More Polling Out of Purple Nevada Infers Toss-Up U.S. Senate Race

Adam-Laxalt-Catherine-Cortez-Masto-AP
AP Photo/John Locher
Katherine Hamilton

Various polling of Nevada’s upcoming U.S. Senate race shows both vulnerable incumbent Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D) and Trump-endorsed Adam Laxalt (R) straining to pass one another — the newest survey projecting Cortez Masto ahead by seven points with a ±4.4 percent margin of error.

With less than 80 days before the 2022 midterms, a Suffolk University/Reno Gazette Journal poll shows Cortez Masto leading 45 percent to 38 percent. These results follow other polling from Trafalgar Group showing Laxalt leading the incumbent 46.7 – 44.3 percent, as well as a July poll displaying a statistical tie. Twelve percent of voters reported being undecided, and the other candidates combined garnered 3 percent of the vote. 

The motley results seem to be a manifestation of the Silver State’s purple leanings, as Nevadans weigh the importance of the economy against an array of social issues. Nevadans have consistently reported being most perturbed with the state of the economy over any other issue. The Suffolk poll reconfirmed this sentiment, showing the economy (34 percent) leading over abortion (13 percent), election fraud (11 percent), and education (10 percent.)

Most notably, 74 percent of likely Nevada voters ranked the state’s economy as “fair to poor,” and voters 3-to-1 said their standard of living is “worse than two years ago.” The state of Nevada, currently represented by Democrats in its governorship and the Senate, was seeing roughly 15.4 percent inflation in July relative to January 2021 prices, the Joint Economic Committee reported. The state has also seen some of the nation’s highest gas prices, its highest recorded average prices peaking in June with $5.60 regular unleaded and $6.00 diesel.

Republicans across the board have been leading with voters when it comes to the economy, and former Nevada Attorney General Laxalt is no different. Out of voters most concerned with the economy, Laxalt led Masto 60 percent to 21 percent.

However, Nevada voters who are concerned about abortion prefer Cortez Masto to Laxalt 79 percent to 11 percent, and 52 percent of overall voters said their view of abortion will “strongly impact” who they support in November.

Cortez Masto has set herself up as a pro-abortion proponent in opposition to Laxalt, who is pro-life. The senator has falsely accused Laxalt of supporting a nationwide abortion ban and has used that threat to campaign against him. She has also supported legislation that would allow abortions through all nine months of pregnancy nationwide, and is heavily funded by EMILY’s List, an “abortion rights” advocacy group.

But even though Cortez Masto is drumming up some support by focusing on abortion, especially among women (53 percent to 30 percent for Laxalt), Nevada voters actually guaranteed “abortion access” up to 24 weeks through a ballot referendum in 1990. Laxalt has previously said his position on abortion is that state’s should decide, and conceded that the 1990 vote means “Nevada is and will remain a pro-choice state” — though he said he would support a tighter limit and contended “most Nevadans agree with that position.”

It should be noted, however, that Nevadans do not hold Cortez Masto’s radical view of abortion on demand. More than half (51 percent)  of Nevadans believe “abortion should be legal only under certain circumstances.” Thirty-nine percent said “abortion should be legal under any circumstances,” and 10 percent said “abortion should be illegal in all circumstances,” an August poll conducted by OH Predictive Insights for the Nevada Independent found.

Overall, President Joe Biden is unpopular in the state, with 52 percent disapproving and 41 percent approving. Cortez Masto and other vulnerable Democrats, sensing his unpopularity, have tried to distance themselves from him — though part of Laxalt’s campaign strategy has been to label Cortez Masto as a “rubber stamp” for Biden’s leftwing agenda.

The statewide survey was conducted with 500 likely Nevada voters between August 14-17, and the margin of sampling error is ±4.4 percentage points.

Disclosure: Breitbart News is represented by Cooper & Kirk, PLLC. Adam Laxalt is a partner at Cooper & Kirk. He is not actively engaged or working on any matters for Breitbart News.

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