Nevada Democrats expand their Assembly majority to at least 31 seats but remain one seat short of a Senate supermajority

What happened

Nevada Democrats gained ground in the state Legislature on Election Day, according to the Nevada Current. They flipped several seats and defeated an incumbent Republican governor. The party did not reach a two-thirds supermajority in the state Senate, which will limit what Democrats can pass on their own during the 2027 Legislative Session.

In the Assembly, Democrats will control at least 31 of 42 seats based on results as of Monday night, the Current reported. That is the party's largest caucus in at least three decades. In the Senate, the balance is unchanged at 13 of 21 seats, one short of a supermajority.

Why the Senate supermajority matters

Revenue bills need two-thirds

Without a Senate supermajority, Democrats will need at least one Senate Republican to pass any bill that raises state revenue, the Current reported. That rule covers more than tax increases. Governor-elect Aaron Ford has suggested he is not open to tax increases anyway.

The two-thirds threshold also applies to smaller measures. One example the Current gave is a bill that creates a new $5 fee for applicants seeking a new type of occupational license. One of the 5 biennial budget bills that must pass each session also requires two-thirds support.

Few Senate seats were in play

Nevada state senators serve staggered 4-year terms, so only half the chamber is on the ballot each cycle. This year 11 of 21 Senate seats were up. Only 4 of those were held by Republicans, and all four districts are considered solidly red, leaving Democrats little opportunity.

Republican Sen. Ira Hansen ran without opposition in District 14. Senate Minority Leader Robin Titus, Sen. Lisa Krasner and Assemblymember Danielle Gallant each defeated Democrats in Districts 17, 16 and 20, respectively.

Assembly gains and one close race

Incumbents unseated

All 42 Assembly seats are up every two years, giving Democrats more room to grow from the 27 seats they held going into Election Day. Democrat Joe Spica, a Culinary union member, ousted Republican Assemblymember Rebecca Edgeworth in competitive District 35. In a result the Current described as more surprising to observers, retired Clark County School District teacher Daniel Andrews defeated Republican Assemblymember Brian Hibbetts in District 13.

Former public school teacher Eileen Eady unseated Republican Lisa Cole in Assembly District 4. Kamilah Bywaters, also a former public school teacher, flipped District 2, an open seat left by Assemblymember Heidi Kasama, who ran unsuccessfully for Clark County Commission. Two years ago, Bywaters and Eady both lost Clark County School Board races to conservative Moms for Liberty candidates.

One race still uncalled

As of Monday night, the Associated Press had not called one Assembly race. Republican Assemblymember Melissa Hardy trailed Democrat Shenea Booth, a world champion athlete and circus artist, by 77 votes, or less than one quarter of 1 percentage point. If the results hold, Democrats will hold 32 of the 42 Assembly seats.

Other newcomers

Democrats Vinny Spotleson and Alex Pereszlenyi also won. Republican campaign ads had called them "too extreme" for Nevada because of their ties to the Las Vegas branch of the Democratic Socialists of America. According to the Current, both acknowledged joining the group but said it was not central to their campaigns, and neither was endorsed by it.

Other incoming Democrats include recovery advocate Ryan Hampton, SEIU Local 1107 steward Alexis Esparza and urban planner Miguel Davila. Republicans will add two newcomers who won open seats: former television commercial producer Denise Daniels Fanning and Julie Butler, who worked three decades in the state's budget division.

What lawmakers may take up in 2027

The reshaped Legislature may revisit some of the dozens of bills Lombardo vetoed over the past four years, the Current reported. Lawmakers may also deal with continued fallout from President Trump's Big Beautiful Bill, data center regulations, education and affordability. For more on the results, see our coverage of why Nevada Democrats swept this year's election and how young voters helped Ford unseat Lombardo.

What to watch next

• A final Associated Press call in the Assembly race between Melissa Hardy and Shenea Booth, separated by 77 votes as of Monday night.
• The Nevada Economic Forum's meeting on Monday, Nov. 16, to approve the official revenue forecast used as the base for the state budget.
• The 2027 Legislative Session, where revenue bills and one of the 5 budget bills will need at least one Senate Republican vote.