'None of the Above' Wins Nomination for Nevada Governor (Sort of)

Nevada Democratic leaders acknowledged earlier this year that they had failed to recruit a credible candidate to face GOP Gov. Brian Sandoval in the fall. And on Tuesday, Silver State Democratic primary voters agreed, casting more votes for the state’s quirky “none of these candidates” option than any one of the eight actual humans on the ballot.

“None of these candidates” earned 30 percent of the vote when The Associated Press called the race, outpacing the leading actual candidate, Robert Goodman, a retired state Economic Development commissioner from Las Vegas who’s run statewide twice before and shares a last name with the Vegas mayoral dynasty, at 25 percent. But according to state law, Goodman will win the nomination.

Goodman beat out failed 2012 House candidate Stephen Frye, who finished with 11 percent. No other candidate earned double-digit support.

Sandoval will be heavily favored to win reelection in the fall.

Nevada allows its voters to choose “none of these candidates” on the ballot for president and state offices. It’s not the first time “none” has won: In 1976, Republicans preferred “none of these candidates” to both of the actual candidates for what was then the state’s only House seat.