Nevada Democratic Party
The Nevada State Democratic Party (NSDP) is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of Nevada. It is chaired by William McCurdy II.[1]
Nevada State Democratic Party | |
---|---|
Chairperson | William McCurdy II |
Governor of Nevada | Steve Sisolak |
Lieutenant Governor of Nevada | Kate Marshall |
Senate Majority Leader | Nicole Cannizzaro |
Speaker of the Nevada Assembly | Jason Frierson |
Headquarters | 2320 Paseo del Prado Las Vegas, Nevada United States |
Ideology | Centrism Conservatism Modern liberalism Progressivism |
Political position | Center to center-left |
National affiliation | Democratic Party |
Colors | Blue |
Statewide Executive Offices | 5 / 6
|
Nevada Senate | 13 / 21
|
Nevada Assembly | 29 / 42
|
U.S. Senate | 2 / 2
|
U.S. House of Representatives | 3 / 4
|
Website | |
www |
History
The state of Nevada has had 22 political parties over the years.[2] Only six of these parties lasted up until the 2004 elections. The Democratic Party and the Republican Party remain as the top two in the state.
With the help of Abraham Lincoln in 1864, Nevada became the 36th state in America. Lincoln’s Republican influence was considerable among the Nevada state citizens during his presidency. The first two general elections in Nevada, held in 1864 and 1867, were dominated by the Republican Party. In 1871, the Democratic Party started to gain momentum and won four of the six constitutional offices: governor, lieutenant governor, state treasurer and attorney general.
Towards the beginning of the 1900s, the Silver Party was formed, bringing many Republicans and Democrats together from the western states. The party was so-named because of the federal government’s shortage of silver coins in 1873. The Silver Party played a prominent role in Nevada’s politics in the 1894 and 1898 elections. The Silver Party later formed the Silver Democratic Party. The Silver Democratic Party was prominent in Nevada until the election of 1906. After the election of 1906, the Democratic and Republican parties became the two primary parties in Nevada.
During the Great Depression of 1929, the two primary parties split many constitutional and federal offices. After the Great Depression, the citizens of Nevada preferred the Democratic Party over the Republican Party. Democrats were well received by Nevada and won most of the statewide and federal races from 1932 until 1995.
Platform and structure
The current platform for the party was ratified in 2020. The topics that are covered include the military, veterans, healthcare, civil rights, education, elections and government, voting rights, environment and energy, foreign policy, jobs and the economy, and working Nevadans.[3]
A priority for Nevada Democrats in the 2010s and 2020s has been increasing the minimum wage. In 2019, Democratic governor Steve Sisolak signed a bill passed by a Democratic legislature to raise Nevada's minimum wage to $12 an hour.[4][5][6][7][8]
The party has a formal set of by-laws that form the party structure. These by-laws contain nine articles with many sections in each article.[9]
Current Democratic officeholders
The Nevada Democratic Party controls five of the state's six statewide offices, a majority in the Nevada Senate, and a majority in the Nevada Assembly. Democrats also hold both of the state's U.S. Senate seats and three of the state's four U.S. House of Representatives seats.
Legislative leadership
- Senate Majority Leader: Nicole Cannizzaro
- Senate President Pro Tempore: Mo Denis
- Assistant Senate Majority Leader: Joyce Woodhouse
- Senate Chief Majority Whip: Pat Spearman
- Senate Co-Majority Whips: Chris Brooks and Marilyn Dondero-Loop
- Speaker of Nevada Assembly: Jason Frierson
- Speaker Pro Tempore of Nevada Assembly: Steve Yeager
- Assembly Majority Floor Leader: Teresa Benitez-Thompson
- Assembly Assistant Majority Floor Leader: Daniele Monroe-Moreno
- Assembly Majority Whip: Edgar Flores
- Assembly Assistant Majority Whip: Sandra Jauregui
Members of Congress
Democrats comprise 5 of Nevada's 6-member Congressional delegation - including both US Senators and 3 members of the House of Representatives.
U.S. Senate
Democrats have controlled both of Nevada's seats in the U.S. Senate since 2018:
- Class I: Jacky Rosen (Junior Senator)
- Class III: Catherine Cortez Masto (Senior Senator, Chair of Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee)
U.S. House of Representatives
Out of the 4 seats Nevada is apportioned in the U.S. House of Representatives, 3 are held by Democrats:
Statewide offices
Democrats control five of the six elected statewide offices:
Executive Board[10]
- Chair: William McCurdy II
- 1st Vice-Chair: Marty McGarry
- 2nd Vice-Chair: Zaffar Iqbal, M.D.
- Secretary: Marla Turner
- Treasurer: Jan Churchill
Nevada Democratic National Committee Members[11]
- Alex Goff - National Committeeman
- Allison Stephens - National Committeewoman
County chairs (ex officio)
- Carson City- Lewis Hardy
- Churchill County- John Solomon, Sr.
- Clark County- Judith Whitmer
- Douglas County- Kimi Cole
- Elko County, Nevada - Steve Anderson
- Esmeralda County - Vacant
- Eureka County- Vacant
- Lander County - Claudio Cardoza
- Humboldt County - Vacant
- Lincoln County- Vacant
- Lyon County- John Solomon, Sr.
- Mineral County- Béa Whitney
- Nye County- Kelly Fitzpatrick
- Pershing County- Vacant
- Storey County- Vacant
- Washoe County- Sarah Mahler
- White Pine County- Vacant
References
- "About Us". Nevada State Democratic Party. Archived from the original on 11 April 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
- Hal K. Rothman. The Making of Modern Nevada. Fall 2010. September 8, 2011.
- Democratic, Nevada. "2020 Ratified Convention Platform | Blog | Nevada State Democratic Party" (PDF). Nevada State Democratic Party. Nvdems.com. Archived from the original on 2012-12-23. Retrieved 2013-01-21.
- Lochhead, Colton. "Sisolak signs bill raising minimum wage to $12 an hour in Nevada". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
- Jackson, Hugh. "U.S. House passes what Nevada Legislature wouldn't: $15 minimum wage". Nevada Current. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
- Snyder, Riley. "Lawmakers tackle bill gradually raising minimum wage to $12 by 2023, first increase in eight years". The Nevada Independent. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
- Snyder, Riley; Rindels, Michelle. "Bill raising minimum wage to $12 by 2024 clears Senate, heads to governor". The Nevada Independent. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
- Sadler, John. "Democrats continue to push proposals for higher minimum wage". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
- "Charter and Bylaws of the Nevada State Democratic Party" (PDF). August 22, 2020.
- "NV Dems Party Leadership". August 22, 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 28, 2008. Retrieved March 3, 2009.
- "2020-2022 NV Dems Executive Board". nvdems.com. Gwu.edu. Retrieved 2013-01-21.