Nevada

Nevada might elect a felon to the Legislature, marking a first

Published

1 year ago

October 3, 2024

Nevada might elect a felon to the Legislature, marking a first

An outspoken advocate for restoring voting rights for felons could become the first candidate with a known felony conviction to be elected to state office in Nevada.

Jovan Jackson, the Democratic candidate in heavily Democratic Assembly District 6, has a string of arrests, Medicaid sanctions and a felony conviction for his part in a 2015 armed robbery, records obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal show.

After serving a two-year sentence for the felony, he emerged from prison a changed man, he said.

“I tried a drug. I went completely psychotic from the drug,” Jackson, 32, told the Review-Journal. “I was able to rehabilitate in prison.”

Walter “Boo” Jones III, who is running against Jackson as a nonpartisan, said he isn’t buying it.

Jones has filed a complaint with the Nevada secretary of state, citing recent Medicaid sanctions against Jackson and a business he started, and claiming that Jackson doesn’t live in the district as required by law.

“How are you reforming yourself?” Jones, 61, said in an interview. “And you want to represent my district?”

Voting bill restores felons’ right to run for office

The Republican in the race, Nephi “Khaliki” Oliva, was arrested in March on felony charges for allegedly teaching concealed-weapon classes despite a revoked instructor’s license, according to Las Vegas police. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 19, after the election. Oliva did not respond to a request for comment.

In 2022, Oliva gained notoriety for racist slides he presented at a concealed-carry gun safety event that he described as an attempt at comedy.

Restoring felon rights

For years, Nevada, like many states, has slowly restored the civil rights of convicted felons. In 2003 and 2017, legislation made it easier for those convicted of lower-level felonies to have their rights restored.

In 2019, Assembly Bill 431 removed the final barriers for those convicted of the most serious crimes, automatically restoring not only their right to vote but to hold elective office and serve on a criminal jury. They previously needed to petition the court, receive a pardon or seal their record.

Now, felons in Nevada – regardless of the severity or number of crimes or where they occurred – can hold elective office four years after completing a sentence or term of parole or probation, and serve on a jury after six years, according to the Nevada attorney general’s office.

Jackson spoke publicly of his felony conviction at a news conference with Attorney General Aaron Ford and other Democratic politicians following passage of the 2019 legislation, touted by proponents as a voting-rights measure.

His first bid for office was an unsuccessful run in 2022 for North Las Vegas City Council.

If elected to the Assembly, Jackson – who handily won his Democratic primary with 84 percent of the vote in the heavily Democratic district – would be the first person “we know of” with a prior felony to hold state elective office, said Michael Green, an associate professor at UNLV and chair of its history department.

Jones, a lifelong Democrat, said he is running as a nonpartisan after apparently not selecting a party on a DMV voter-registration form.

History of arrests

Court records describe Jackson as the get-away driver in a 2015 armed robbery of a Henderson pawn shop. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and received probation. After his probation was revoked, he served a two-year sentence.

Jackson’s trouble with the law began in June 2014, when he was arrested on misdemeanor DUI and marijuana possession charges. He was found guilty of the DUI, according to records from the Nevada Department of Public Safety obtained through a public records request.

Jackson said this arrest came in the aftermath of a deadly ambush of two Las Vegas police officers inside a CiCis Pizza. There were “a lot of police out,” and as a “young black dude” driving a Mercedes, he got pulled over, he said. He contends that he wasn’t under the influence.

In February 2015, he was arrested on a misdemeanor charges of battery and resisting a public officer, and found guilty later that year of both. Jackson said he called police to report the theft of his car. He said he was experiencing mental health problems and did not understand why he was being handcuffed.

In March 2015, he was arrested on a felony drug possession charge and a misdemeanor charge of making a false statement to obstruct a public officer, state records show.

In November 2015, Jackson, then 23, was arrested and charged with multiple felonies in connection with an armed robbery of an EZ Pawn on Boulder Highway.

