Trump Endorses Flippo in Nevada CD2 Race; Amodei Breaks With President Over Pick
President Donald Trump stepped into Nevada’s competitive 2nd Congressional District Republican primary Friday, endorsing Air Force veteran David Flippo and setting up a direct clash with outgoing Rep. Mark Amodei, who publicly said Trump “made a mistake.”
The endorsement arrived midway through Nevada’s early voting period and immediately reshuffled the dynamics of a crowded race to fill an open Northern Nevada seat that has long been a Republican stronghold.
Trump Backs Flippo, Amodei Pushes Back
Trump announced his support for Flippo in a social media post, describing the candidate as an “America First Patriot” backed by prominent Republican figures in the House and in Nevada. Flippo, a retired Air Force combat veteran, called the endorsement a deep honor and pledged to advance a border security, military, and tax-cutting agenda.
Amodei, who announced in February he would not seek re-election, had already thrown his support behind former Nevada Senate Minority Leader James Settelmeyer. Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo has also endorsed Settelmeyer.
Amodei did not hold back in response to Trump’s announcement. “Northern Nevada Republicans deserve a strong Nevada voice in this district,” Amodei wrote on social media, invoking a succession of representatives stretching back 43 years. He argued that outside organizations should not be selecting Northern Nevada’s congressional voice and suggested the endorsement was a poor repayment to a region that has consistently backed Trump.
“With all due respect Mr. President, Nevada already has five representatives who live in Clark County,” Amodei wrote. “Your endorsement if followed, would make it six out of six.”
Amodei’s core objection centered on residency. Flippo had been running in Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District, which covers Southern Nevada, before Amodei’s retirement announcement opened the CD2 seat. Amodei argued that Flippo only relocated to the district when a political opening emerged.
Settelmeyer and Watts Respond
Settelmeyer’s campaign said it would continue campaigning hard through Election Day and emphasized that Northern Nevada voters should choose a representative with deep community roots — not one who relocated for political opportunity.
Shortly after Trump’s post, another candidate in the race made a significant move. Former Eureka County Sheriff Jesse Watts announced he was suspending his campaign and directing his support to Settelmeyer. Watts cited what he described as Flippo’s insufficient ties to the district as his reason for stepping aside. “Our district deserves a representative rooted in our communities,” Watts wrote.
By the Numbers
13 — Total Republican candidates initially seeking the open CD2 seat, including Flippo and Settelmeyer.
113,000+ — Ballots already cast statewide in the Nevada primary as of the endorsement, through a combination of in-person early voting and mail ballots, according to the Nevada Secretary of State.
May 23 – June 5 — Nevada’s two-week early voting window, during which Trump’s endorsement landed roughly at the halfway point.
43 years — The span of Republican House representation from Northern Nevada that Amodei referenced, dating through Barbara Vucanovich, Jim Gibbons, Dean Heller, and himself.
3 — Nevada congressional districts where Trump has now weighed in with endorsements this primary cycle: CD1 (state Sen. Carrie Buck), CD3 (composer Marty O’Donnell), and now CD2 (Flippo). The CD1 and CD3 picks were announced in April.
Zoom Out
The CD2 endorsement reflects a pattern playing out across the country, where Trump’s involvement in House primaries sometimes generates friction with established state and local Republican figures who have their own preferred candidates. The tension between nationalized party infrastructure and state-rooted political networks has been a recurring dynamic in competitive primaries since 2022. Nevada’s race is notable because the sitting congressman whose seat is up for grabs is openly challenging the president’s judgment — an unusual posture even in intra-party disputes.
For similar dynamics around political competition and state-level Republican races, see our coverage of a private school co-founder contending for Iowa’s GOP gubernatorial nomination.
What’s Next
Nevada’s primary election is set to follow the close of early voting on June 5. With more than 113,000 ballots already submitted, a significant share of the electorate has voted before or shortly after Trump’s endorsement reached voters. The winner of the Republican primary in CD2 will be heavily favored in the general election given the district’s consistent Republican lean.