CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval announced Tuesday that he won’t run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by longtime Democratic Sen. Harry Reid.
The announcement ends speculation that the popular Republican would enter the race and clears the way for another top-tier GOP candidate to join with his blessing. Sandoval, who sailed to re-election in November with 71 percent of the vote, was widely considered a favorite if he chose to run.
“My heart is here. My heart is in my job,” Sandoval told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “I don’t mean to minimize the honor and privilege it would be to serve in the United States Senate, but there’s still a lot to do here.”
Sandoval said he wanted to focus on improving Nevada’s infrastructure and higher education system and that the demands of campaigning or working as a senator would cut into time with his family.
Term limits will prevent Sandoval from running for governor again, and he didn’t offer specifics Tuesday on his career aspirations outside his current role. His name has been tossed around as a potential vice presidential candidate, cabinet member or Supreme Court justice.
Former Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, a Democrat, announced in April that she would seek to replace Reid, while a potential primary foe, U.S. Rep. Dina Titus, said she would not join the race and would instead seek re-election to the House.
On the Republican side, Las Vegas City Councilman Bob Beers has long said he would enter the race, although he’s considered a longshot, and three-term Republican U.S. Rep. Joe Heck has said he’s seriously exploring a bid.
“We’ve given this a lot of thought,” Heck said Tuesday. “Now that the governor has announced he is not running, we will give it additional consideration. I appreciate the outpouring of support and encouragement — we’ll make an announcement very soon.”
Reid, 75, the Senate Democratic leader, announced in March that he would not seek a sixth term. The decision came after an exercise injury that left him blind in one eye.
He’s backed Cortez Masto as his successor.
“Everyone knows that I’ve been complimentary of Gov. Sandoval. I think he’s done a good job,” Reid told reporters on Tuesday. “We have a winner in Catherine Cortez Masto. She’s a wonderful longtime Nevadan and in fact lifetime Nevadan, and it doesn’t matter who runs against her she’s going to be just fine.”
Sandoval, 51, had been batting away questions about his political future for the past four months while he successfully ushered a $1.1 billion tax plan and bills authorizing major education investments through the Republican-controlled Nevada Legislature.
“Once the session ended it gave me an opportunity to really sit down with (my wife) Kathleen and the family and think it through,” he said. “I came to the conclusion that I’m very happy where I am and very proud to do this job.”
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Associated Press writer Erica Werner contributed to this report from Washington.
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