In January 2016, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery. As part of the plea deal, the district attorney’s office said it would not oppose dismissal of the earlier felony drug charge, court records state.

In June 2016, the court sentenced Jackson to probation, the terms of which included that he undergo a mental health evaluation and complete any counseling deemed appropriate, according to court records. The terms also stated, “You shall not possess, have access to, or have under your control any type of weapon.”

In January 2017, Jackson’ probation was revoked after a photo of him with a gun was posted on Instagram, according to court and Division of Parole and Probation records.

Jackson told the Review-Journal that he posted the photo, but that it was taken prior to his probation. “I was a gun owner at one point in my life,” he said.

Petition: Incompetent to make plea deal

In January 2018, a new attorney for Jackson filed a petition arguing for his release. The petition stated that Jackson had been incompetent to enter into the plea deal.

“Jackson has an extensive mental health history in which he has been hospitalized, diagnosed with bipolar disorder, paranoia, hallucinations, and has been prescribed multiple psychiatric medications,” according to a brief appealing the District Court’s denial of the petition to the Supreme Court.

The brief stated that during the sentencing hearing, counsel noted that Jackson while incarcerated had been smearing himself with feces, having hallucinations and suffering from paranoia, including a belief that the Mafia was listening to his phone calls. It also stated that in the past he had been prescribed various medications, including an anti-psychotic drug, and had attempted suicide.

Because of severe mental health issues during the proceedings, Jackson had not understood the nature of his crime and the consequences of his guilty plea, the filing said.

The state responded in its brief, “These excuses are belied or repelled by the record. Nothing in Appellant’s medical history shows that he was incapable of understanding the terms of his guilty plea agreement.”

Jackson’s attorney, it said, had ordered two competency evaluations, in criminal cases running concurrently, in which he was found competent.

Additionally, the psychiatric evaluations that occurred after the current case had begun showed no evidence of mental incompetence.

Jackson told the Review-Journal that his mental health issues are behind him. “My mental health problem only stemmed from substance abuse,” he said, adding that receiving treatment and medication in jail stabilized his condition.

In December 2018, Jackson was “honorably discharged” from probation by the Division of Parole and Probation, a division record states.

In a 2020 op-ed in the Review-Journal, Jackson wrote that he turned his life around in part by volunteering for organizations including The Mass Liberation Project and the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada.

He is currently a senior board member of the Mass Liberation Project, his campaign website states. The group’s Nevada website says the project was launched in 2019 “to bolster the growing movement to end mass incarceration and abolish the criminal legal system as we know it.”

The Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada has endorsed Jackson in his Assembly race.

Medicaid sanctions

Jackson’s campaign website describes the native Las Vegan as an “accomplished entrepreneur, advocate and community organizer.” It states that since 2011, he has run a small business and been providing mental health and social services.

He said he launched True Family Services in 2011 but gave up ownership when he went to prison. After prison, he returned to work as its program director until late 2022.

In April 2023, the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services terminated True Family Services’ provider contract and imposed a 10-year sanction, according to a notice sent by state Medicaid to the business that the Review-Journal obtained through public record requests.

“Records were reviewed for dates of service in August 2021 which resulted in the True Family being placed on payment suspension for credible allegation of fraud,” the notice said.

It cited claims for uncovered services, “false payment or abusive billing practice” and “misrepresenting the service billed.”

Jackson would not comment on the sanctions, saying he did not want to speak for a business he no longer represented.

Jackson said he provides rehabilitative services for people on disability, including skills training, psychological rehabilitation and counseling. After leaving prison, he earned an associate’s degree at the College of Southern Nevada and is pursuing a degree at UNLV to become a therapist.

In March 2023, Jackson was terminated by the state as a Medicaid provider for failure to report his battery conviction, as required by his contract with Medicaid and by policy, and received a three-year sanction, according to a letter from state Medicaid obtained by the Review-Journal.

Jackson told the newspaper that he had followed Medicaid’s checklist for providers and “had no clue” about the reporting requirement.

