Nevada Republican state senator Carrie Buck is seeking to unseat Democratic Congresswoman Dina Titus in Nevada’s 1st Congressional District, saying she intends to “retire” the long-serving incumbent. The contest matters because Buck previously flipped a Democrat-leaning state senate seat and is now attempting to turn a Las Vegas-based congressional district Republican.

Titus, an eight-term representative, is likely to be a difficult opponent because of her established relationships with organised labour, the tourism industry and local businesses. The district is urban, centred on Las Vegas and extending east towards the Arizona border, while Buck has highlighted issues including housing, immigration and taxes in appealing to voters.