A former state lawmaker who has repeatedly promoted debunked election conspiracy theories won the Republican nomination for Nevada secretary of state on Monday, positioning him to potentially oversee voting in a critical battleground state during the 2028 presidential election. Jim Marchant's victory in Nevada's June 9 primary, confirmed seven days ago, sets up a November rematch with Democratic Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar, who defeated Marchant four years ago.
The stakes are significant: the winner will administer the 2028 presidential election in Nevada, a state that went for President Donald Trump two years ago after voting for Democrat Joe Biden four years earlier. Marchant's candidacy raises concerns about election integrity and voter access, as he has consistently questioned Nevada's voting security without evidence and proposes sweeping restrictions that experts warn could disenfranchise voters.
A History of Baseless Claims
Marchant has long claimed both he and Trump were victims of election fraud six years ago when Marchant lost his bid for Nevada's 4th Congressional District against Democratic Rep. Steven Horsford. Officials found no evidence of any widespread fraud. He claimed that mail ballots were fraudulent, despite using that method to vote while he was a registered voter in Florida. In December six years ago, he stood alongside the six Nevada Republicans who signed fake electoral certificates claiming Trump won the state—when in fact Biden won Nevada that year by more than 33,000 votes. Those six Republicans continue to face charges filed by the attorney general's office.
The Nevada secretary of state at the time, a Republican, had her office review multiple claims of fraud submitted by Republicans and found them to be baseless or already under review, specifically refuting thousands of allegations. An Associated Press investigation of potential fraud cases in the six battleground states where Trump disputed his 2020 loss found fewer than 475 overall, far too few to affect the election. In Nevada, the number of possible voter fraud cases represented less than 0.3% of Biden's margin of victory in the state.
Defeating the Governor's Pick
Marchant defeated Gov. Joe Lombardo's endorsed candidate for secretary of state, Shirley Folkins-Roberts, who had denied there was widespread fraud in Nevada's elections, and former lawmaker Sharron Angle. Folkins-Roberts conceded the race in a Monday statement. "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," Marchant said in a statement.
Campaign finance reports reveal a striking disparity in resources: Marchant reported raising and spending no money ahead of the primary, while Folkins-Roberts reported spending about $11,000, and Angle reported $20,000 this year.
Proposed Restrictions on Voting Access
If elected, Marchant wants to eliminate electronic voting machines and end the state's universal mail ballots. He also wants to require paper ballots, which would be counted by hand, according to his campaign website. These proposals would significantly alter how Nevadans vote and could create barriers to participation, particularly for voters who rely on mail ballots due to work schedules, disabilities, or geographic distance from polling places.
In his statement, Marchant called his win a "victory for voter ID." He is a staunch supporter of implementing voter ID, a ballot question that passed by a wide margin two years ago and will be before voters again in November.
The Democratic Incumbent's Record
Aguilar, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, has promoted his efforts to streamline Nevada's election processes and improve voter turnout. He also highlighted a bill he successfully helped steer through the Legislature that makes it a felony to harass election officials—a measure aimed at protecting election workers who faced unprecedented threats in recent years. During his tenure, Aguilar spearheaded a transition to a new voter registration and election management system and two years ago organized a polling location at Allegiant Stadium.
Aguilar has previously said voter ID is a solution to a problem that does not exist, but also said he respects the will of the voters and will work with the governor and local election officials "to continue strengthening our elections." Aguilar's campaign declined to comment about Marchant's victory in the GOP primary.
Why This Matters:
The outcome of Nevada's secretary of state race will determine who oversees election administration in a pivotal battleground state during the 2028 presidential election. Marchant's platform of eliminating voting machines, ending universal mail voting, and requiring hand-counted paper ballots could create significant barriers to voter participation, potentially disenfranchising working families, elderly voters, rural communities, and people with disabilities who depend on accessible voting methods. His history of promoting conspiracy theories despite official investigations finding no evidence of widespread fraud raises questions about whether election administration would prioritize verified facts and voter access. The race also highlights broader tensions over election integrity: while Aguilar has worked to protect election officials from harassment and expand voter participation, Marchant's proposals would restrict voting methods used successfully by hundreds of thousands of Nevadans. With criminal charges still pending against the six Republicans who signed fake electoral certificates six years ago, the election underscores the ongoing consequences of election denialism and the importance of protecting democratic institutions from baseless attacks.