2010 Nevada gubernatorial election
The 2010 Nevada gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010, to elect the governor of Nevada, who would serve a four-year term to begin on January 3, 2011. Despite speculation that incumbent Republican governor Jim Gibbons would not run for a second term due to low approval ratings, he ran for re-election. He struggled in the polls, and ultimately federal judge and former attorney general of Nevada Brian Sandoval secured the nomination. Sandoval defeated Democrat Rory Reid, son of then-current U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who won his fifth term in the Senate on the same ballot.
Republican primary
Candidates
A total of five Republican candidates filed with the Secretary of State of Nevada and qualified for the ballot.Declared
- Tony Atwood
- Jim Gibbons, incumbent governor
- Stan Lusak, perennial candidate
- Mike Montandon, Mayor of North Las Vegas
- Brian Sandoval, former judge of the United States District Court for the District of Nevada and former Nevada Attorney General
Withdrew
- Joe Heck, former state senator
Democratic primary
Candidates
Two Democratic candidates filed with the Secretary of State of Nevada and qualified for the ballot.Declared
- Frederick Conquest, anthropology professor
- Rory Reid, Clark County Commissioner and son of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
Declined
- Barbara Buckley, Speaker of the Nevada Assembly
Polling
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Barbara Buckley | Oscar Goodman | Rory Reid | Undecided |
| Mason Dixon/LVJR | August 21, 2009 | — | — | 25% | 34% | 13% | — |
| Mason Dixon/LVJR | August 21, 2009 | — | — | 43% | — | 22% | — |
Other candidates
Independents
Declared
- Eugene "Gino" DiSimone
- Aaron Y. Honig
Declined
Green
- David Scott Curtis
Independent American
- Floyd Fitzgibbons
Libertarian
- Arthur Forest Lampitt
General election
Polling
With Gibbons| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Jim Gibbons | Rory Reid | Other | Undecided |
| Research 2000 | June 2, 2010 | — | — | 31% | 52% | — | — |
| Rasmussen Reports | April 27, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 37% | 47% | 12% | 3% |
| Mason Dixon/LVJR | April 10, 2010 | — | — | 40% | 42% | — | — |
| Rasmussen Reports | March 31, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 45% | 43% | 8% | 4% |
| Rasmussen Reports | March 3, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 36% | 44% | 15% | 4% |
| Mason Dixon/LVJR | February 22–24, 2010 | — | — | 38% | 42% | — | — |
| Rasmussen Reports | February 3, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 35% | 44% | 13% | 8% |
| Mason Dixon/LVJR | December 2009 | — | — | 34% | 48% | — | — |
| Mason Dixon/LVJR | October 8, 2009 | — | — | 37% | 49% | — | — |
| Mason Dixon/LVJR | August 21, 2009 | — | — | 35% | 47% | — | — |
With Montandon
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Mike Montandon | Rory Reid | Other | Undecided |
| Research 2000 | June 2, 2010 | — | — | 40% | 43% | — | — |
| Rasmussen Reports | April 27, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 45% | 39% | 9% | 8% |
| Rasmussen Reports | March 31, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 45% | 38% | 9% | 8% |
| Rasmussen Reports | March 3, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 42% | 37% | 13% | 8% |
| Rasmussen Reports | February 3, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 36% | 40% | 14% | 10% |