Prediction Edge
Republican
Jesse Watts

Jesse Watts

Overview

Current roleLaw enforcement officer

PartyRepublican

Political ideologyConservative Republican

GenderMale

LocationNevada

Show more

BackgroundLaw enforcement officer

Notable personal detailsJesse James Watts is a Nevada law enforcement officer and former Eureka County Sheriff-Coroner. He ran as a Republican candidate for the U.S. House in Nevada's 2nd Congressional District in the 2026 cycle and filed with the FEC under the committee name "Jesse Watts for Nevada". He previously served in Eureka County public safety leadership roles and has been described in Nevada media as a retired/ former rural Nevada sheriff.

SourcesShow
fec.govkunr.org2news.comapnews.comen.wikipedia.orgballotready.orghelm.newsthisisreno.comthecandidate.coma.osmarks.netballotwire.compolymarket.comtransparencyusa.orglallyfornv.comwww2.census.govccrpnv.comnevadacountyca.govarxiv.orgpolitics1.comkolotv.comksut.orgkrgv.comwattsfornevada.comcortezmasto.senate.govnevadagopelecteds.orgnevadabusiness.comreviewjournal.compresidency.ucsb.edunevadavolunteers.orgassets.caesars.comleg.state.nv.usarchive.leg.state.nv.usnvfacpac.orgeurekasentinel.comballotpedia.orgnevadacurrent.comthenevadaindependent.comrgj.comnevadaappeal.cominstagram.comfacebook.comdocquery.fec.govdeveloper.ballotpedia.orgvotesmart.orglegislation.ballotpedia.orggovinfo.govcdn.ballotpedia.orghistory.house.govsenate.gov

Positions

LiberalConservative

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).

Show more

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.

New updates coming soon

We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.

  • News
  • Polls
  • Endorsements
  • Fundraising