Aaron Sims

Aaron Sims (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Nevada State Senate to represent District 16. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.

Sims also ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Nevada's 2nd Congressional District. He did not appear on the ballot for the Democratic primary on June 14, 2022.

Sims completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Aaron Sims was born in Manteca, California. He took classes at Western Nevada College. His professional experience includes working as an accountant manager and an HR manager. He has been affiliated with the Carson City Democratic Central Committee, the Washoe County Democratic Central Committee, the Nevada Democratic Party, Forward Nevada, the Sierra Club, OUR Center, Northern Nevada Pride, Justice Dems, the John Muir Club, ACTION, and the Northern Nevada Democratic Socialists of America.^[1]^[2]

Elections

2022

Nevada State Senate campaign

General election

General election for Nevada State Senate District 16

Lisa Krasner defeated Aaron Sims in the general election for Nevada State Senate District 16 on November 8, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Lisa Krasner (R)	60.3	42,871
	Aaron Sims (D)	39.7	28,172

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 71,043
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Aaron Sims advanced from the Democratic primary for Nevada State Senate District 16.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Nevada State Senate District 16

Lisa Krasner defeated incumbent Donald Tatro, Monica Stabbert, and Timothy Duvall in the Republican primary for Nevada State Senate District 16 on June 14, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Lisa Krasner	33.5	7,193
	Donald Tatro	27.5	5,903
	Monica Stabbert	21.5	4,618
	Timothy Duvall	17.5	3,769

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 21,483
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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U.S. House campaign

General election

General election for U.S. House Nevada District 2

Incumbent Mark Amodei defeated Elizabeth Mercedes Krause, Russell Best, and Darryl Baber in the general election for U.S. House Nevada District 2 on November 8, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Mark Amodei (R)	59.7	185,467
	Elizabeth Mercedes Krause (D)	37.8	117,371
	Russell Best (Independent American Party)	1.4	4,194
	Darryl Baber (L)	1.1	3,466

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 310,498
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Nevada District 2

The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Nevada District 2 on June 14, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Elizabeth Mercedes Krause	49.0	22,072
		Timothy Hanifan	14.3	6,440
	Submit photo	Michael Doucette	12.2	5,478
	Submit photo	Rahul Joshi	8.0	3,613
	Submit photo	Brian Hansen	7.3	3,276
	Submit photo	Joseph Afzal	6.9	3,117
	Submit photo	Gerold Lee Gorman	2.3	1,034

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 45,030
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Aaron Sims (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Nevada District 2

Incumbent Mark Amodei defeated Danny Tarkanian, Joel Beck, Catherine Sampson, and Brian Nadell in the Republican primary for U.S. House Nevada District 2 on June 14, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mark Amodei	54.9	49,779
		Danny Tarkanian	32.6	29,563
		Joel Beck	7.4	6,744
	Submit photo	Catherine Sampson	3.3	3,010
		Brian Nadell	1.8	1,614

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 90,710
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Campaign themes

2022

Nevada State Senate campaign

Ballotpedia survey responses

Aaron Sims completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Sims' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I was born and raised in the central valley of California, my father was a firefighter and my mother was a respiratory therapist. My family and I moved to Nevada 20 years ago. I am a graduate of Douglas High School in Minden and I have attended Western Nevada College. I have spent nearly 20 years being active in the political world including working in every election from president down to city supervisor. I have been an intern for a governor, online communications person for a governor, delegate to political conventions, campaign manager for a county commissioner race and a state assembly race, lobbyist at the state legislature, vice chair of a local political party, activist for homeless issues, LGBTQ+ issues and racial justice issues. I am an accountant in my professional life and had the opportunity to be president or chair of several community based organizations in my life.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

