OPINION: The Shadow Puppets of Nevada Politics—When Candidates Run for Everything But Victory
In Nevada's high-stakes swing-state showdown, where elections can sway the national tide, not every candidate is in it to win it. Some throw their hat in the ring to inflate their egos, fatten their wallets, or derail the true contenders. This isn't new—it's a classic political ruse.
Beneath the glitz of political campaigns lurks a sly playbook: incumbents and their consultant cronies can deploy decoys lured or funded not to run-to-win, but to rig the game. One devious move? Backing a fake challenger against yourself to create a phantom threat, then milking donors with fear-based fundraising pleas. Politicians puff up nonexistent perils to build their war chests, far beyond what's needed for a fair fight.
Even craftier: financing plants to hobble genuine rivals, either by forcing them to battle on multiple fronts or by splintering their voter base. Take the shadowy Patriots Run Project in 2024, tied to Democratic operatives, which lured Trump loyalists into third-party runs in swing districts from Virginia to Montana—aiming to fracture conservative votes and hand wins to Democrats. It's an echo of 2022, when Democrats quietly amplified far-right extremists in GOP primaries to sideline moderates, or the 2010 Nevada Senate showdown, where Tea Party upstart Scott Ashjian was branded a Harry Reid (D)-backed spoiler to erode Republican Sharron Angle's edge.
History's littered with Nevada's own gallery of electoral eccentrics. In that infamous 2010 Senate race, Ashjian—a Tea Party candidate with a dubious resume—nabbed just 3% but tipped the scales for Reid's razor-thin victory over Angle. Republicans howled "plant," and rightly so: he wasn't there to lead, but to leech votes.
Then come the perennial runners chasing fame over function. Libertarian Chris Cunningham resurfaced in the 2024 Senate fray after bombing in a 2022 state bid, spouting anti-government gospel for less than 1% of the vote—more brand-building exercise than blueprint for change. Independent American Party fixture Janine Hansen has been a ballot mainstay, flitting from Senate to Secretary of State races with minuscule tallies, all while hawking her activist outfit and raking in donations. These aren't campaigns; they're extended infomercials.
Nevada's archives brim with such stunts: In 2006, adult film star Melody Damayo dipped into the Republican gubernatorial primary, snagging under 2% but a jackpot of headlines to polish her entertainment persona. Flash back to 1990, when a gadfly legally dubbed "Rhinestone Cowboy" moseyed into the Democratic gubernatorial primary for giggles and a smattering of votes. Carlo Poliak, a chameleon with monikers like "Humane" and "Mazunga," shape-shifted through Senate and House bids from 2002 to 2016, across parties, amassing tiny shares in what felt like a quest for infamy. And in a peak of absurdity, "God Almighty" graced the 1992 Democratic Senate primary ballot, divine pseudonym and all, pulling a few thousand votes in a farcical face-off with Reid.
Even deep-pocketed divas play along. In the 2024 GOP Senate primary, Jeff Gunter torched $3 million of his fortune to savage frontrunner Sam Brown, only to fizzle at 15% and unleash post-defeat Twitter tirades. Was it ego inflation or a boost for his dermatology dynasty? Either way, it was no masterclass in statesmanship.
Enter stage left: Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill (D), freshly declaring her 2026 Democratic gubernatorial run with pitches for tax hikes and school funding. But let's read between the lines—this reeks of rehearsal, not revolution. Leaping from local commissioner to governor's mansion? It smacks of profile-padding for future gigs or a cash-grab detour, not a heartfelt crusade. In Nevada's bare-knuckle arena, serious contenders forge alliances early and cast wide nets; Hill's tardy, narrow-focus entry hints at spotlight-seeking over substance. Perhaps she's struck a backstage deal with rival AG Aaron Ford (D)—the plot thickens if she ends up promoting herself harder than making a case against him.
These electoral illusions erode faith in the ballot box, reducing it to a billboard for grifters and gadflies. Voters merit more than smoke and mirrors. As 2026 ignites, let's expose the charlatans and rally behind those who campaign to govern, not to game.
