Retired Sparks Police Officer Enters GOP Primary for Nevada-02

Retired Sparks Police Department officer George Forbush has entered the Republican primary race for Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District in the 2026 election, joining a growing field of candidates seeking the seat being vacated by longtime Rep. Mark Amodei.

Forbush, a 20-year veteran of the Sparks Police Department, filed to run as a conservative Republican in the race. The district, which covers much of northern Nevada and leans Republican, is expected to draw significant interest from GOP candidates now that Amodei has announced he will not seek reelection.

Forbush’s candidacy comes after a legal dispute with the City of Sparks that ended in a $525,000 settlement approved by the Sparks City Council in March 2024.

The case stemmed from a 2021 federal lawsuit Forbush filed against the city and several officials after he was disciplined for a series of tweets posted from his personal account in 2020. The posts were made while he was off duty and did not identify him as a police officer.

The tweets were posted during a period of nationwide protests following the death of George Floyd. Among them was a comment about building AR pistols specifically “for BLM, Antifa or active shooters who cross my path and can’t maintain social distancing,” along with other remarks the city later determined violated department policies.

After receiving an anonymous tip about the posts, the Sparks Police Department opened an internal investigation. Forbush was ultimately suspended for four days without pay, one day for each tweet cited in the disciplinary action.

Forbush later filed a lawsuit arguing the discipline violated his First Amendment rights, stating the comments were made as a private citizen on a personal account.

The legal fight continued for several years, including a federal judge’s decision allowing parts of the case to proceed. The city eventually chose not to appeal certain rulings.

In March 2024, the Sparks City Council unanimously approved a settlement resolving the lawsuit. Under the agreement, the city’s insurance carrier paid Forbush $525,000 and provided him with a lifetime post-retirement health insurance stipend.

The settlement has resurfaced in recent weeks following Forbush’s entry into the congressional race, as political observers track the expanding field of candidates seeking the NV-02 seat.

Candidate filing for the 2026 election cycle recently closed, and the Republican primary for the district is expected to be competitive given the number of candidates now in the race.