Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Nevada waits: Key U.S. Senate contest, other races still undecided

Democratic Victory Party

Wade Vandervort

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak wave to a crowd of supporters during the Democrats election day party on midterm Election Day Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.

Updated Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022 | 8:30 a.m.

Democrats election day party

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak stand together on stage during the Democrats election day party on midterm Election Day Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. Launch slideshow »

Voters at Galleria at Sunset

A line of voters snakes outside the Galleria at Sunset shopping mall in Henderson, Nev. Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. Voters leaving the mall were reporting wait times of 90 minutes to two hours. Launch slideshow »

Midterm Election at Desert Breeze Community Center

Las Vegas headliner Carrot Top poses for a photo while waiting in line to vote at Desert Breeze Community Center in Las Vegas on Election Day Tuesday Nov. 8, 2022. Launch slideshow »

Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak Votes

Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak votes on midterm Election Day at Rancho High School in North Las Vegas Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. Launch slideshow »

Nevadans woke up this morning still not knowing who had won some key elections, including closely contested races for U.S. Senate and governor. Both races remained too close to call.

With about 80% of expected votes counted, Democratic U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto was trailing Republican challenger Adam Laxalt by 22,595 votes, with an estimated 211,065 left to count. Laxalt was at 49.9% and Cortez Masto at 47.2%.

In the governor's race, Democratic incumbent Steve Sisolak had 45.8% of the vote compared to GOP challenger Joe Lombardo with 50.6%. Lombardo had 423,547 votes and Sisolak 383,385, with another estimated 211,348 left to tally.

The start of counting in Nevada was delayed Tuesday night, as long lines remained well after some polling places closed at 7 p.m. Additionally, election officials in Clark and Washoe counties — the state’s most populous — said mail-in ballots dropped off at polling sites or received in the mail Tuesday would not be counted until today at the earliest.

Some tight races might not be called until the weekend, as mail ballots postmarked by Tuesday have until Saturday to be delivered.

“We know this will take time, and we won’t have more election results for several days,” Cortez Masto said at a watch party at Encore on the Strip. “I am confident in this team. I’m confident in the campaign that we’ve built to win.”

The Cortez Masto-Laxalt race could determine which party controls the U.S. Senate, which is split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans, with Vice President Kamala Harris representing the tie-breaking vote and swinging the majority to the Democrats. Should Republicans pick up one additional seat, they will control the chamber.

In the battleground Pennsylvania race, Democrat John Fetterman beat Dr. Mehmet Oz, meaning the outcomes in Georgia and Nevada will determine the majority. The Senate race in Georgia between Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and challenger Herschel Walker appears to be in a dead heat and possibly heading toward a runoff, as neither candidate has reached the 50% threshold to win outright.

“We are not done yet,” Cortez Masto said. “Here’s one thing I know: Our positive energy got us to where we are today, and we are going to make sure that positive energy continues to flow this week. We are gonna get this done.”

Sisolak said the race for governor was expected to be a close one, "and that's exactly what we got...Hang in there, everybody. Be patient. We need to make sure every single vote is counted… and when that job is done, I believe we’re going to win this thing.”

The Sun attempted to cover the Republican watch party at Red Rock Resort but was told by officials there wasn’t enough space, despite being previously credentialed.

The Sun instead attended the watch party for Mark Robertson, the Republican challenging Dina Titus for a U.S. House seat in the 1st Congressional District. With 84% of the anticipated vote counted, Titus held a slim edge of 50.3% to 47.4%.

“If I’m chosen to be your representative in the next Congress, I pledge that I will govern the same way we ran this campaign — representation of the people, by the people, and for the people,” Robertson told about 100 supporters at The Pass in downtown Henderson.

Titus said she expected a tough race. “I thank the voters and all of you who volunteered your time and treasure to support this campaign," she said. "It’s no surprise that it could take some time to count all of the ballots, but I am humbled by the outpouring of support from across the district so far and we are confident about where things are headed.”

Some 1.1 million of the state’s roughly 1.8 million registered voters were expected to cast ballots over two-plus weeks of voting, with the margins of victory in some statewide contests are expected to be razor thin.

Election Day featured wind and rain throughout Las Vegas, forcing many voters to bring umbrellas and winter coats to the polls. But they weren’t deterred.

Voters leaving the Galleria at Sunset mall in Henderson during the final hours of voting said they waited in line for 60 to 90 minutes to cast their ballots.

The line at the Galleria was massive, stretching around the ground-level voting site and outside the building until a vacant store was opened to allow people to wait inside.

Major polling sites, such as the Galleria, Boulevard Mall and Desert Breeze Community Center, saw a steady stream of voters all day.

The midterms were expected by some to be a red wave for Republicans in Congress. But that’s far from the case, as the Senate hinges on what happens in Nevada and Georgia, and the U.S. House was still undecided — although it favored Republicans.

“It’s time to wake up because we have some victories around the country going on,” said U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev.

She added, “While the Democrats were delivering for Nevada, extreme Republicans went down the path of conspiracy theories and lies. “

The Sun’s Grace Da Rocha, Bryan Horwath and Casey Harrison contributed to this story.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.