Diversity in the Nevada Legislature

African American legislators

The Nevada Legislature has included twenty self-identified African-Americans, the first being elected in 1966. As of the 78th Regular Legislative Session in 2015 there are five African Americans serving.

LegislatorPartyDistrict/Area RepresentedAssembly TermSenate TermNotes
Woodrow WilsonRepublicanClark No. 41966-1972-Later served on the Clark County Commission
Marion D. BennettDemocraticClark No. 61972-1982-
Cranford L. Crawford Jr.DemocraticClark No. 71972-1974-
Joe Neal Jr.DemocraticClark No. 4-1972-2004First African American elected to the Senate
Retired
Term Limited
Lonnie ChaneyDemocraticClark No. 71974-1984-
Eugene CollinsDemocraticClark No. 61982-1986-Changed party affiliation on August 27, 1965
Morse Arberry Jr.DemocraticClark No. 71984-2010-Retired
Term Limited
Thomas BattenRepublicanWashoe No. 271994-1996-
Bernice MathewsDemocraticWashoe No. 1-1994-2010First African American woman elected to the Senate
Retired
Term Limited
Maurice WashingtonRepublicanWashoe No. 2-1994-2010Retired
Term Limited
Wendell WilliamsDemocraticClark No. 61986-2004-Retired
Term Limited
Kelvin AtkinsonDemocraticClark No. 17 (Assembly)
District No. 4 (Senate)
2002-20122012-First African American elected to serve in both Houses of the Legislature
William HorneDemocraticClark No. 342002-2014-Retired
Term Limited
Harvey MunfordDemocraticClark No. 62004--
Steven HorsfordDemocraticClark No. 4-2004-2012Ran for Nevada's 4th congressional district in 2012 and won and later lost re-election in 2014
Steven BrooksDemocraticDistrict No. 172010-2013-Expelled from the Assembly on March 28, 2013 for crimes committed while in office
Jason FriersonDemocraticDistrict No. 82010-2014-Ran for re-election and lost
Dina NealDemocraticDistrict No. 72010--Daughter of Senator Joe Neal
First African American woman elected to the Assembly
Patricia SpearmanDemocraticDistrict No. 1-2012-First openly gay woman in the Senate
First openly gay person of color in the Legislature
Aaron D. FordDemocraticDistrict No. 11-2012-

Hispanic/Latino legislators

The Nevada Legislature has included twenty self-identified Hispanic/Latino legislators, the first being elected in 1874 with 70 years until the next Hispanic legislator was elected. As of the 78th Regular Legislative Session in 2015 there are nine Hispanic/Latino legislators serving.

LegislatorPartyDistrict/Area RepresentedAssembly TermSenate TermNotes
Pablo LaveagaDemocraticHumboldt County1874-1878-
William MartinezDemocraticWhite Pine County1944-1948-Served as Speaker Pro Tempore in 1945
Bob CoffinDemocraticClark No. 9 (Assembly)
Clark No. 3 (Senate)
1982-19861986-2010First Hispanic to serve in both houses of the Legislature
Term Limited in 2010
Successfully ran for Las Vegas City Council
Brian SandovalRepublicanWashoe No. 251994-1998-Ran for Governor of Nevada in 2010 and won and later won re-election in 2014
John OcegueraDemocraticClark No. 162000-2012-Served as Speaker of the Assembly in 2011
Ran for Nevada's 3rd congressional district in 2012 and lost
Mo DenisDemocraticDistrict No. 28 (Assembly)
District No. 2 (Senate)
2004-20102010-Served as Senate Majority Leader (2013), first Hispanic to do so
Ruben KihuenDemocraticDistrict No. 11 (Assembly)
District No. 10 (Senate)
2006-20102010-2016Ran for Nevada's 4th congressional district in 2016 and won
Irene Bustamante AdamsDemocraticDistrict No. 422010--
Lucy FloresDemocraticDistrict No. 282010-2014-Ran for Lieutenant Governor of Nevada in 2014 and lost
Olivia DiazDemocraticDistrict No. 112010--
Teresa Benitez-ThompsonDemocraticDistrict No. 272010--
Richard CarrilloDemocraticDistrict No. 182010--
Steven BrooksDemocraticDistrict No. 192010-2013-Expelled from the Assembly on March 28, 2013 for crimes committed while in office
Edgar FloresDemocraticDistrict No. 282014--
Nelson AraujoDemocraticDistrict No. 32014--
Victoria Seaman[1]RepublicanDistrict No. 342014-2016-Ran for re-election and lost

Asian American legislators

There have been two self-identified Asian Americans to serve in the Nevada Legislature. Although Sharron Angle said at a campaign stop in 2010 when running against Harry Reid for the United States Senate that, "I've been called the first Asian legislator in our Nevada State Assembly,[2] " Angle never in fact identified herself as Asian American.

LegislatorPartyDistrict/Area RepresentedAssembly TermSenate TermNotes
Robert WongRepublicanClark No. 151990-1992-
Francis AllenRepublicanClark No. 42004-2008-Lost her 2008 Primary Election for re-election

LGBT legislators

The Nevada Legislature has had five members who identify with the LGBT community, all serving concurrently as of the 2013 regular legislative session.

LegislatorPartyArea Represented/DistrictAssembly TermSenate TermNotes
David ParksDemocraticDistrict 41 (Assembly)
District 7 (Senate)
1996-20082008-Term Limited in the Assembly
Successfully ran for Senate in 2008
Lost a Primary Election to succeed Rory Reid on the Clark County Commission in 2010, remained in the Senate
James HealeyDemocraticDistrict 352012-2014-Ran for re-election and lost
Andrew MartinDemocraticDistrict 92012-2014-Ran for Nevada State Controller in 2014 and lost
Patricia SpearmanDemocraticDistrict 1-2012-Defeated sitting Senator John Lee in a Democratic Primary[3]
Kelvin AtkinsonDemocraticDistrict 17 (Assembly)
District 4 (Senate)
2002-20122012-Came out during floor debate on the repeal of the ban of same gender marriage in April 2013[4]
Nelson AraujoDemocraticDistrict 32014--

See also

References

  1. "G.O.P. Gains by Tapping Democrats' Base for State Candidates". The New York Times. November 29, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
  2. Ralston, Jon (October 18, 2010). "Angle to Hispanic children". Las Vegas Sun.
  3. Miller, Ross (June 12, 2012), Nevada Primary Election Results, Nevada Secretary of State, retrieved January 9, 2013
  4. Damon, Anjeanette. "In split vote, Nevada Senate passes measure to begin repeal of gay marriage ban - Las Vegas Sun News". Lasvegassun.com. Retrieved 2013-11-02.
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