The housing crisis plaguing Nevada needs to be fixed, I plan to work on legislation to do just that. We need to work with the rural housing authority in order to find a way to cap rental prices and reduce inflated property prices.
We are at the bottom of every list for education. Two things we need to do to improve education in Nevada is to decrease class sizes and pay teachers more.
Healthcare continues to be out of reach for many Nevadans and many who have coverage have inadequate coverage. I believe we can offer a state single payer alternative to ensure all Nevadans get quality healthcare.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Outside of the three I already answered, I am passionate about transparency in government and working to make Nevada's legislature a full-time legislature. I believe in fighting for criminal justice reform and for better alternative energy. I am passionate about LGBTQ+ issues and protecting Nevadans ability to defend themselves.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to my partner. He is one of the most ethical and kind-hearted people I have ever known. He has a very detailed ideological system and he applies it everyday. Other than him, my mother because she is the most loving and graceful person I have ever known.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity, honesty, ability to negotiate and being diplomatic are the most important I think for elected officials.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I believe I am honest, sometimes blunt. I am fairly charismatic and can orotate well. I am a skilled negotiator and can be very diplomatic.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To serve the people of their district by listening to them and working with them.

What legacy would you like to leave?

One that has closed the gap in education and healthcare coverage. Also, to have been someone who helped bring housing costs down.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The first I can remember constantly being on the news was the Monica Lewinski scandal. I suppose that's unfortunate but I cannot remember too much before that in terms of historical events.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was working as a rides operator for a farm down in California that would have a Halloween themed amusement park every year.

What is your favorite book? Why?

That's a tough one. I really like "What is philosophy" by Gary Hayden because it is a very basic guide to thought and logic. I also like "The Next 100 Years" by George Friedman because any book that kind of gives a reasonably projection of the future is something I always found interesting.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

"Down" By Jay Sean and Lil Wayne - Probably just because it was recently playing on my playlist.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

A working relationship but also one that respects the boundaries set forth by the Nevada Constitution. It's important that no matter who the governor is and who is in control of the state legislature, both entities should be able to work together when needed. However, it's important to maintain a balance and stay in each others lanes.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Water resources. Nevada has only been getting drier in recent years due to an escalation in frequency of droughts caused by climate change. We need to develop new technology that allows our state to get water from other sources that are not just the traditional snow melt.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of a unicameral state legislature, in your opinion?

The benefits of course would be checks and balances. Having two different houses which are responsible for similar things but are also organized differently and often have different priorities is a good thing because it gives the state a much bigger opportunity to hold one person or side or group accountable.

A downside would be both gridlock which halts any progress or the inability to pass more legislation due to too much bureaucracy.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

I do believe so but of course it depends on what that experience is. Just having experience is not always a net-gain or benefit for the people.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Absolutely, it's not just beneficial, it's necessary. You can't get a lot of legislation passed unless you have a good relationship with other legislators.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

The most fair one that can happen. We really should just base it on population and that's it - not paying attention to who holds what party.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Ways and means or the equivalent. I would also like to work on any that oversee housing and growth in Nevada.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Although I am a progressive, I do admire Bill Raggio because he was a true statesmen who governed rather than politicizing his office.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

Possibly, I would rather focus on one election at a time.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

Partially. I do believe for things that impact all Nevadans or the majority of Nevadans, the legislature should be able to grant emergency powers. However, it is important not to be out of line with the governor's office in that area.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

I believe compromise is necessary in politics, it's really a have-to-do sort of thing if anything is supposed to get done. Personally, I won't compromise on solid values I have but other things are okay.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

U.S. House campaign

Ballotpedia survey responses

Aaron Sims completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Sims' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Born and raised in the Central Valley of California, Aaron grew up in a working-class family. His father

was a fire fighter and his mother was a respiratory therapist who then became a stay-at-home mom. Throughout his childhood, Aaron learned about the value of honestly, hard work and determination while facing the challenges life had to offer. His interest in politics began at a very young age starting with the presidential election of 2000. At the age of 11, Aaron and his family moved to Gardnerville where he quickly fell in love with life in Northern Nevada. He went to Pau-Wa-Lu middle school and volunteered for a local political office throughout the 2004 campaign. He spent the next 8 years working for various candidates.

