2004 United States House of Representatives elections in Nevada

2004 United States House of Representatives elections in Nevada
November 2, 2004 (2004-11-02)
All 3 Nevada seats to the United States House of Representatives
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Republican Democratic
Last election 2 1
Seats won 2 1
Seat change Steady Steady
Popular vote 420,711 333,912
Percentage 53.16% 42.19%

The 2004 congressional elections in Nevada were elections for Nevada's delegation to the United States House of Representatives, which occurred along with congressional elections nationwide on November 2, 2004. Nevada has three seats, as apportioned during the 2000 United States census. Republicans held two of the seats and Democrats held one.[1][2]

Overview

Statewide

Party Candidates Votes Seats
No. % No. +/– %
Republican 3 420,711 53.16 2 Steady 66.67
Democratic 3 333,912 42.19 1 Steady 33.33
Libertarian 3 20,119 2.54 0 Steady 0.0
Independent American 2 16,691 2.11 0 Steady 0.0
Total 10 791,433 100.0 3 Steady 100.0
Popular vote
Republican
 
 53.16%
Democratic
 
 42.19%
Libertarian
 
 2.54%
Independent American
 
 2.11%
House seats
Republican
 
 66.67%
Democratic
 
 33.33%

By district

Results of the 2004 United States House of Representatives elections in Nevada by district:

District Republican Democratic Others Total Result
Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %
District 1 63,005 31.12% 133,569 65.98% 5,862 2.90% 202,436 100.0% Democratic Hold
District 2 195,466 67.15% 79,978 27.48% 15,635 5.37% 291,079 100.0% Republican Hold
District 3 162,240 54.46% 120,365 40.40% 15,313 5.14% 297,918 100.0% Republican Hold
Total 420,711 53.16% 333,912 42.19% 36,810 4.65% 791,433 100.0%

District 1

Incumbent Democrat Shelley Berkley, who had represented the district since 1999, ran for re-election. She was re-elected with 53.7% of the vote in 2002.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
Eliminated in primary

Results

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shelley Berkley 27,765 83.2
Democratic Ann Reynolds 3,208 9.6
Democratic Brian Kral 2,412 7.2
Total valid votes 33,385 100.0
Rejected ballots 1,252 3.6
Total ballots 34,637 100.0

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Russ Mickelson, former Air Force pilot and retired Defense Department employee[3]
Eliminated in primary
  • Lewis Byer, business manager and nominee for Clark County Treasurer in 2002[3][4]
  • Francisco Tamez, chemical technician

Results

Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Russ Mickelson 11,868 63.5
Republican Lewis Byer 4,806 25.7
Republican Francisco Tamez 2,026 10.8
Total valid votes 18,700 100.0
Rejected ballots 619 3.2
Total ballots 19,319 100.0

Libertarian primary

Candidates

Nominee

Independent American primary

Candidates

Withdrawn
  • Brad Barnhill

General election

Endorsements

Shelley Berkley (D)

Newspapers

Predictions

Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[6] Safe D October 29, 2004
Sabato's Crystal Ball[7] Safe D November 1, 2004

Results

Nevada's 1st congressional district election, 2004
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shelley Berkley (incumbent) 133,569 66.0
Republican Russ Mickelson 63,005 31.1
Libertarian Jim Duensing 5,862 2.9
Majority 70,564 34.9
Total votes 202,436 100.0
Democratic hold

Finances

Campaigns
Candidate (party) Raised Spent Cash on hand
Shelley Berkley (D) $1,653,330 $1,248,297 $605,152
Russ Mickelson (R) $17,982 $17,662 $319
Jim Duensing (L) Unreported
Outside Spending
Candidate (party) Supported Opposed
Shelley Berkley (D) $229 $0
Russ Mickelson (R) $92 $0
Jim Duensing (L) $0 $0

District 2

Incumbent Republican Jim Gibbons, who had represented the district since 1997, ran for re-election. He was re–elected with 74.3% of the vote in 2002.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Jim Gibbons, incumbent U.S. Representative and nominee for Governor in 1994

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Angie Cochran, business owner
Eliminated in primary
  • David Bennett, computer systems programmer[3]

