Nevada’s sole Republican in Congress, Rep. Mark Amodei, will be retiring after eight terms.
Announcing his decision on Friday, Mr. Amodei said it was time to make way for a new generation of leaders.
“I came to Congress to solve problems and to make sure our State and Nation have strong voice in the federal policy and oversight processes,” he said in a statement. “I look forward to finishing my term. After 15 years of service, I believe it is the right time for Nevada and myself to pass the torch.”
Mr. Amodei, who is the top Republican on the Department of Homeland Security appropriations subcommittee, became the latest high-profile Republican to announce plans to retire from Congress. More than two dozen Republicans are among the 51 incumbents to call it quits when the term ends this year.
His district, Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District, is Republican-leaning and is likely to remain red, as the party fights to maintain a majority in what is now a narrowly divided House.
Mr. Amodei’s decision to leave Congress comes just three months after President Trump gifted him with his “Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-election” in November. While he thanked the president for his support, he ultimately joined a growing list of lawmakers looking to hand over the reins.
He said that serving the people of Nevada has been the “honor of my lifetime.”
“Nobody is prouder of our Nevada Congressional District than me,” he added. “Thank you for the honor. Every achievement worth doing began with listening to Nevadans and fighting for our values.”
The 2nd Congressional District already had a competitive field of 10 candidates, including two Republicans.
Heath Fulkerson has filed documents to run for a House seat in California and Nevada and declared his 2028 candidacy for president. Rick Shepherd says he stands for “America First policies that reject the failures of both parties: endless wars, open borders, and special-interest control.”
The two will face off in the June primary before being pitted against the winner of the Democratic primary.
• Mary McCue Bell can be reached at mbell@washingtontimes.com.
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