Aaron served as a lobbyist in the 2015 Nevada Legislative session and has worked since 2015 for causes such as eradicating homelessness and LGBTQ issues. Before leaving the Republican Party, Aaron served as Vice Chair of the Carson City Republican Party.

In 2020, Aaron ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Carson City and was the first openly gay candidate and youngest candidate to have run for that office. Currently, Aaron is involved with the Our Center of Northern Nevada, the John Muir Club, the NNDSA and other community based groups working on issues facing Northern Nevada.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Aaron plans to be a progressive voice for the people of Nevada.
He is primary focus is on issues such as homelessness, healthcare, education and criminal justice reform
Aaron plans to help make America a place for all people of all backgrounds.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Aaron is passionate about solving the homeless crisis in this country, solving child hunger, education for all and criminal justice reform.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I very much admire Caesar Chavez. I think he was a principled man who fought for what he believed in under horrible conditions.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

There is a really good book I own...I just cannot recall the name. It's like "Living small" or something similar. It is essentially about changing the world we live in by looking more to our local communities for trade and business as an alternative to international global business.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity, transparency and accessibility.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Leadership, honesty and integrity.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Voting is probably the most important, so being present for all votes.

What legacy would you like to leave?

One in which recognizes that housing, healthcare and education are all humans rights in the 21st century.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The 2000 election.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was working for a farm which had a large corn maze for the Halloween season lasting about a month.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Next 100 Years by George Freidman

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

lol this will be a bit unexpected, but probably Fiona from the show Shameless. She seemed like the only thinking person on that show and had fierce grit and determination to make something of herself.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

"Let The Day Begin" by The Call

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Being content with working small jobs

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

It is the only direct representation of the voice of the people in the federal government.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

No. I believe the best candidate would be someone who has a mix of experience and vision.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Energy, climate change and poverty.

If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Yes, I would love to be on Ways and Means, Judiciary, Defense and Foreign Relations.

If you are a current representative, why did you join your current committees?

N/A

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

No, I think all elected offices should be 4 years.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

I am my own person.

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I have not yet heard one that I can recall, this is early in our campaign but I am looking forward to all of the stories I will be hearing.

Tell us your favorite joke.

I don't really have one lol

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

It wouldn't. This is simply an aspect of the job.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

External links

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Candidate

U.S. House Nevada District 2

Personal

Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 11, 2021
↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on April 13, 2022

[show]

Current members of the Nevada State Senate

Leadership

Majority Leader:Nicole Cannizzaro

Minority Leader:Robin Titus

Senators

District 1

Michelee Crawford (D)

District 2

Edgar Flores (D)

District 3

Rochelle Nguyen (D)

District 4

Dina Neal (D)

District 5

Carrie Buck (R)

District 6

Nicole Cannizzaro (D)

District 7

Roberta Lange (D)

District 8

Marilyn Loop (D)

District 9

Melanie Scheible (D)

District 10

Fabian Donate (D)

District 11

Lori Rogich (R)

District 12

Julie Pazina (D)

District 13

Skip Daly (D)

District 14

Ira Hansen (R)

District 15

Angie Taylor (D)

District 16

Lisa Krasner (R)

District 17

Robin Titus (R)

District 18

John Steinbeck (R)

District 19

John Ellison (R)

District 20

Jeff Stone (R)

District 21

James Ohrenschall (D)

Democratic Party (13)

Republican Party (8)

[bio-1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 11, 2021

[bio2-2] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on April 13, 2022

[1]

[2]

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Aaron Sims

Contents

Biography

Elections

2022

Nevada State Senate campaign

General election

General election for Nevada State Senate District 16

Democratic primary election

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Nevada State Senate District 16

U.S. House campaign

General election

General election for U.S. House Nevada District 2

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Nevada District 2

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Nevada District 2

Campaign themes

2022

Nevada State Senate campaign

Ballotpedia survey responses

U.S. House campaign

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

2025 Elections

2026 Elections

2024 Election analysis

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Public Policy

Information for candidates

Get Engaged

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