Senator Dean Heller takes the stage at the South Point with his family to thank all the supporters as he concedes to Jacky Rosen for Senate, Tuesday Nov. 6, 2018.
Wednesday, May 26, 2021 | 11:59 a.m.
CARSON CITY — Former Nevada U.S. Sen. Dean Heller is preparing for a 2022 gubernatorial run, according to a Politico report.
The report notes that Heller has set up meetings with GOP leaders and major donors at the Republican Governors Association conference in Tennessee this week to gather support for a political comeback.
Heller, who previously served as the representative for Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District and as a U.S. senator, lost his bid for reelection in the 2018 midterm elections to now-Sen. Jacky Rosen.
Heller has kept a low profile since his 2018 defeat, though his name has recently entered the rumor mill around the 2022 race for governor.
If Heller enters the fray, he’s set up for a primary fight.
Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo and North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee have also declared their candidacies. Northern Nevada U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei is still mulling a potential run.
Republicans are seeking to unseat Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak, who won his 2018 election by 4 percentage points.
Official filing dates for the race are not until March 2022.
