Rep. Mark Amodei, Nevada’s lone Republican in Congress, is calling it a career after 15 years in Washington, announcing Friday that he will retire at the end of his current term. His decision instantly turns Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District into one of the state’s most closely watched political prizes for 2026.
In a written statement, Amodei thanked the people he has represented and made clear he plans to serve out the remainder of his term. “Serving the people of Nevada has been the honor of my lifetime,” he said, adding that after 15 years it was “the right time for Nevada and myself to pass the torch.” The announcement came in a release from Rep. Mark Amodei's office.
Amodei's Record in Washington
Amodei first won his seat in a 2011 special election and has held Nevada’s 2nd District ever since, according to his official congressional biography. Over that stretch, he has served on the House Appropriations and Natural Resources committees, and he currently chairs the House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee, a post that has put him squarely inside recent debates over border policy and funding for the Department of Homeland Security. The House Appropriations Homeland Security subcommittee page lists his role and committee assignments.
What It Means for Nevada Politics
Amodei is the only Republican in Nevada’s congressional delegation, a status that makes his retirement especially significant for both parties and for the fight over control of the U.S. House. The Nevada Independent notes that he is currently the lone GOP member of Congress from Nevada.
His exit also lands in the middle of a broader exodus from the House this cycle, with an analysis from the Associated Press highlighting a wave of retirements reshaping the chamber.
Next Steps and the 2026 Outlook
For now, Amodei says he will finish his term. Once the seat formally opens for 2026, both Republicans and Democrats are expected to start testing the waters and lining up would-be successors, turning the 2nd District into an early staging ground for Nevada’s next political reshuffle.
Local coverage has already started tracking the fallout and initial reaction as filing season approaches. KOLO reported on the announcement and quoted Amodei’s statement from his retirement release.
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