Results

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Angie Cochran 18,319 50.6
Democratic David Bennett 17,859 49.4
Total valid votes 36,178 100.0
Rejected ballots 60 0.2
Total ballots 36,238 100.0

Libertarian primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Brendan Trainor

Independent American primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Janine Hansen

General election

Endorsements

Jim Gibbons (R)

Newspapers

Predictions

Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[6] Safe R October 29, 2004
Sabato's Crystal Ball[7] Safe R November 1, 2004

Results

Nevada's 2nd congressional district election, 2004
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jim Gibbons (incumbent) 195,466 67.2
Democratic Angie Cochran 79,978 27.5
Independent American Janine Hansen 10,638 3.7
Libertarian Brendan Trainor 4,997 1.7
Majority 115,488 39.7
Total votes 291,079 100.0
Republican hold

Finances

Campaigns
Candidate (party) Raised Spent Cash on hand
Jim Gibbons (R) $1,139,202 $1,171,994 $412,510
Angie Cochran (D) Unreported
Brendan Trainor (L) Unreported
Janine Hansen (IA) Unreported
Outside Spending
Candidate (party) Supported Opposed
Jim Gibbons (R) $804 $0
Angie Cochran (D) $0 $0
Brendan Trainor (L) $0 $0
Janine Hansen (IA) $0 $0

District 3

Incumbent Republican Jon Porter, who had represented the district since 2003, ran for re-election. He was elected with 56.1% of the vote in 2002.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Tom Gallagher, former casino executive[9][10]
Eliminated in primary
  • Mark Budetich Jr, Merchant Marine electrician and candidate for this seat in 2002[3]
  • Rick DeVoe, mechanic[3]
  • Anna Nevenic, writer and peace activist[3]
  • Shanna Phillips, high school teacher[3]
  • Ron Von Felden, lawyer, Vietnam War veteran and host of a daily talk radio show[3]

Results

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tom Gallagher 23,349 69.5
Democratic Shanna Phillips 2,573 7.7
Democratic Anna Nevenic 2,239 6.7
Democratic Rick DeVoe 2,217 6.6
Democratic Mark Budetich Jr. 1,833 5.5
Democratic Ron Von Felden 1,383 4.1
Total valid votes 33,594 100.0
Rejected ballots 850 2.5
Total ballots 34,444 100.0

Libertarian primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Joseph Silvestri, teacher and realtor

Independent American primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • Richard Wayne O'Dell, nominee for this seat in 2002

Other Candidates

  • Pete O'Neil (Independent), marketing executive and candidate for this seat in 2002 (Withdrawn)

General election

Campaign

Porter was initially seen as vulnerable, given that he was freshman running for re-election in a seat carried by Al Gore 49% to 48% over George W. Bush in 2000 and had befitted from a Democratic candidate hit by ethic issues. In October, Roll Call listed him as one of their 10 most vulnerable incumbents of 2004.[11]

Gallagher pledged not to take any from oil and gas interests and criticized Porter and the Republicans for their ties to the industry, with Porter having received $81,000 from the industry since his first Congressional bid in 2000, saying in a press release "With the generous contributions of big oil and gas to Republicans, it is little wonder that the interests of the energy industry come first while the consumer is stuck with the bill”. Porter however refused saying "My record is very clear in 20 years of service" and his campaign manager described the pledge as a "stunt".[12][13]

The Porter Campaign were able to paint Gallagher as a carpetbagger who had moved from Lake Tahoe to Henderson to run for Congress. Additionally his decision to lay off service-industry employees during Las Vegas’ post-9/11 slump while collecting a bonus worth millions, cost him support from the Democratic base that he never recovered.[14]

Endorsements

Tom Gallagher (D)

