Former NLV Mayor John Lee trying to unseat U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford in CD4 election
LAS VEGAS ( KLAS ) — U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) faces Republican challenger John Lee in Congressional District 4, which covers the northern part of the Las Vegas valley extending north to the center of the state.
Horsford initially won election to CD4 a dozen years ago, but he lost after a single two-year term. He retook the seat in 2019, and has held it since, running now for his fifth term in Congress.
Lee, who was the mayor of North Las Vegas from 2013 to 2022, defeated David Filippo in the Republican primary, 48.2% to 45.3%, to earn the right to go up against Horsford. Before 2021, Lee was a Democrat, but changed affiliations and said, "It's not the party that I grew up with 25 years ago in this environment and it's not the party that I can stand with anymore."
During Lee's tenure in North Las Vegas, he led the city out of a deep financial hole . The city was on the verge of bankruptcy.
Horsford has gained influence in Congress, now serving as the leader of the Black Caucus. It's a platform he has used to call out Republicans including Louisiana Rep. Clay Higgins who repeated debunked allegations that Haitian immigrants in Ohio were "eating pets." His campaign has recently echoed Kamala Harris's lead, citing a need to "turn the page" from politics of the past.
ELECTION RESULTS: Get the latest numbers as votes start rolling in
In an interview with 8 News Now , Lee focused on Horsford's leadership of the Black Caucus as a distraction, accusing him of "disappearing" into Washington politics instead of paying more attention to issues at home. He went farther, calling the Black Caucus racist and accusing the organization of excluding Black Republican lawmakers.
Horsford has been the executive director of the Culinary Training Academy of Las Vegas since 2001. He served in the Nevada State Senate from 2004 to 2012, rising to the position of majority leader (2009-2012). He was the first black U.S. House member to represent Nevada and the first black leader of the state senate.
Lee owns Vegas Plumbing Service and Champion Tile and Marble. He serves as director of Nevada First Bank and holds a number of positions with civic organizations, boards and committees.
A poll in late August showed Horsford with a comfortable lead. Horsford led Lee 45.7%. To 36.1% with 10.5% of voters undecided.
Russell Best (Independent American Party) and Timothy Ferreira (Libertarian Party) also appear on the ballot in CD4.