Prior to his incarceration, Nevada Medicaid had sanctioned another business with which Jackson was involved. In September 2014, the agency sent a letter to Youth Empowerment stating it would be terminating its contractual relationship, citing a Medicaid provision that prohibits “any kickback, bribe or rebate” for a referral, according to a Medicaid notice of intent.

Jackson said he had served on the board but no longer is associated with the business, for which the secretary of state’s office listed him as a resident agent, which is the individual who receives legal notices and government documents.

Jones, Jackson’s opponent in the Assembly race, said he believes people are entitled to a second chance after prison but took issue with the new Medicaid violations.

“Apparently you’re not taking it serious enough, to get out and now you’re doing a different crime,” said Jones, who owns a construction company. “You’re messing with state money.”

Residency challenged by opponent

Jones, whose most recent financial disclosure form states he’s lived in the district for 26 years, hired a private investigator to look into suspicions that Jackson did not live at the address under which he filed to run for office.

Over a period of weeks, the investigator did not see Jackson or his vehicle at the address on Renada Circle. But on three consecutive occasions, Jackson was seen leaving from an address in District 7, according to the investigator’s report. His car was parked in the garage, and he used the code pad to close the garage door.

Jackson said when he filed for office, he did live at the address on Renada Circle — which assessor’s records show is owned by the Jackson Trust – but now lives across the street. He declined to provide that address. He said the address in District 7 is where his girlfriend lives.

Nevada law states that a person may have more than one residence but only one legal domicile. Where the person lives the majority of the time is a factor in determining legal domicile.

Jones said he included videotape evidence in the report of an election integrity violation that he filed with the secretary of state’s office. A spokesperson for the office confirmed that a report against Jackson had been filed.

“The matter is still open and so further details will not be made available at this time,” spokesperson Cecilia Heston wrote in an email.

Local activist Ty Jones, who helps guide Jackson’s campaign, described the candidate as “the epitome of wanting to turn your life around.”

Jackson said his experiences give him a greater understanding of the community.

“I think it’s important that we have normal people representing normal people – people who have been through some things representing people who have gone through some things,” he said. “That one moment doesn’t define who I am as a person. … Giving back to the community, we should be able to right our wrong.”

Contact Mary Hynes at mhynes@reviewjournal.com or at 702-383-0336. Follow @MaryHynes1 on X. Hynes is a member of the Review-Journal’s investigative team, focusing on reporting that holds leaders and agencies accountable and exposes wrongdoing.

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Nevada

Reno-Tahoe events, Feb. 2-8: Nevada basketball, Disney on Ice, Stomp

Published

12 hours ago

February 2, 2026

Press Room

Reno-Tahoe events, Feb. 2-8: Nevada basketball, Disney on Ice, Stomp

It’s shaping up to be a fun week in Northern Nevada.

Two of the biggest touring stage shows — Stomp and Disney on Ice — are in town this week, both with multiple performances on opposite sides of downtown Reno. And Nevada men’s and women’s basketball teams look to maintain their home-court advantage at Lawlor Events Center.

Reno Litttle Theater’s run of “The Cottage” wraps up this week, but the unique Carson City Lights 3D experience launches its limited run starting this weekend.

The only thing missing is snow. It’s another warm, dry week in the region to kick off February, unfortunately.

Here’s what else is happening the week of Feb. 2-8 in northwestern Nevada.

Reno-Tahoe events, Feb. 2-8

“Death Valley Scotty: Fact, Fiction, and Fable,” Feb. 3: Historians David and Gayle Woodruff perform in this Chautauqua performance on infamous tale-teller Walter Scott, aka Death Valley Scotty, and his benefactor Bessie Johnson. This one-night-only event is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday at Reno Little Theater, 147 E. Pueblo Street. For details and tickets, visit renolittletheater.org.

Never Come Down, Feb. 3: This newgrass band from the Pacific Northwest plays at 8 p.m. at Cypress, 761 S. Virginia Street. Tickets are $10. Details at cypressreno.com.

