WOMEN RULE:
DID YOU KNOW THIS ABOUT NEVADA?
This past Saturday, I had the rare opportunity to spend the afternoon with Congresswoman Susie Lee. She’s been a member of the U.S. House of Representatives since the 2018 mid-term election. Rep. Lee represents most of the west side of Las Vegas, including my home district.
We were gathered at a neighbor’s house along with a small group of locals here at the Lakes. It was the first time I’ve spent any significant face-to-face time with my member of Congress (NV-3). I thought I knew quite a lot about government and politics — even at the local level — but after talking with (and more importantly listening to) her I quickly recognized how little I really knew. I discovered how much I still have to learn.
I’ll share lots more about Rep. Lee in another upcoming post. She’s quite interesting, and very down-to-earth. After only a minute or so with her, one quickly realizes how some people are just born with the natural talent to serve in a high elected office. Rep. Lee is a moderate Democrat in a very purple swing district. She’s able connect with many different types of voters (rare, nowadays) and can speak with authority on every issue. Rep. Lee sits on the House Appropriations Committee, which is arguably the most powerful assignment in Congress.
After our small social engagement ended, I got to thinking more about how Nevada is so different from other states. While the lines of distinction may be blurred a bit (which means Nevada is becoming more like other states, and other states are adopting many of Nevada’s lifestyle choices–namely legalized casino gambling), one very significant outlier remains. My guess is — this info I’m about to share may surprise you.
When I moved to Las Vegas 24 years ago, most people at the time looked at this city as a very male-oriented culture. Myself included. Las Vegas was a giant man-cave. Bars and casinos were open 24-7. Massive amounts of decent food was everywhere, and it was cheap. Gun laws were lax. The mob was still around. Sports on TV was everyplace you went. The image of my new city Las Vegas and state Nevada was very macho —- some might even call it misogynistic.
Society has changed quite a bit over the years, and so too has Las Vegas and local culture. Perhaps no place has changed more significantly than Las Vegas’ political representation. More specifically, Las Vegas (and Nevada) have become the national leader and the epicenter of *women* in politics.
What? Women in politics? Nevada?
Here are some quick facts. Did you know ?????
– Nevada has two U.S. Senators. Both are women.
– Las Vegas includes three congressional districts. Two of the three seats are held by women.
– Nevada is the only state in the country whre both bodies of the legislature currently have a majority of women — in both the state assembly and the state senate.
– The most-populous city in Nevada is Las Vegas. The Mayor is a woman.
– Las Vegas has 7 city council members. Of the seven seats, 6 are held by women.
– The second-biggest city in Nevada is Reno. The Mayor is a woman.
– The third- and fourth biggest cities in Nevada are Henderson and North Las Vegas. Both Mayors are women.
I don’t think Las Vegas and Nevada receive nearly enough attention nor credit for this unprecedented degree of female representation. Keep in mind, this is all a relatively new phenomenon. For women to have a meaningful impact (in politics), it takes time. However, this trend makes me hopeful. I seriously doubt many people, even here in Nevada realize how unusual this is given that American politics has been dominated by men (mostly older, White men) forever. This is a true pioneering first, and something to be proud of.
Also worth noting: Nevada (along with New Hampshire and South Carolina) are each vying to be the first state to vote in the 2028 Democratic presidential primaries. So, given Nevada will likely be an early state when elections do happen, it is likely destined to play a bigger national role in the years ahead.