Reid, son of then-current U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who won his fifth term in the Senate on the same ballot.

Republican primary

Candidates

A total of five Republican candidates filed with the Secretary of State of Nevada and qualified for the ballot.^[4]

Declared

• Tony Atwood
• Jim Gibbons, incumbent Governor^[5]
• Stan Lusak, perennial candidate
• Mike Montandon, Mayor of North Las Vegas^[6]
• Brian Sandoval, former judge of the United States District Court for the District of Nevada and former Nevada Attorney General^[7]

Withdrew

• Joe Heck, former State Senator (ran for NV-03 and won)

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	class=small	Sample size	Margin of error	Jim Gibbons	Mike Montandon	Brian Sandoval	Undecided
Research 2000	June 2, 2010	—	—	27%	6%	align=center	48%	—
Mason Dixon/LVJR	May 10–11, 2010	—	—	27%	6%	align=center	45%	—
Mason Dixon/LVJR	April 10, 2010	—	—	25%	7%	align=center	39%	—
Mason Dixon/LVJR	February 22–24, 2010	—	—	30%	9%	align=center	37%	—
Mason Dixon/LVJR	January 10, 2010	—	—	23%	7%	align=center	39%	—
Mason Dixon/LVJR	December 2009	—	—	18%	6%	align=center	39%	—
Mason Dixon/LVJR	October 8, 2009	—	—	20%	4%	align=center	41%	—
Mason Dixon/LVJR	August 21, 2009	—	—	17%	3%	align=center	33%	—

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Two Democratic candidates filed with the Secretary of State of Nevada and qualified for the ballot.

Declared

• Frederick Conquest, anthropology professor
• Rory Reid, Clark County Commissioner and son of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid^[8]

Declined

• Barbara Buckley, Speaker of the Nevada Assembly^[9]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	class=small	Sample size	Margin of error	Barbara Buckley	Oscar Goodman	Rory Reid	Undecided
Mason Dixon/LVJR	August 21, 2009	—	—	25%	align=center	34%	13%	—
		—	—	align=center	43%	—	22%	—

Results

Other candidates

Independents

Declared

• Eugene "Gino" DiSimone
• Aaron Y. Honig

Declined

• Oscar Goodman, Mayor of Las Vegas^[10]

Green

• David Scott Curtis

Independent American

• Floyd Fitzgibbons

Libertarian

• Arthur Forest Lampitt

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
Cook Political Report^[11]		October 14, 2010
Rothenberg^[12]		October 28, 2010
RealClearPolitics^[13]		November 1, 2010
Sabato's Crystal Ball^[14]		October 28, 2010
CQ Politics^[15]		October 28, 2010

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	class=small	Sample size	Margin of error	Brian Sandoval (R)	Rory Reid (D)	Other	Undecided
Rasmussen Reports	October 5, 2010	—	—	align=center	59%	41%	—	—
Rasmussen Reports	September 28, 2010	—	—	align=center	49%	40%	—	—
Public Opinion Strategies	September 21–23, 2010	—	—	align=center	45%	39%	—	—
Rasmussen Reports	September 21, 2010	—	—	align=center	49%	35%	—	—
CNN/Time Magazine	September 10–14, 2010	—	—	align=center	58%	31%	—	—
Reuters/Ipsos	September 10–12, 2010	—	—	align=center	60%	31%	—	—
Mason-Dixon	September 9, 2010	—	—	align=center	52%	36%	—	—
Rasmussen Reports	September 1, 2010	750	± 4%	align=center	58%	33%	2%	7%
Mason-Dixon	August 23–25, 2010	—	—	align=center	53%	31%	—	—
Rasmussen Reports	August 16, 2010	750	± 4%	align=center	52%	36%	3%	8%
Mason-Dixon	August 11, 2010	—	—	align=center	52%	36%	—	—
Rasmussen Reports	July 27, 2010	750	± 4%	align=center	50%	40%	6%	4%
Public Policy Polling	July 16–18, 2010	—	—	align=center	52%	38%	—	—
Mason Dixon/LVJR	July 12–14, 2010	—	—	align=center	47%	36%	—	—
Rasmussen Reports	July 12, 2010	750	± 4%	align=center	57%	36%	3%	4%
Rasmussen Reports	June 22, 2010	500	± 4.5%	align=center	55%	33%	8%	4%
Rasmussen Reports	June 9, 2010	500	± 4.5%	align=center	54%	31%	3%	13%
Research 2000	June 2, 2010	—	—	align=center	51%	41%	—	—
Rasmussen Reports	April 27, 2010	500	± 4.5%	align=center	53%	35%	12%	3%
Mason Dixon/LVJR	April 10, 2010	—	—	align=center	50%	35%	—	—
Rasmussen Reports	March 31, 2010	500	± 4.5%	align=center	55%	34%	6%	4%
Rasmussen Reports	March 3, 2010	500	± 4.5%	align=center	53%	35%	7%	5%
Mason Dixon/LVJR	February 22–24, 2010	—	—	align=center	51%	29%	—	—
Rasmussen Reports	February 3, 2010	500	± 4.5%	align=center	45%	33%	11%	12%
Mason Dixon/LVJR	January 10, 2010	—	—	align=center	53%	31%	—	—
Mason Dixon/LVJR	December 4, 2009	—	—	align=center	49%	35%	—	—
Mason Dixon/LVJR	October 8, 2009	—	—	align=center	50%	33%	—	—

