2010 Nevada Governor - Sandoval vs. Reid

Nevada is really something of a city-state. Although geographically massive, 86 percent of its votes are cast in the Las Vegas and Reno/Sparks metro areas. These are some of the fastest growing areas in the United States. The state’s politics are thus typically in a state of flux, with politicians having to reintroduce themselves every four years.

This already tempestuous political situation was thrown further into turmoil when the Las Vegas real estate market collapsed. In 2008, this allowed Barack Obama to win a huge victory in a state that typically had close elections. This year, the dynamics are not so favorable to the governing parties. In the Republican primary, voters swept aside scandal-tarred incumbent Governor Jim Gibbons in favor of former federal judge Brian Sandoval.

Sandoval will face off against Clark County Commission chair Rory Reid, son of the senator. In the general election, the ire that swept aside Gibbons will likely be directed against the Democrat, who is the son of an unpopular senator. Things have gotten bad enough for Reid that he has taken to dropping his last name from advertisements. If Sandoval wins and acquits himself well, he will probably be in the mix for a national run in 2012 or 2016.