Nevada Blue

Blue is a prominent color in Nevada. Our state flag is blue, UNR Wolf Pack athletics fields its teams in blue uniforms, and the Nevada sky is blue over 300 days a year. Now, in the lexicon of today's politics, Nevada voters have given the Silver State a decidedly blue tinge.

In the presidential race, the Obama / Biden ticket took only three of Nevada's counties, but they are the most populous - Washoe, Clark, and Carson City. In the unofficial statewide count, Obama beat McCain 55.11% to 42.69%. Counting Bill Clinton, this is only the second time in over 40 years that a Democrat has prevailed in Nevada. In Washoe County, it was almost the same - Obama 55.22%, McCain 42.64%. The last time Washoe County voters favored a Democrat for president was in 1964, and the candidate was Lyndon Johnson. According to the Nevada Secretary of State, the results become official on November 25 following the canvass.

The Nevada delegation in Congress now has a Democratic majority. Incumbent Republican U.S. Representative Jon Porter lost to Dina Titus in the 3rd Congressional District in southern Nevada. Republican Dean Heller of District 2 was re-elected, as was Democrat Shelley Berkley in District 1. Nevada U.S. Senators Harry Reid (D) and John Ensign (R) were not up for re-election in 2008.

In the Nevada State Senate, two incumbent Republicans lost (Bob Beers and Joe Heck), giving Democrats a 12 to 9 majority. The two new Senators are from Clark County districts in southern Nevada - Shirley Breeden and Allison Copening. In the Assembly, Democrats picked up one seat and Republicans lost one, resulting in a 28 to 14 Democratic edge.