With Gibbons

Poll source	Date(s) administered	class=small	Sample size	Margin of error	Jim Gibbons (R)	Rory Reid (D)	Other	Undecided
Research 2000	June 2, 2010	—	—	31%	align=center	52%	—	—
Rasmussen Reports	April 27, 2010	500	± 4.5%	37%	align=center	47%	12%	3%
Mason Dixon/LVJR	April 10, 2010	—	—	40%	align=center	42%	—	—
Rasmussen Reports	March 31, 2010	500	± 4.5%	align=center	45%	43%	8%	4%
Rasmussen Reports	March 3, 2010	500	± 4.5%	36%	align=center	44%	15%	4%
Mason Dixon/LVJR	February 22–24, 2010	—	—	38%	align=center	42%	—	—
Rasmussen Reports	February 3, 2010	500	± 4.5%	35%	align=center	44%	13%	8%
Mason Dixon/LVJR	December 2009	—	—	34%	align=center	48%	—	—
Mason Dixon/LVJR	October 8, 2009	—	—	37%	align=center	49%	—	—
Mason Dixon/LVJR	August 21, 2009	—	—	35%	align=center	47%	—	—

With Montandon

Poll source	Date(s) administered	class=small	Sample size	Margin of error	Mike Montandon (R)	Rory Reid (D)	Other	Undecided
Research 2000	June 2, 2010	—	—	40%	align=center	43%	—	—
Rasmussen Reports	April 27, 2010	500	± 4.5%	align=center	45%	39%	9%	8%
Rasmussen Reports	March 31, 2010	500	± 4.5%	align=center	45%	38%	9%	8%
Rasmussen Reports	March 3, 2010	500	± 4.5%	align=center	42%	37%	13%	8%
Rasmussen Reports	February 3, 2010	500	± 4.5%	36%	align=center	40%	14%	10%

County results

County	Brian Sandoval Republican		Rory Reid Democratic		None of These Candidates		Eugene DiSimone Independent		Floyd Fitzgibbons Independent American		Arthur Forest Lampitt, Jr. Libertarian		David Scott Curtis Green		Aaron Y. Honig Independent		Margin		Total votes cast
		%		%		%		%		%		%		%		%		%
	Carson City		11,512		59.06%		6,676		34.25%		511		2.62%		267		1.37%	208	1.07%		115		0.59%		132		0.68%		71		0.36%		4,836		24.81%		19,492
	Churchill		6,586		74.19%		1,697		19.12%		167		1.88%		117		1.32%	145	1.63%		60		0.68%		57		0.64%		48		0.54%		4,889		55.07%		8,877
	Clark		224,751		48.61%		217,113		46.96%		7,008		1.52%		3,598		0.78%	2,347	0.51%		2,837		0.61%		2,547		0.55%		2,171		0.47%		7,638		1.65%		462,372
	Douglas		15,001		69.10%		5,345		24.62%		396		1.82%		328		1.51%	231	1.06%		139		0.64%		192		0.88%		76		0.35%		9,656		44.48%		21,708
	Elko		9,489		73.97%		2,194		17.10%		321		2.50%		159		1.24%	394	3.07%		102		0.80%		99		0.77%		71		0.55%		7,295		56.86%		12,829
	Esmeralda		289		72.61%		48		12.06%		20		5.03%		6		1.51%	11	2.76%		12		3.02%		7		1.76%		5		1.26%		241		60.55%		398
	Eureka		597		78.97%		76		10.05%		31		4.10%		9		1.19%	20	2.65%		12		1.59%		10		1.32%		1		0.13%		521		68.92%		756
	Humboldt		3,564		71.61%		994		19.97%		120		2.41%		84		1.69%	116	2.33%		50		1.00%		23		0.46%		26		0.52%		2,570		51.64%		4,977
	Lander		1,449		76.42%		277		14.61%		61		3.22%		28		1.48%	33	1.74%		16		0.84%		20		1.05%		12		0.63%		1,172		61.81%		1,896
	Lincoln		1,381		70.93%		380		19.52%		72		3.70%		17		0.87%	48	2.47%		26		1.34%		12		0.62%		11		0.56%		1,001		51.41%		1,947
	Lyon		11,937		68.46%		4,331		24.84%		340		1.95%		226		1.30%	266	1.53%		113		0.65%		139		0.80%		85		0.49%		7,606		43.62%		17,437
	Mineral		1,136		59.88%		556		29.31%		89		4.69%		36		1.90%	43	2.27%		10		0.53%		18		0.95%		9		0.47%		580		30.57%		1,897
	Nye		8,829		61.49%		4,224		29.42%		289		2.01%		221		1.54%	349	2.43%		206		1.43%		144		1.00%		97		0.68%		4,605		32.07%		14,359
	Pershing		1,140		65.86%		396		22.88%		85		4.91%		32		1.85%	42	2.43%		10		0.58%		11		0.64%		15		0.87%		744		42.98%		1,731
	Storey		1,355		63.70%		615		28.91%		53		2.49%		35		1.65%	26	1.22%		14		0.66%		22		1.03%		7		0.33%		740		34.79%		2,127
	Washoe		81,073		57.72%		52,730		37.54%		2,555		1.82%		1,156		0.82%	685	0.49%		811		0.58%		970		0.69%		488		0.35%		28,343		20.18%		140,468
	White Pine		2,261		69.40%		519		15.93%		113		3.47%		84		2.58%	85	2.61%		139		4.27%		34		1.04%		23		0.71%		1,742		53.47%		3,258
Totals	382,350	53.36%	298,171	41.61%	12,231	1.71%	6,403	0.89%	5,049	0.70%	4,672	0.65%	4,437	0.62%	3,216	0.45%	84,179	11.75%	716,529