Andy Frasco and the U.N., Feb. 3: Frasco and his group from L.A. meld a classic rock sound to some interesting alternative-like twists and turns, not taking the whole thing too seriously in the process. They will be back in Tahoe for this show at 8 p.m. in the Crown Room at Crystal Bay Club Casino, 14 State Highway 28, Crystal Bay. Tickets are $35-$45. For details, call 775-833-6333 or visit crystalbaycasino.com.

Tahoe Knight Monsters vs. Utah Grizzlies, Feb. 4, 6, 7: Tahoe’s minor-league hockey team hosts the Utah Grizzlies in a three-game set, with Retro Weekend set for Friday and Saturday. Games take place at Tahoe Blue Event Center, 75 Highway 50 in Stateline. For details and tickets, visit knightmonstershockey.com.

Nevada women’s basketball vs. Boise State, Feb. 4: The Wolf Pack hosts the Broncos in this unique Wednesday morning game at Lawlor Events Center, 1664 N. Virginia Street. Tipoff is set for 10:30 a.m. For details and tickets, call 775-348-7225 or visit nevadawolfpack.com.

Disney On Ice Presents “Let’s Dance,” Feb. 5-8: Ice skaters and costumed characters perform to dance-centric Disney tunes as part of this family show, taking place at 7 p.m. the first three nights, 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and 3 p.m. on Saturday at Reno Events Center, 400 University Way. Tickets range from $40 to $95. Details at visitrenotahoe.com/event-venues/reno-events-center.

“The Cottage,” Feb. 5-8: It’s the final week for this comedy about marriages, secrets and human relationships, set in a cottage in the English countryside. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Reno Little Theater, 147 E. Pueblo Street. For details and tickets, visit renolittletheater.org.

Kingwhistler, Feb. 5: This Carson City group that plays roots rock and folk performs at the museum’s First Thursdays show: 5 p.m. at the Nevada Museum of Art, 160 W. Liberty Street. Admission is $15, or free from NMA members. Details at nevadaart.org.

Trestles and The Dirty Turkeys, Feb. 5: These two psychedelic/garage-styled bands — Trestles from Santa Cruz, Dirty Turkeys from Boulder, Colorado — are touring together this winter, with a stop set for 7 p.m. at Holland Project, 140 Vesta Street. The show is Feb. 5. Tickets are $15-$18. Details: 775-742-1858 or hollandreno.org.

Blind Boys From Alabama, Feb. 5: Ricky McKinnie is the only current member in this Blind Boys lineup who was around for its 1990s heyday. The singing group and their band perform at 7:30 p.m. at Nashville Social Club, 1105 S. Carson Street, Carson City. Tickets are $65-$80. Details at thenashvilleclub.com.

Moontricks, Feb. 5: A roots-rock-meets-electronica group from British Columbia, Canada, Moontricks plays at 8 p.m. in the Crown Room at Crystal Bay Club Casino, 14 State Highway 28, Crystal Bay. Tickets are $35-$45. For details, call 775-833-6333 or visit crystalbaycasino.com.

Carson City Lights, Feb. 6-15: The Potentialist Workshop, in association with the Brewery Arts Center and Visit Carson City, has created an immersive 3D art experience. It’s at Mills Park, 1111 E. William Street in Carson City. Tickets are $20; kids 12 and under are admitted free. For details, visit carsoncitylights.com.

Nick Hexum and Water Tower, Feb. 6: Hexum is the lead singer and guitarist for the band 311, but for this show he’ll be backed up by the Los Angeles punk-folk group Water Tower, who will also open the show with their own set. Hexum and Co. play at 8 p.m. at Cypress, 761 S. Virginia Street. Tickets are $45-$50. Details at jmaxproductions.net.

Huckleberry Road, Feb. 6: Hailing from Reno, this country-rock group plays at 8 p.m. at The Alpine, 324 E. 4th Street. Tickets are $15-$35. Details at thealpine-reno.com.

