Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Horsford not making another run for Congress

nevada public land meeting

Mikayla Whitmore

Former U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford addresses Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., at a public meeting about the conservation of Southern Nevada’s public lands on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015.

After losing his congressional seat in a Republican wave in November, Nevada Democrat Steven Horsford was considered a shoo-in to run for his old seat in 2016 — and win.

That won’t be happening.

Horsford announced today he has taken a new job since leaving office in January, and a Nevada Democratic official confirmed he will not be running.

Horsford will ​be based in Washington, D.C., as a senior vice president for Las-Vegas based advertising firm R&R Partners, where he started his career, the company said today.

“It feels great to be back where it all began for me,” Horsford said in the statement. “Being reunited with my R&R Partners family is an exciting opportunity to be a part of something very special.”

The job means Horsford won't be gearing up for a rematch with Republican Rep. Cresent Hardy for Nevada’s 4th Congressional District seat.

As news broke of Horsford’s new job, aides from his old one expressed their gratitude for having worked for him in Congress for two years, including communications director Tim Hogan.

"Can't say enough about how great Rep. Horsford was to work for. He cared about his constituents, staff and got things done. A rarity in Congress," Hogan said via Twitter.

Sen. Harry Reid, Nevada’s most senior Democrat, also chimed in. “While I am disappointed [Horsford] has decided not to run, I know he will continue to serve Nevada for many years to come,” he said in a statement.

The announcement sets off an invisible primary for Nevada Democrats hoping for Reid’s blessing to challenge Hardy in 2016. The race to represent North Las Vegas and central, rural Nevada, is seen as competitive.

Rumored potential candidates include 2014 candidate for lieutenant governor Lucy Flores, state Sen. Ruben Kihuen of Las Vegas and former North Las Vegas Mayor Shari Buck.

In the small world that is Nevada politics, R&R Partners is run by Reid confidante Billy Vassiliadis.

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