Carpetbagger allegation, misplaced valor make Nevada's safe red House seat competitive

Nevada's 2nd Congressional District, a northern Nevada seat that Democrats have never come close to winning, has become a real contest this fall. Republican nominee David Flippo carries President Trump's endorsement, but he is dogged by questions about how he described his military service and by the fact that he only recently moved his campaign to the district. Retiring Republican Rep. Mark Amodei, who has held the seat for 15 years, blames the candidate and the way he has run his campaign, according to NPR.

The Washington Post found that Flippo's fundraising appeals and an earlier campaign video presented his Bronze Star as one awarded for valor. He did not receive the "V" device, which requires bravery in battle. Flippo apologized, blamed a young staffer, and told NPR the error was an honest oversight. He also explained that his grandchildren must have put two V pins on his cap. His campaign then removed a website photo showing them.

Flippo had been seeking a Las Vegas-area seat until Amodei announced his retirement, then switched to this district, roughly seven hours away by car. Republican super PACs have reserved more than $1 million in ads, per AdImpact.

Summarized by PolitiKool from NPR’s reporting. Read the full story at NPR →