Democrats had a pretty good 2016 -- in Nevada, at least.
Hillary Clinton carried the state. Catherine Cortez Masto held Harry Reid's Senate seat. Democrats won both houses of the state legislature.
With 2018 fast approaching, what strategies do Nevada Democrats have to keep their successes going?
Two new party leaders have some ideas and some priorities to try and make that happen.
"I think that, in-state, we all agree that we need to make sure that we are successful next cycle, and that we have really big goals that we need to meet," Alana Mounce, the new executive director of the Nevada Democratic Party, said. "We need to make sure that we're defeating Dean Heller next year. We need to make sure that we take back the governor's mansion. We need to make sure that we win all of the constitutional offices that are open next year."
Mounce demurred when asked which of those goals was the top priority, saying the party would fight "in every single race."
That stance was echoed by Donna West, the new chair of the Clark County Democratic Party. She noted that while current State Sen. Patricia Farley (I-8) caucused with the Democrats during the last legislative session, the party was not opposed to challenging her re-election bid.
"She's a great candidate as an independent," West said. "I would love to welcome her into the Democratic Party -- she caucused with us. We're on the same page in a lot of ways. But if a Democrat steps up to challenge her, and she stays as an independent, we'll be supporting her challenger."
Historically, mid-term elections have lower turnout than those in presidential years, but West thinks there's a good shot at bucking that trend in 2018.
"I think that voters are going to be inspired when they see the strong candidates that are stepping up to run for all offices up and down the ticket in Nevada," she said.
She went on to say many other state Democratic parties are looking to Nevada as a source of inspiration and strategy after the party's successes in 2016.
Mounce added economic security would be a key part of Democratic candidates' messaging heading into their campaigns.
"[We're] making sure we're fighting for jobs, we're fighting for fair wages, and making sure that we are giving voters something to vote for, and not just focusing on a backlash against Donald Trump," she said.
Part of the Democrats' success in 2016 was predicated on strong showings in Clark and Washoe counties, where the majority of Nevada's population lives. In contrast, Democrats struggled in parts of rural Nevada. But Mounce doesn't think the Nevada Democratic Party should concentrate its efforts solely on overperforming in the Las Vegas and Reno areas.
"The Democratic Party is a party for every single Democrat in the state of Nevada," she said. "Our approach is organizing in every single community and every single ZIP code where we can be successful."
West agreed, citing the success of freshman Rep. Ruben Kihuen (D-4).
"His district is heavily rural," she said. "After being elected, Congressman Kihuen has spent a lot of time out in the rural areas, and talking to those Democrats out there. They're excited and they're engaged."
But even with that success, Democrats locally and nationally have encountered some division -- largely between groups who supported Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders in the primaries & caucuses and those who backed the eventual nominee, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. This played out during Nevada's statewide Democratic convention, where supporters of both camps were agitated over the result. West, though, thinks there are overarching goals that will help unify those wings of the party in Nevada.
"I believe we're already coming together," she said, saying the board of the Clark County Democratic Party was pretty evenly mixed between supporters of Clinton and Sanders. "I think we've come to realize we're not each other's enemy."
Donna West, chair, Clark County Democratic Party; Alana Mounce, executive director, Nevada Democratic Party
