Jesse Watts
NV-02 Republican nominee?
$103.7K
JUN 10, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleSheriff
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyConservative Republican
LocationNevada
BackgroundLaw enforcement officer
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Notable personal detailsJesse James Watts is a Republican candidate for the U.S. House in Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District in the 2026 election cycle. He previously served as the Eureka County Sheriff, serving from 2019 until retiring in 2025. His 2026 campaign committee is registered with the FEC as JESSE WATTS FOR NEVADA.
SourcesShowHide
Positions
Economy & Taxes
Supports deregulation to reduce bureaucratic burden on businesses and miners, and favors tax incentives for mining and mineral rights conditioned on companies being Nevada-based. Prioritizes cutting federal regulations that affect mining and small businesses as part of economic policy.
Immigration & Border
Jesse Watts emphasizes protecting the homeland and aligns with an American-first, law-and-order approach to national security. He has associated with the Constitutional Sheriffs group, which advocates hard-line immigration measures (including militarized approaches such as armed drones on the southern border).
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Climate & Energy
Supports reducing federal regulations on mining and favors policies that prioritize and incentivize Nevada-based mining operations; emphasizes cutting regulatory 'red tape' for local mines and appears focused on energy/economic interests tied to mining rather than aggressive emissions regulation or Green New Deal–style measures.
Public Safety & Guns
Opposes expanded gun restrictions such as universal background checks and “red flag” laws and has participated in Second Amendment sanctuary/constitutional sheriff actions refusing to participate in enforcing such state gun laws. Emphasizes protection of gun ownership rights and frames violence as a broader social/mental-health issue rather than a firearm-specific problem.
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