Teresa Benitez-Thompson
Teresa Benitez-Thompson
NV-02 Democratic nominee?
$54.9K
JUN 10, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleFormer State Representative
PartyDemocratic
Age48 years old (Jul 25, 1978)
GenderFemale
LocationNevada
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BackgroundPolitician
EducationMcQueen High School (Reno)
Notable personal detailsTeresa Francisca Benitez-Thompson is an American politician and licensed social worker from Nevada. She served as a Democratic member of the Nevada Assembly representing District 27 (Washoe County) from 2010 to 2022 and held Assembly leadership roles including Majority Floor Leader (2017–2019) and Majority Leader (2016–2022). She later served as chief of staff in the Nevada Attorney General’s Office and became a 2026 Democratic candidate for U.S. House in Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District.
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Positions
Economy & Taxes
The candidate has sponsored legislation to limit corporate tax incentives and redirect some tax abatement payments toward affordable housing, while also expressing that raising new taxes (particularly in short special sessions) is unlikely or impractical. Her record shows both efforts to tighten business tax incentives and caution about broader tax increases, producing mixed signals on whether she favors tax increases or cuts overall.
Healthcare
Supports strengthening and preserving Medicaid and expanding access to health services, including efforts to increase Medicaid-covered services in rural Nevada and to improve access to women’s health care. Has emphasized protecting funding for Medicaid and related safety-net programs as a policy priority.
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Immigration & Border
Supports comprehensive immigration reform and state measures to expand access for immigrants (including driver authorization); emphasizes reform and community-focused solutions while acknowledging need for resources and processing. Positions reflect pro-reform and access-oriented stances rather than enforcement-first proposals.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Supports protecting and expanding reproductive freedom, including access to contraception and measures to enshrine reproductive rights/abortion protections in Nevada law. As an Assembly member she sponsored and promoted bills to expand contraceptive access and backed legislative efforts to recognize a fundamental right to reproductive freedom. She has continued engagement on reproductive-rights issues in subsequent public roles.
Climate & Energy
Teresa Benitez-Thompson has a pro-conservation and pro-clean-energy voting record in the Nevada Legislature and has criticized actions that she says disrupted green energy programs; she sponsored or moved energy and greenhouse-gas-related legislation during her tenure. Her record includes supporting expanded solar access, renewable portfolio standards, carbon reduction planning, and electrification measures.
Public Safety & Guns
Has supported legislation to expand firearm background checks and advance bills addressing negligent storage and other firearm-related safety measures while serving in the Nevada Assembly. Participated in floor actions and committee referrals for bills that would close private-sale background-check loopholes and create safe-storage-related offenses.
News
Teresa Benitez-Thompson has been nominated by Democrats for Nevada's 2nd Congressional District, making her the party's candidate in the race for the state's only Republican-held House seat. Early results showed her winning the Democratic side while Republicans were still deciding between David Flippo and James Settelmeyer. With Flippo now the GOP nominee, the general election matchup is set.
Endorsements
Endorsers of Teresa Benitez-Thompson for NV-02 Democratic nominee?
LCV Action Fund
Political organization
LCV Action Fund endorsed Teresa Benitez-Thompson for U.S. House in Nevada.
Catherine Cortez Masto
Public figure
Catherine Cortez Masto endorsed Teresa Benitez-Thompson for Nevada Congressional District 2.
CHC BOLD PAC
Political organization
CHC BOLD PAC endorsed Teresa Benitez-Thompson for Congress in Nevada's 2nd Congressional District.
Gamy Enriquez
Public figure
Gamy Enriquez endorsed Teresa Benitez-Thompson for Nevada's Second Congressional District.
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 20262026
LatestCycle 2026
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls