Nevada is a critical battleground state in the midterms, with a new poll showing close contests for Senate and governor.
A Nevada Independent/OH Predictive poll finds both races within the margin of error. In the Senate race, 45% of those surveyed backed Republican Adam Laxalt, while 43% backed Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto. In the governor’s race, 45% backed Republican Joe Lombardo while 42% backed Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak.
Lombardo and Sisolak also faced off in a debate over the weekend. Lombardo put some distance between him and former President Donald Trump, who has endorsed Lombardo, by saying the 2020 election wasn’t “rigged” and balking at whether to characterize Trump as a “great president.”
Latino voters are a key voting bloc in Nevada, and NBC News’ Natasha Korecki reports from Las Vegas that Democrats are concerned Latino voters will stay home in November, disaffected by the economy. Melissa Morales, president of Somos PAC, which has boosted Cortez Masto, told Korecki, “It’s what’s keeping me up at night.”
Elsewhere on the campaign trail:
Pennsylvania Senate: The Washington Post details the controversial medical tips and products that were discussed on Republican Mehmet Oz’s television show.
Arizona Governor: Former President Donald Trump is holding another rally in Arizona to boost his slate of GOP candidates, including gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake and Senate nominee Blake Masters.
Georgia Governor: A federal judge in Georgia ruled Friday that Georgia’s voting laws do not violate the constitution or the Voting Rights Act, ruling against a group associated with Democrat Stacey Abrams.
New Mexico Governor: Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Republican nominee Mark Ronchetti sparred over abortion, crime and homelessness in a debate Friday evening.
Michigan Governor: Trump rallied in Michigan for his endorsed candidates on Saturday, calling Democrats “cruel and vindictive left-wing tyrants.” Republican nominee Tudor Dixon spoke before Trump took the stage as she tries to win the swing state by embracing the former president.
Texas Governor: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke met for their only in-person debate on Friday, with issues about immigration, energy and gun laws looming large.
Wisconsin Governor/Senate: Republican Sen. Ron Johnson and gubernatorial nominee Tim Michels won’t commit to accepting the results of their upcoming elections, the Wisconsin State Journal reports.
Texas Attorney General: The Associated Press is out with a new deep dive into Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office, finding that “Paxton and his deputies have sought to turn cases into political advantage” and that the office had to drop recent human trafficking and sexual assault cases because they couldn’t locate a victim.
