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. 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.
Declared Tony Atwood Jim Gibbons, incumbent governor Stan Lusak, perennial candidate Mike Montandon, Mayor of North Las Vegas Brian Sandoval, former judge of the United States District Court for the District of Nevada and former Nevada Attorney General
Withdrew Joe Heck, former state senator (ran for NV-03 and won)
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror JimGibbons MikeMontandon BrianSandoval UndecidedResearch 2000Research 2000 June 2, 2010 — — 27% 6% 48% —Mason Dixon/LVJRMason Dixon/LVJR May 10–11, 2010 — — 27% 6% 45% —Mason Dixon/LVJRMason Dixon/LVJR April 10, 2010 — — 25% 7% 39% —Mason Dixon/LVJRMason Dixon/LVJR February 22–24, 2010 — — 30% 9% 37% —Mason Dixon/LVJRMason Dixon/LVJR January 10, 2010 — — 23% 7%39% —Mason Dixon/LVJRMason Dixon/LVJR December 2009 — — 18% 6%39% —Mason Dixon/LVJRMason Dixon/LVJR October 8, 2009 — — 20% 4% 41% —Mason Dixon/LVJRMason Dixon/LVJR August 21, 2009 — — 17% 3% 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
Declined Barbara Buckley, Speaker of the Nevada Assembly
Polling
Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror BarbaraBuckley OscarGoodman RoryReid UndecidedMason Dixon/LVJR August 21, 2009 — — 25% 34% 13% — — — 43% — 22% —
Results
Other candidates
Independents
Declared Eugene "Gino" DiSimone Aaron Y. Honig
Declined Oscar Goodman, Mayor of Las Vegas
Green David Scott Curtis
Independent American Floyd Fitzgibbons
Libertarian Arthur Forest Lampitt
General election
Predictions Source Ranking As of Cook Political Report October 14, 2010 Rothenberg October 28, 2010 RealClearPolitics November 1, 2010 Sabato's Crystal Ball October 28, 2010 CQ Politics October 28, 2010
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror BrianSandoval (R) RoryReid (D) Other UndecidedRasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports October 5, 2010 — — 59% 41% — —Rasmussen Reports September 28, 2010 — — 49% 40% — —Public Opinion StrategiesPublic Opinion Strategies September 21–23, 2010 — — 45% 39% — —Rasmussen Reports September 21, 2010 — — 49% 35% — —CNN/Time MagazineCNN/Time Magazine September 10–14, 2010 — — 58% 31% — —Reuters/IpsosReuters/Ipsos September 10–12, 2010 — — 60% 31% — —Mason-DixonMason-Dixon September 9, 2010 — — 52% 36% — —Rasmussen Reports September 1, 2010 750 ± 4% 58% 33% 2% 7%Mason-DixonMason-Dixon August 23–25, 2010 — — 53% 31% — —Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports August 16, 2010 750 ± 4% 52% 36% 3% 8%Mason-DixonMason-Dixon August 11, 2010 — — 52% 36% — —Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports July 27, 2010 750 ± 4% 50% 40% 6% 4%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling July 16–18, 2010 — — 52% 38% — —Mason Dixon/LVJRMason Dixon/LVJR July 12–14, 2010 — — 47% 36% — —Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports July 12, 2010 750 ± 4% 57% 36% 3% 4%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports June 22, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 55% 33% 8% 4%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports June 9, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 54% 31% 3% 13%Research 2000 June 2, 2010 — — 51% 41% — —Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports April 27, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 53% 35% 12% 3%Mason Dixon/LVJR April 10, 2010 — — 50% 35% — —Rasmussen Reports March 31, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 55% 34% 6% 4%Rasmussen Reports March 3, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 53% 35% 7% 5%Mason Dixon/LVJR February 22–24, 2010 — — 51% 29% — —Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports February 3, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 45% 33% 11% 12%Mason Dixon/LVJRMason Dixon/LVJR January 10, 2010 — — 53% 31% — —Mason Dixon/LVJR December 4, 2009 — — 49% 35% — —Mason Dixon/LVJR October 8, 2009 — — 50% 33% — —
