Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto has become a key confidant for Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, though she brushed aside claims that she is being eyed for a cabinet position should Harris wins in November.
Axios reported last week that Democratic strategists have floated some names for top cabinet positions under a Harris administration, including Cortez Masto as attorney general.
Cortez Masto told the Las Vegas Review-Journal in a Thursday interview that those are rumors, and she is “more than happy” with what she is doing now representing Nevada. When asked if she would consider taking on the role if Harris asked her to, Cortez Masto answered by saying her focus is on Nevada.
“This is what I was re-elected to do,” she said. “I am 100 percent into working on behalf of Nevada, finding solutions for the families and businesses here, and making sure we’re doing everything we can to support working families and businesses.”
Nevada’s senior senator might have come up as an possible hire due to her close relationship with Harris. They got to know each other when they both served as attorneys general in the neighboring states of Nevada and California.
They worked together on issues their states had in common, such as the banking crisis as well as transnational crime that was coming across the southern border, Cortez Masto said.
“It was just over the course of being attorneys general, we bonded and built a friendship as well,” Cortez Masto said.
Since Harris has stepped up as the Democratic presidential nominee in July, the Nevada senator has taken on a role as an adviser to Harris’ campaign, serving on a vetting team to pick Harris’ vice presidential running mate.
“She knows she can trust me,” Cortez Masto said. “I’m always candid with her.”
She said she comes from a swing state and understands the issues Nevadans care about, which she said is important to the Harris campaign. She also made it through a tough re-election bid in 2022, securing her victory by less than one percentage point.
Leaving her position as one of Nevada’s senators could leave the Democrats’ control of the Senate vulnerable, as her narrow 2022 victory maintained the Democrats’ lead in the Senate. Her replacement would be appointed by Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo until a general election is held, according to Congressional Research Service.
Cortez Masto said if a presidential candidate comes to Nevada and talks to voters, understands the issues and focuses on solutions, then “you’re going to be pretty much successful anywhere else because we’re such a diverse state, and we really are a microcosm of the rest of the country.”
Contact Jessica Hill at jehill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jess_hillyeah on X.
Mojave (Nev.) head football coach Wes Pacheco announced on Sunday morning that he’s stepping down from his position, according to a social media post.
Pacheco announced his resignation after six seasons at the helm of the Rattlers, putting together a 29-22 overall record from 2020-2025.
“I have officially stepped down as Head Coach of the Mojave Football Program,” Pacheco said in his social media post. “Thank you to Principal Cole for giving me the opoortunity make an impact on the lives of Mojave Student-Athletes. I am grateful and blessed to have labored through a 6-year journey of successes, failures, life lessons, character building and growth with the student-athletes myself and my coaching staff have served. I will forever love my Mojave Family, the Mojave Community and believe in the notion that SUCCESS can be attained by showcasing character, treating everyone with respect, and always have the courage to dream big and trust that “ATTACKING THE HARD WORK” & “HIGH MOTORING EVERYTHING” can yield SUCCESS that you want to achieve in life!”
During Pacheco’s half dozen seasons leading Mojave, his best record came in the 2024 season when the Rattlers finished with a 12-1 record. Located out of North Las Vegas, Mojave had to compete against the likes of national high school football powerhouse Bishop Gorman during the regular season.
Mojave ended the last season with a 4-6 record and as the state’s No. 23rd ranked team, according to the final 2025 Nevada High School Football Massey Rankings.
Mojave High School, located in North Las Vegas, NV, is a dynamic public high school that fosters academic excellence, personal growth, and community involvement. Home of the Rattlers, MHS offers a wide range of academic programs, athletics, and extracurricular activities. With a strong commitment to student success, Mojave emphasizes leadership, college and career readiness, and a supportive school culture that prepares students for life beyond graduation.
For Nevada high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Silver State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the high school football excitement across Nevada.
A recent Review-Journal letter to the editor mischaracterized Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto’s Southern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act, also known as the Clark County Lands bill. As the former executive director of the Nevada Conservation League, I wholeheartedly support this legislation, so I wanted to set the record straight.
Sen. Cortez Masto has been working on this bill for years in partnership with state and local governments, conservation groups like the NCL and local area tribes. It’s true that the Clark County lands bill would open 25,000 acres to help Las Vegas grow responsibly, while setting aside 2 million acres for conservation. It would also help create more affordable housing throughout the valley while ensuring our treasured public spaces can be preserved for generations to come.
What is not correct is that the money from these land sales would go to the federal government’s coffers. In fact, the opposite is true.
The 1998 Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act is a landmark bill that identified specific public land for future sale and created a special account ensuring all land sale revenues would come back to Nevada. In accordance with that law 5 percent of revenue from land transfers goes to the state of Nevada for general education purposes, 10 percent goes to the Southern Nevada Water Authority for needed water infrastructure and 85 percent supports conservation and environmental mitigation projects in Southern Nevada. This legislation has provided billions to Clark County and will continue to benefit generations of Southern Nevadans. Sen. Cortez Masto’s lands bill builds upon the act’s success.
So here’s the good news: All of the money generated from land made available for sale under Sen. Cortez Masto’s bill would be sent to the special account created by the 1998 law. Rather than going to an unaccountable federal government, the proceeds would continue to help kids in Vegas get a better education, bolster outdoor recreation and modernize Southern Nevada’s infrastructure.
I know how important it is that money generated from the sale of public land in Nevada stay in the hands of Nevadans, and so does the senator. That’s why she opposed a Republican effort last year to sell off 200,000 acres of land in Clark County and other areas of the country that would have sent those dollars directly to Washington.
Public land management in Nevada should benefit Nevadans. We should protect sacred cultural sites and beloved recreation spaces, responsibly transfer land for affordable housing when needed and ensure our state has the resources it needs to grow sustainably. I will continue working with Sen. Cortez Masto to advocate for legislation, such as the Clark County lands bill, that puts the needs of Nevadans first.
Paul Selberg writes from Las Vegas.
click to expand photos
Las Vegas High’s baseball team claimed a 3-2 home win over Coronado on Friday.
Las Vegas (9-13-1) next hosts Rancho at 10 a.m. Saturday. Coronado (13-14) hosts Chaparral at 3:30 p.m. Monday.
Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.
Trump ally diGenova tapped to lead DOJ probe into Brennan over Russia probe origins
Experts reveal why ‘nonnamaxxing’ trend may improve mental, physical health
‘Demon’ Finn Balor settles score with Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania 42
iPhone and Samsung flashlight tricks you should know
David Ellison hits CinemaCon, vowing to make more movies with Paramount-Warner Bros.
Larry David discusses ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm,’ ‘Seinfeld’ legacies and new HBO series
Nine non-negotiable items for a well-designed life
Supreme Court weighs phone searches to find criminals amid complaints of ‘digital dragnets’