Eric Schwartz, Feb. 6: This comedian, known for TikTok content as well as specials on Hulu, will perform at 8 p.m. at the Celebrity Showroom, Nugget Casino Resort, 1100 Nugget Avenue, Sparks. Tickets are $40-$60. For details, call 775-356-3300 or visit nuggetcasinoresort.com.

Dillon Francis, Feb. 6: A DJ/producer that gained popularity in the trap and electro-house genres returns to the area for this show at 8 p.m. at South Shore Room, Harrah’s Lake Tahoe Hotel and Casino, 18 Highway 50. Tickets are $55-$60. Details at caesars.com/harrahs-tahoe.

Kanekoa, Feb. 6: The popular Hawaiian folk-jam band returns for this show at 8 p.m. in the Crown Room at Crystal Bay Club Casino, 14 State Highway 28, Crystal Bay. Tickets are $30-$40. For details, call 775-833-6333 or visit crystalbaycasino.com.

“Stomp,” Feb. 7-8: This show features dancers and percussionists using common objects such as trashcan lids, brooms and poles to make music suitable for a dance show. The troupe performs at 8 p.m. the first night and 1 p.m. the second day at the Pioneer Center, 100 S. Virginia Street. Tickets are $50-$110 for each performance. Details at pioneercenter.com.

RennerVation Bowl, Jan. 9: Hit the lanes at the National Bowling Stadium on Saturday, with part of the proceeds benefiting Jeremy Renner’s RennerVation Foundation. It’s happening at 300 University Way. General admission tickets are $50, which admits up to five people per lane. For details, visit visitrenotahoe.com.

Nevada men’s basketball vs. Fresno State, Feb. 7: The Wolf Pack hosts the Bulldogs in a Saturday night matchup at Lawlor Events Center, 1664 N. Virginia Street. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. For details and tickets, call 775-348-7225 or visit nevadawolfpack.com.

Orrral Fixation, Feb. 7: This Reno punk/indie group with the distinctive spelling of their name (that’s three Rs to remember!) releases their new EP at this show, which also includes locals Procyon and Unexplainable Cattle Mutilations. It all begins at 7 p.m. at Holland Project, 140 Vesta Street. Tickets are $10-$12. Details: 775-742-1858 or hollandreno.org.

Winter Band Wars, Feb. 7: A contest series featuring 16 artists from Reno, it takes place at 7 p.m. each night at Club Underground, 555 E. 4th Street. Shows are Feb 7 and Feb. 21. Tickets are $10-$20 for each show. Details at clubundergroundreno.com.

Mark Mackay, Feb. 7: The former California and now Nashville-based roots-rock/country guitarist and singer performs at 7:30 p.m. at Nashville Social Club, 1105 S. Carson Street, Carson City Tickets are $25. Details at thenashvilleclub.com.

Mickey Avalon, Feb. 7: This rapper from Hollywood will perform at 8 p.m. at The Alpine, 324 E. 4th Street. Tickets are $35-$45. Details at thealpine-reno.com.

Magique, Feb. 7: This show blends magic, comedy and dance and has been extended through early summer. Performances are at the Celebrity Showroom, Nugget Casino Resort, 1100 Nugget Avenue, Sparks. Tickets are $60-$140. For details, call 775-356-3300 or visit nuggetcasinoresort.com.

Hayes Carll, Feb. 7: The popular Texas country-folk singer/songwriter performs at 8 p.m. in the Crown Room at Crystal Bay Club Casino, 14 State Highway 28, Crystal Bay. Tickets are $35-$45. For details, call 775-833-6333 or visit crystalbaycasino.com.

Anastasia Coope and Syko Friend, Feb. 8: These two emerging female indie artists are touring together, with a show at 7 p.m. at Holland Project, 140 Vesta Street. Tickets are $10-$12. Details: 775-742-1858 or hollandreno.org.

Ashes At Last, Feb. 8: Metal and electronic music combine for this band from Southern California. They play at 8 p.m. at Club Underground, 555 E. 4th Street. Tickets are $20-$25. Details at clubundergroundreno.com.

