Congressman Steven Horsford, D-Nev., waits for the start of an event with President Joe Biden sat UNLV Wednesday, March 15, 2023.
Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023 | 12:53 p.m.
U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., has a challenger.
Retired Air Force Lt. Col. David Flippo, a Republican, is holding a campaign kickoff event at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Cannery in North Las Vegas, according to an email from his campaign.
Thursday’s event rounds out a week of stops that included speaking engagements in Amargosa Valley, Pahrump, Beatty, Tonopah, Caliente, Mesquite and Moapa Valley, according to his campaign website.
“I want Nevadans to know that my lifetime of effective leadership will work for you in Congress,” Flippo said in the email.
“Nevada Democrats are loyal only to Biden & Left-wing special interests, and have failed our people. As your Congressman, I will be a strong leader, fighting for the American people as I have my entire career,” he said.
Flippo was a combat commander in charge of more than 1,000 airmen and operated three bases in Iraq, according to his campaign website.
After retiring from the Air Force, he worked for 10 years with petroleum giant BP, where he helped develop a “preventive maintenance program for the entire north slope oilfield operation” and led maintenance teams overseeing the Alaska Pipeline, the site said.
Records from the Federal Election Commission show Flippo initially filed to run on Jan. 6, and an amended statement of candidacy was filed June 4.
He’s the only Republican candidate to so far challenge Horsford, who is chair of the powerful Congressional Black Caucus.
Flippo has raised about $284,000 since Dec. 27, 2022. Horsford, meanwhile, has raised nearly $1.1 million.