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Clark (largest municipality: Las Vegas)

See also

• 2010 United States gubernatorial elections

External links

• Nevada Secretary of State – Election Center
• Nevada Governor Candidates at Project Vote Smart
• Campaign contributions for 2010 Nevada Governor from Follow the Money
• Nevada Governor 2010 from OurCampaigns.com
• 2010 Nevada Gubernatorial General Election: All Head-to-Head Matchups graph of multiple polls from Pollster.com
• Election 2010: Nevada Governor from Rasmussen Reports
• 2010 Nevada Governor Race from Real Clear Politics
• 2010 Nevada Governor's Race from CQ Politics
• Race Profile in The New York Times
• Election 2010 from Vegas PBS

Debate

• Nevada Governor Debate, C-SPAN, August 29, 2010 (57:49)
• Nevada Governor Debate, C-SPAN, October 7, 2010 (58:42)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Gentry . Dana . 2008-06-04 . Consultants: No second term for Gibbons . 2008-01-01 . Las Vegas Sun.
2. Web site: Vogel . Ed . 2008-06-13 . GOVERNING NEVADA: Disregard divorce, poll says . 2009-01-01 . Las Vegas Review-Journal.
3. News: Schwartz . David McGrath . 2009-07-19 . With scant crew, Gibbons reelection campaign sets sail . . 2010-05-05.
4. Web site: 2010 Filed Candidates . . 2010-05-06 .
5. News: Rory Reid lays ground for run for governor. Las Vegas Sun. David. McGrath Schwartz. 2008-09-21. 2009-01-01.
6. Web site: RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR: Montandon takes aim at Gibbons - News - ReviewJournal.com . Lvrj.com . 2009-07-01 . 2010-08-21.
7. Web site: Damon . Anjeanette . Sandoval: I am running for governor . . 2009-09-15 . https://archive.today/20130201145041/http://www.rgj.com/section/blogs01?plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog:47c0e9e3-2bcd-439f-8b7a-bfc5884a1123Post:ef653dd9-c649-45b7-9be5-27fce0ac4654&plckCommentSortOrder=TimeStampAscending&sid=sitelife.rgj.com . dead . 2013-02-01 . 2009-09-16 .
8. News: Harry Reid's son enters Nevada gubernatorial race. October 14, 2009. October 15, 2009. CNN.
9. Web site: Buckley passes on a run for Nevada governor - News - ReviewJournal.com . Lvrj.com . 2009-09-12 . 2010-08-21.
10. News: Top of the Ticket . Los Angeles Times . January 25, 2010 . May 20, 2010.
11. Web site: 2010 Governors Race Ratings . https://web.archive.org/web/20101028141343/http://cookpolitical.com/charts/governors/raceratings_2010-10-14_12-35-09.php . dead . October 28, 2010 . . October 28, 2010.
12. Web site: Governor Ratings . . October 28, 2010.
13. Web site: 2010 Governor Races . . October 28, 2010.
14. Web site: THE CRYSTAL BALL'S FINAL CALLS . . October 28, 2010.
15. Web site: Race Ratings Chart: Governor . . October 28, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101005231611/http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=ratings-governor . October 5, 2010 .