Reno-Tahoe weather, Feb. 2-8

Monday: Sunny, with highs in the mid-50s to low 60s in the valleys and in the upper 40s to upper 50s at higher elevations. Clear overnight, with lows in the upper 20s to low 30s in the valleys and in the upper 10s to upper 20s at higher elevations.

Tuesday: Sunny, with highs in the mid-50s to low 60s in the valleys and in the upper 40s to upper 50s at higher elevations. Clear overnight, with lows in the upper 20s to mid 30s in the valleys and in the upper 10s to upper 20s at higher elevations.

Wednesday: Sunny, with highs in the mid-50s to low 60s in the valleys and in the upper 40s to upper 50s at higher elevations. Clear overnight, with lows in the upper 20s to mid 30s in the valleys and in the upper 10s to upper 20s at higher elevations.

Thursday: Sunny, with highs in the mid-50s to low 60s in the valleys and in the upper 40s to upper 50s at higher elevations. Partly cloudy overnight, with lows in the upper 20s to upper 30s in the valleys and in the 20s at higher elevations.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with highs in the mid-50s to mid-60s in the valleys and in the upper 40s to upper 50s at higher elevations. Mostly clear overnight, with lows in the mid-20s to mid-30s in the valleys and in the 20s at higher elevations.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with highs in the mid-50s to mid-60s in the valleys and in the upper 40s to upper 50s at higher elevations. Mostly clear overnight, with lows in the upper 20s to upper 30s in the valleys and in the 20s at higher elevations.

Sunday: Mostly sunny and cooler, with highs in the 50s in the valleys and in the mid-40s to mid-50s at higher elevations. Mostly clear overnight, with lows in the mid-20s to mid-30s in the valleys and in the 20s at higher elevations.

Northern Nevada roads, Feb. 2-8

Before traveling over Sierra passes, check the latest weather conditions at nvroads.com and roads.dot.ca.gov.

6th Street: Expect lane closures on 6th street between Arlington Avenue and Eureka Avenue for an ongoing fiber trenching project.

West 4th Street: Work is underway on a project to widen sidewalks, improve lighting and add ADA-compliant ramps at key locations on Fourth Street west of downtown. For more information, visit fourthstreetimprovements.com. Meanwhile, TMWA is replacing a water main on 4th between Keystone Avenue and Stoker Avenue,

Mill Street, Reno: Work continues on Mill Street between I-580 and Golden Lane while crews work on utility trenching. For the latest updates, visit millstreetwidening.com.

Arlington Avenue, Reno: The bridges over the Truckee River on Arlington Avenue have been demolished, and traffic is being re-routed to nearby bridges. Replacement bridges will be completed in summer 2026.

Sparks Boulevard, Sparks: Work continues on the Sparks Boulevard Capacity Improvement Project, which will expand the route from four lanes to six on the roughly two-mile stretch between I-80 and Baring Boulevard. Expect round-the-clock lane closures between Springland/O’Callaghan Drive and Baring Boulevard through mid-March. For the latest updates, visit sparksblvdproject.com.

Mark Earnest contributed to this report.

Brett McGinness is the engagement editor for the Reno Gazette Journal. He’s also the writer of The Reno Memo — a free newsletter about news in the Biggest Little City. Subscribe to the newsletter right here. Consider supporting the Reno Gazette Journal, too.

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Nevada

Tigers Fall in Home Bout Against Nevada – University of the Pacific

Published

1 day ago

February 1, 2026

Press Room

Tigers Fall in Home Bout Against Nevada – University of the Pacific

STOCKTON, Calif. – The Pacific women’s tennis program dropped a 4-0 match to Nevada at the Eve Zimmerman Tennis Center on Sunday morning.

Defeats on doubles courts two and three gave the Tigers (0-4) an uphill battle going into singles and showed great fight despite not being able to secure any courts. Junior Nahreen Cheam erased a first set loss on court four to lead 2-1 in set three when play was suspended. Fellow junior Rayna Sugai was locked in a set three battle when play was suspended while junior Milena Maiorova on court one had just entered a tiebreaker on court one to try and force a deciding third set.

