Senator Jacky Rosen, a Democrat from Nevada, secured her reelection early Saturday morning after the results indicated a decisive victory over her Republican opponent, Sam Brown. The Associated Press made the determination based on Rosen’s significant support in the state’s largest metropolitan areas, specifically Clark and Washoe counties.
As of 12:15 a.m. ET, the AP announced Rosen’s victory, noting that there were insufficient outstanding votes in rural regions to diminish the lead she established through her strong performance in Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, and Washoe County, home to Reno. This win marks an important retention for Rosen as she was among a group of Democratic senators facing considerable electoral challenges amidst a climate where control of the Senate was at stake. Despite her victory, she will resume her role as a member of the minority party in Washington, D.C., following the GOP’s acquisition of Senate control.
The Associated Press only declares a victor when it is clear that the trailing candidate cannot overcome the front-runner’s lead. In this particular race, the candidates faced were Rosen (D) and Brown (R), alongside two other minor candidates and an option of “None of these candidates.” The polls in Nevada closed at 10 p.m. ET.
Rosen’s reelection was crucial, especially considering that several Democratic senators were in precarious positions where losing any of them could have jeopardized the party’s grip on the Senate. She originally won her seat in 2018, defeating Republican Dean Heller by a margin of 5 percentage points. Her opponent, Brown, previously contended for the GOP nomination for another Senate seat in 2022 but finished significantly behind Adam Laxalt in the primary. A retired Army captain, Brown also survived a near-fatal incident involving a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. Throughout the campaign, Rosen outpaced Brown in both fundraising and expenditure, yet they arrived at the final stretch of the race nearly evenly matched regarding remaining funds.
In Nevada’s statewide elections, Democrats typically achieve victories in only two of the state’s 17 counties: Clark and Washoe. The ability to win in these areas is often dependent on the size of the victory margin. With Clark County holding the highest population in the state, a substantial lead there is critical to the Democrats’ electoral success; it accounted for 69% of the overall vote in the 2020 elections. Washoe County, while competitive, is a vital target for Democrats.
The AP called the race for Rosen based on consistent results from Clark and Washoe counties. Post-Election Day updates continued to show her leading in these areas, and historically, late-counted ballots in these counties do not trend toward Republican candidates. At the time of the AP’s race declaration, there were not sufficient votes remaining in other parts of the state to counterbalance her advantage in the two major counties.