Full Breakdown
Jim Marchant Wins Nevada GOP Primary for Secretary of State, Setting Up 2028 Election Showdown
6/16/2026, 8:34:34 AM
Primary Victory Sets Up 2028 Election Oversight
Former state legislator Jim Marchant won the Republican nomination for Nevada secretary of state in the June 9, 2026 primary, defeating Shirley Folkins-Roberts and Sharron Angle. The victory pits him against incumbent Democrat Cisco Aguilar, who previously defeated Marchant in 2022. The secretary-of-state will administer Nevada’s 2028 presidential election, a battleground that voted for Donald Trump in 2024 after supporting Joe Biden in 2020.
Background, Key Figures, and Timeline
Marchant has promoted election-fraud narratives since his 2020 congressional loss to Rep. Steven Horsford. In December 2020 he joined six Nevada Republicans in signing false electoral certificates claiming a Trump victory, a claim contradicted by Biden’s margin of over 33,000 votes; those six face criminal charges. He previously lost the 2022 secretary-of-state race to Aguilar. Nevada’s 2024 election saw Trump win the state, and a voter-ID ballot question passed by a wide margin.
Data & Statistics
- Marchant reported $0 raised and spent before the primary; Folkins-Roberts spent ? $11,000 and Angle ? $20,000.
- An AP review found fewer than 475 alleged fraud cases across six battleground states; Nevada’s share was under 0.3 % of Biden’s margin.
- Biden’s 2020 Nevada margin exceeded 33,000 votes; the 2024 voter-ID question passed with a wide margin (exact figures not released).
Why It Matters
The secretary-of-state controls ballot design, voter-registration systems, and certification of results. Marchant’s proposals to eliminate electronic voting machines, end universal mail ballots, and require hand-counted paper ballots would reshape Nevada’s voting infrastructure before the 2028 presidential contest and could influence national election-security debates.
Official Statements & Responses
Marchant described his primary win as a mandate for voter-ID and election reform. Aguilar said he respects the voters’ decision and will work with the governor and local officials to strengthen elections. Folkins-Roberts issued a concession statement. The Nevada secretary-of-state office, then led by a Republican, dismissed the 2020 fraud claims as baseless.
Criticism & Opposition
Election-integrity analysts note that Marchant’s fraud allegations lack evidentiary support and that the six Republicans who signed false certificates face criminal charges. Aguilar has called voter-ID a solution to a problem that does not exist, challenging the premise of Marchant’s reform agenda. Critics warn that hand-counting paper ballots could strain resources and delay results.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Aguilar’s campaign declined to comment on Marchant’s primary win, leaving Democratic response undocumented. Detailed financial disclosures for Marchant’s campaign beyond the $0 figure are not publicly available.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Despite being massively outspent in this election, I'm proud to again be chosen by Nevada conservatives to be their champion in the race for Secretary of State,” — Jim Marchant
- “victory for voter ID.” — Jim Marchant
- “to continue strengthening our elections.” — Cisco Aguilar
What’s Next
The November 2026 election will decide whether Marchant’s voting reforms are enacted. Regardless of the outcome, the secretary-of-state will oversee Nevada’s role in the 2028 presidential election.