However, losses on courts two, five and six gave the victory to Nevada (3-3) the points needed to win the match.

Pacific has two matches left in the current homestand, taking the court once on Friday, February 6 against San Jose State in a rematch from last season. Maiorova was the sole point scorer from last season’s matchup.

The match will be streamed live via Track Tennis.

FULL RESULTS

DOUBLES

Indiya McLeod and Pauline Lerminiaux (PAC) led Foerster and Costache (NEV), 5-0

Charrier and Robinson (NEV) def. Milena Maiorova and Rayna Sugai (PAC), 6-2

Janigova and Buqai (NEV) def. Leyanne Hirota and Maggie Hoe (PAC), 6-1

SINGLES

Charrier (NEV) led Milena Maiorova (PAC), 6-4, 6-6

Foerster (NEV) def. Indiya McLeod (PAC), 6-0, 6-3

Janigova (NEV) led Rayna Sugai (PAC), 1-6, 6-2, 5-2

Nahreen Cheam (PAC) led Robinson (NEV), 0-6, 6-4, 2-1

Costache (NEV) def. Maggie Hoe (PAC), 2-6, 6-1, 6-2

Buqai (NEV) def. Leyanna Hirota (PAC), 6-0, 7-6

Stay Social
For all the latest on Pacific Women’s Tennis, be sure to follow the team on X (@PacificWTennis), Instagram (@pacificwtennis) and “like” the team’s official Facebook page (Pacific Women’s Tennis).

#PacificProud

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Inside the rise of Nevada’s political bulldog who changed Washington forever

Published

2 days ago

February 1, 2026

Press Room

Inside the rise of Nevada’s political bulldog who changed Washington forever

New biography of former Nevada Sen. Harry Reid, “The Game Changer,” released Jan. 20.
Book details Reid’s impact on Las Vegas gambling industry and top Democratic legislation.
Gives new details on Reid’s most controversial statements on Bush, Obama and Romney.

Former Sen. Harry Reid — son of a destitute miner, favorite of the Las Vegas gambling industry and the highest ranking Latter-day Saint politician in U.S. history — left a permanent mark on national politics.

The Democratic bulldog, who died in 2021 after 34 years in Congress, was one of the key figures in flipping Nevada blue, forcing the passage of Obamacare and ending the filibuster on judicial nominations.

An official biography of Reid, released on Jan. 20, details how he fought his way from the tiny town of Searchlight to the heights of American power as Senate majority leader — and how he transformed political norms along the way.

“Reid’s political legacy is indisputable,” writes Jon Ralston, author of the new book, “The Game Changer.” “(He) forever changed Washington with his ruthless, cutthroat style that led to spectacular victories and perpetual dysfunction.”

Ralston, CEO of The Nevada Independent, followed Reid’s career for four decades, starting with Reid’s first Senate campaign in 1986. At one point, Reid tried to get Ralston fired from a local news station — and succeeded.

Then, in 2021, Reid agreed to work with Ralston on a biography, participating in dozens of interviews spanning the course of his career, before he died of pancreatic cancer in December 2021 at the age of 82.

Here are some of the highlights from the life of Nevada’s longest-serving senator, and one of the most notable Democratic game changers of the political landscape in the American West as well as in Washington, D.C.

Biggest accomplishments

It didn’t take long for Reid’s ambition to lead him to politics.

After paying his way through law school as a U.S. Capitol Police officer, Reid was elected to the Nevada Assembly in 1968, where he sponsored 20% of the bills, ranging from increasing pawnshop rates to regulating the phone industry.

Two years later, at age 30, Reid became the youngest lieutenant governor in Nevada history, serving with his former high school history teacher, and mentor, Nevada Gov. Mike O’Callaghan.

After failed campaigns for U.S. Senate in 1974, and Las Vegas mayor in 1975, Reid, who worked as a trial attorney, was elected to the U.S. House in 1982, followed by the U.S. Senate in 1986, where he would stay for 30 years.