Organizations

Newspapers

Debate

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Sample
size[a] 		Margin of
error 		Jon
Porter (R) 		Tom
Gallagher (D) 		Other Undecided
Mason-Dixon (Las Vegas Review-Journal)[16] October 26–27, 2004 307 (LV) ±6.0% 51% 41% 1% 7%
Belden Russonello & Stewart (Las Vegas Sun/KLAS-TV/KNPR)[17] October 16–19, 2004 316 (LV) ±5.5% 49% 32% 2% 17%
Mason-Dixon (Las Vegas Review-Journal)[18] October 14–16, 2004 300 (LV) ±6.0% 50% 35% 3% 12%
Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group (Gallagher–D)[19] September 14–15, 2004 405 (LV) ±5.0% 47% 44% – 9%
Mason-Dixon (Las Vegas Review-Journal)[20] September 13–15, 2004 300 (LV) ±6.0% 51% 40% 2% 7%
Belden Russonello & Stewart (Las Vegas Sun/KLAS-TV/KNPR) September 2004 ? (LV) ±?% 54% 33% – 13%
Mason-Dixon (Las Vegas Review-Journal)[21] July 20–22, 2004 305 (LV) ±6.0% 56% 32% – 12%
Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group (Gallagher–D)[22] July 10–12, 2004 400 (LV) ±5.0% 46% 40% – 14%

Predictions

Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[6] Lean R October 29, 2004
Sabato's Crystal Ball[7] Safe R November 1, 2004

Results

Nevada's 3rd congressional district election, 2004
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jon Porter (incumbent) 162,240 54.5
Democratic Tom Gallagher 120,365 40.4
Libertarian Joseph Silvestri 9,260 3.1
Independent American Richard Wayne O'Dell 6,053 2.0
Majority 41,875 14.1
Total votes 297,918 100.0
Republican hold

Finances

Campaigns
Candidate (party) Raised Spent Cash on hand
Jon Porter (R) $2,762,871 $2,653,136 $128,982
Tom Gallagher (D) $2,141,750 $2,132,518 $9,231
Joseph Silvestri (L) Unreported
Richard O'Dell (IA) Unreported
Outside Spending
Candidate (party) Supported Opposed
Jon Porter (R) $91,320 $223,638
Tom Gallagher (D) $600,924 $396,971
Joseph Silvestri (L) $0 $0
ichard O'Dell (IA) $0 $0

Notes

  1. ^ Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear

References

  1. ^ "Results" (PDF). clerk.house.gov. 2004. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  2. ^ "Results" (PDF). www.fec.gov. 2004. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Congressional candidates face little opposition in primary". nevadaappeal.com. Las Vegas, NV: Nevada Appeal. August 25, 2004. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  4. ^ "D.C.'s Political Report: 2004 Nevada Results". dcpoliticalreport.com. D.C.'s Political Report. Archived from the original on February 15, 2025. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c "Editorial: Our choices for Congress". lasvegassun.com. Las Vegas Sun. October 17, 2004. Archived from the original on March 9, 2005. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c "2004 Competitive House Race Chart" (PDF). House: Race Ratings. Cook Political Report. October 29, 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 10, 2006. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c "2004 House". Sabato's Crystal Ball. November 3, 2004. Archived from the original on November 11, 2004. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  8. ^ "2004 Nevada Polls". dcpoliticalreport.com. D.C.'s Political Report. November 2, 2004. Archived from the original on December 14, 2010. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  9. ^ Erin Neff (March 14, 2004). "3RD DISTRICT: Gallagher energizes Democrats". reviewjournal.com. Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on March 17, 2004. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
  10. ^ Nicole Duran (May 11, 2004). "Upping the Ante in Nevada Race". rollcall.com. Roll Call. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
  11. ^ "Who You Calling Vulnerable?". rollcall.com. Roll Call. October 1, 2004. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
  12. ^ "Gallagher: Porter Should Reject Oil and Gas Money". rollcall.com. Roll Call. June 1, 2004. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
  13. ^ Nicole Duran (September 7, 2004). "Gallagher Goes Nuclear on Porter, Literally". rollcall.com. Roll Call. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
  14. ^ Nicole Duran (November 17, 2004). "Place All Future Bets on Rep. Porter". rollcall.com. Roll Call. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
  15. ^ "Help change Congress from Red to Blue!". democraticaction.org. DCCC. Archived from the original on September 21, 2004. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  16. ^ Las Vegas Review-Journal October
  17. ^ Las Vegas Sun October 2
  18. ^ Las Vegas Review-Journal October 1
  19. ^ GHY RG September
  20. ^ Las Vegas Review-Journal October
  21. ^ Las Vegas Review-Journal July
  22. ^ GHY RG July
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