April Becker defeated four other candidates in the Republican primary for Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District on June 14. Incumbent Susie Lee, who was first elected in 2018, ran in the Democratic primary.
Becker, John Kovacs, and Noah Malgeri led in fundraising and media attention.
Becker runs April Becker & Associates, a law practice, and has owned several small businesses with her husband. In the 2020 general election for state Senate, Nicole Cannizzaro (D) defeated Becker 50.5% to 49.5%. Becker listed the economy, border security and crime rates, and education as the top issues facing the state. Becker said, “I think Susie Lee doesn’t care about people. I think she is in this job for the wrong reasons. In contrast, I care about the people who I am going to work for…That has been my motivator for everything I have done my entire life. Going to law school, my pro bono work, my senate and congressional race…it is going to be me fighting for the people I work for.” Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R), former Ambassador Nikki Haley, and the Nevada Republican Party endorsed Becker.
Kovacs is the president of NVNJ Construction Group, a construction company he founded. He listed inflation, border security and crime, and water scarcity as his top issues. In drawing attention to the issue of water scarcity, Kovacs said, “It’s not as sexy as the election fraud or critical race theory or the Second Amendment, but if this area didn’t have water, it’d be a ghost town.” Kovacs has said his background running businesses is what sets him apart from his opponents: “How many other candidates are running multimillion-dollar businesses with collective bargaining agreements and paying into health care for more than 50 employees? None of them. One day I’m an accountant, the next a lawyer, then an engineer… the other candidates have no concept of this stuff. People are going to see this once we start talking about the issues.” In a campaign ad, Kovacs described Becker as a RINO (Republican In Name Only).
Malgeri is a U.S. Amy veteran, attorney and founder and CEO of Mojave Rail Fabrication, a company that makes automobile roof racks. Malgeri campaigned on stopping the teaching of critical race theory in schools, ending corruption in Washington D.C., and making America economically independent of China. Malgeri said, “I think my big picture appreciation of things like China, insight as patent attorney and decorated Army officer living in Europe for five years and the fact that I invented something and built a business around it have equipped me with the necessary perspective. I’ve also lived and worked in Washington, D.C., before. I know what it’s like there.”
Clark Bossert and Albert Maxwell Goldberg also ran in the race.
The Cook Political Report and Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales consider the general election a Toss-up. Larry J. Sabato’s Crystal Ball rates the general election Tilt Democratic.