During his time in Congress, Reid developed a unique balancing act on his priority issues, advocating ceaselessly for the mining industry he had grown up with, while championing environmentalist causes in his home state.

Reid secured protected status for more than 5 million acres by creating the Great Basin National Park, and helping to establish the Tule Springs Fossil Beds, Basin and Range and Gold Butte national monuments.

After becoming Senate majority leader in 2007, Reid was President Barack Obama’s legislative liaison, lobbying for stimulus funding and negotiating the Affordable Care Act by carving out expensive exceptions for reluctant senators.

Reid is also credited with organizing the “Reid Machine” — a Democratic get-out-the-vote operation that shifted voter registration totals, got Democrats elected and helped designate Nevada as an early Democratic primary state.

Casino controversies

Along the way, Reid made his fair share of enemies.

He was known for his “ruthless” campaign style, which included a tendency to repeat rumors as if true, like implying without evidence that Nevada Gov. Paul Laxalt had used his position to become owner of a $7.5 million casino.

Many of Reid’s own criticisms came from his work with the gambling industry.

Reid was appointed as chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission in 1977, where he informed the FBI on bribery schemes, confronted mob bosses, investigated Howard Hughes and gave a gaming license to Frank Sinatra.

As chair, Reid was credited with helping push the mob out of Las Vegas, denying licenses to individuals like Frank Rosenthal. This came at a cost, including a close call when something that looked like a bomb was placed in his wife’s car.

But Reid came under scrutiny when wiretaps named him as a mob source. While the investigation found Reid never engaged in illegal conduct, recordings identifying Reid as “Clean Face” followed him through his career.

Despite this, Reid never stopped championing the biggest players on the Las Vegas Strip, including by pushing banks during the Great Recession to support the MGM casino, which hired him as a consultant after he left the Senate.

“From the Strip to downtown, Reid was a gaming industry darling and would be for as long as he was in office,” Ralston writes.

Navigating political tension

Like many politicians, Reid evolved over time. But some of his transformations were stark.

As a young lawmaker, Reid had a “100% pro-life voting record.” He opposed Roe v. Wade, voted against federal plans paying for abortion and supported a constitutional amendment banning abortion from conception.

Reid was also one of 38 Democrats who killed the Equal Rights Amendment. But as he rose through party leadership, Reid developed more establishment Democratic views on abortion, same-sex marriage, gun rights and immigration.

While in the House, Reid lambasted Reagan’s immigrant amnesty program for allegedly rewarding lawbreakers by giving them legal status. In 1993, Reid introduced a bill outlawing birthright citizenship and lamented the impacts of mass immigration.

By the time he became majority leader, he was a key supporter of the DREAM Act for minors living in the country illegally, had lost his top rating from the National Rifle Association and had done a total reversal on the “nuclear option.”

In 2005, Reid had been one of the most vocal senators opposing an effort to remove the Senate’s 60-vote, filibuster-proof requirement to pass most legislation. In 2013, Reid did just that for most judicial nominations.

Reid also gained a reputation for his viral “Reidisms,” revealing his proclivity for speaking without a filter.

Such instances include when he called Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan a “political hack,” and President George W. Bush a “liar” and a “loser,” or praised Obama for having “no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one.”

The most famous of these is when Reid accused, without evidence, then-presidential candidate Mitt Romney of not paying taxes, even though Reid, who had significant real estate holdings, secretly had a similar average tax rate.

Throughout his political endeavors, however, Reid remained a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ralston writes, attending church regularly and reading scriptures every night.

Raised in abject poverty, in a town of several dozen with no church, the first time Reid “learned of a man named Jesus” was in a high school seminary class, which he attended with his friend to meet girls, Ralston writes.

He and his wife, Landra, began to take missionary lessons after eloping to Logan, Utah, to attend Utah State University. The two decided to join the church in 1960. Together Reid and Landra had five children.

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