Questions have begun circulating among some Republican voters after longtime Nevada lawmaker James Settelmeyer announced his bid for Congress in Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District.
Settelmeyer, a Douglas County rancher and fourth-generation Nevadan, entered the race March 6, shortly after U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei announced he would not seek reelection. The open seat has quickly attracted multiple Republican contenders.
Settelmeyer brings a lengthy résumé in state government. He served 16 years in the Nevada Legislature, representing rural District 17, which includes portions of Churchill, Douglas, Lyon, and Storey counties. During that time, he held several leadership roles, including Senate Minority Leader from 2018 to 2022.
In January 2023, Gov. Joe Lombardo appointed him director of the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, where he oversees state programs involving land management, conservation, water resources, and environmental policy.
In announcing his campaign, Settelmeyer pointed out his background in agriculture and his experience with Nevada’s natural resource issues. A graduate of Cal Poly with a degree in agricultural education and agricultural science, he continues to operate a ranch in Douglas County.
Supporters say his decades of legislative experience and deep Nevada roots make him suited to represent the largely rural district in Congress. Amodei himself has publicly backed Settelmeyer and is hosting campaign events on his behalf.
However, critics within the Republican primary field argue that portions of Settelmeyer’s legislative record do not align with the more hardline conservative positions increasingly favored by parts of the GOP base.
Opponents point to several votes during his time in the Nevada Senate. Among them are his support for legislation in 2013 that allowed driver authorization cards for undocumented immigrants, and a 2019 vote for Senate Bill 94 related to state funding for certain family planning services, i.e., abortions.
Critics have also highlighted his support for measures such as the Equal Rights Amendment resolution (SJR 8), corporate board diversity requirements (SB 267), certain insurance mandates (AB 170), and election system changes contained in SB 103.
Equal Rights Amendment, increased taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood, backed DEI quotas, preserved Obamacare mandates & supported ranked choice voting & open primaries.
Nevada SJR8, passed in 2019/2021, is a state-level joint resolution ratifying the federal Equal Rights Amendment, which failed to pass federally in 1972, adding a state-level guarantee of equality. It prohibits discrimination based on sex, race, sexual orientation, and gender expression in Nevada.
Nevada Senate Bill 267 (2021) requires corporations with 500 or more employees to submit annual reports on workforce diversity, equality, and inclusion to the Department of Taxation, focusing on gender and racial representation in management, executive positions, and on corporate boards.
Nevada Assembly Bill 170 aligns state law with the Affordable Care Act, forcing insurers to cover individuals regardless of health status and prohibiting premium hikes based on health, or the health of spouses or dependents. It further directs group health plans to include wellness programs that offer premium discounts.
Nevada Senate Bill 103 revises provisions relating to mail ballots in elections. It focused on tightening deadlines and requirements for mail ballots rather than overhauling broader election systems. Critics claim it opened the door to less transparency and greater voting fraud.
Settelmeyer allies counter that his legislative votes reflect practical policymaking in a politically divided state, noting that he consistently aligned with Republican leadership during his time in Carson City.
Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District, which covers much of the state’s rural counties as well as parts of northern Nevada, has long leaned Republican.
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