With Gibbons Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror JimGibbons (R) RoryReid (D) Other UndecidedResearch 2000 June 2, 2010 — — 31% 52% — —Rasmussen Reports April 27, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 37% 47% 12% 3%Mason Dixon/LVJR April 10, 2010 — — 40% 42% — —Rasmussen Reports March 31, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 45% 43% 8% 4%Rasmussen Reports March 3, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 36% 44% 15% 4%Mason Dixon/LVJR February 22–24, 2010 — — 38% 42% — —Rasmussen Reports February 3, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 35% 44% 13% 8%Mason Dixon/LVJRMason Dixon/LVJR December 2009 — — 34% 48% — —Mason Dixon/LVJR October 8, 2009 — — 37% 49% — —Mason Dixon/LVJR August 21, 2009 — — 35% 47% — —
With Montandon Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror MikeMontandon (R) RoryReid (D) Other UndecidedResearch 2000 June 2, 2010 — — 40% 43% — —Rasmussen Reports April 27, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 45% 39% 9% 8%Rasmussen Reports March 31, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 45% 38% 9% 8%Rasmussen Reports March 3, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 42% 37% 13% 8%Rasmussen Reports February 3, 2010 500 ± 4.5% 36% 40% 14% 10%
Results
By county County Brian SandovalRepublican Rory ReidDemocratic None ofThese Candidates Eugene DiSimoneIndependent Floyd FitzgibbonsIndependent American Arthur Forest Lampitt Jr.Libertarian David Scott CurtisGreen Aaron Y. HonigIndependent Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # % # % # % # % # % # %Carson City11,51259.06%6,67634.25%5112.62%2671.37%2081.07%1150.59%1320.68%710.36%4,83624.81%19,492Churchill6,58674.19%1,69719.12%1671.88%1171.32%1451.63%600.68%570.64%480.54%4,88955.07%8,877Clark224,75148.61%217,11346.96%7,0081.52%3,5980.78%2,3470.51%2,8370.61%2,5470.55%2,1710.47%7,6381.65%462,372Douglas15,00169.10%5,34524.62%3961.82%3281.51%2311.06%1390.64%1920.88%760.35%9,65644.48%21,708Elko9,48973.97%2,19417.10%3212.50%1591.24%3943.07%1020.80%990.77%710.55%7,29556.86%12,829Esmeralda28972.61%4812.06%205.03%61.51%112.76%123.02%71.76%51.26%24160.55%398Eureka59778.97%7610.05%314.10%91.19%202.65%121.59%101.32%10.13%52168.92%756Humboldt3,56471.61%99419.97%1202.41%841.69%1162.33%501.00%230.46%260.52%2,57051.64%4,977Lander1,44976.42%27714.61%613.22%281.48%331.74%160.84%201.05%120.63%1,17261.81%1,896Lincoln1,38170.93%38019.52%723.70%170.87%482.47%261.34%120.62%110.56%1,00151.41%1,947Lyon11,93768.46%4,33124.84%3401.95%2261.30%2661.53%1130.65%1390.80%850.49%7,60643.62%17,437Mineral1,13659.88%55629.31%894.69%361.90%432.27%100.53%180.95%90.47%58030.57%1,897Nye8,82961.49%4,22429.42%2892.01%2211.54%3492.43%2061.43%1441.00%970.68%4,60532.07%14,359Pershing1,14065.86%39622.88%854.91%321.85%422.43%100.58%110.64%150.87%74442.98%1,731Storey1,35563.70%61528.91%532.49%351.65%261.22%140.66%221.03%70.33%74034.79%2,127Washoe81,07357.72%52,73037.54%2,5551.82%1,1560.82%6850.49%8110.58%9700.69%4880.35%28,34320.18%140,468White Pine2,26169.40%51915.93%1133.47%842.58%852.61%1394.27%341.04%230.71%1,74253.47%3,258Totals382,35053.36%298,17141.61%12,2311.71%6,4030.89%5,0490.70%4,6720.65%4,4370.62%3,2160.45%84,17911.75%716,529
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Clark (largest municipality: Las Vegas)
See also 2010 United States gubernatorial elections
Notes
References
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)