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Ira Hansen

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Ira Hansen
Image of Ira Hansen

Republican Party

Nevada State Senate District 14
Tenure

2018 - Present

Term ends

2026

Years in position

6

Prior offices
Nevada State Assembly District 32

Compensation

Base salary

$130/legislative day

Elections and appointments
Last elected

November 8, 2022

Contact

Official website

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Ira Hansen (Republican Party) is a member of the Nevada State Senate, representing District 14. He assumed office on November 7, 2018. His current term ends on November 4, 2026.

Hansen (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the Nevada State Senate to represent District 14. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.

Biography

Hansen's professional experience includes founding Ira Hansen and Sons Plumbing and Heating and working as the owner and manager of Ira Hansen and Sons Disaster Cleanup. He has also been a talk show host and columnist at the Sparks Tribune and Elko Daily Free Press.

Committee assignments

Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.

2023-2024

Hansen was assigned to the following committees:

2021-2022

Hansen was assigned to the following committees:

2019-2020

Hansen was assigned to the following committees:

2017 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:

Nevada committee assignments, 2017
• Commerce and Labor
• Corrections, Parole, and Probation
• Judiciary
• Legislative Operations and Elections

2015 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Hansen served on the following committees:

2013-2014

In the 2013-2014 legislative session, Hansen served on the following committees:

2011-2012

In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Hansen served on the following committees:

Elections

2022

See also: Nevada State Senate elections, 2022

General election

General election for Nevada State Senate District 14

Incumbent Ira Hansen won election in the general election for Nevada State Senate District 14 on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Ira Hansen
Ira Hansen (R)
 
100.0
 
47,925

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 47,925
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Ira Hansen advanced from the Republican primary for Nevada State Senate District 14.

2018

See also: Nevada State Senate elections, 2018

General election

General election for Nevada State Senate District 14

Ira Hansen defeated Wendy Boszak in the general election for Nevada State Senate District 14 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Ira Hansen
Ira Hansen (R)
 
60.5
 
32,913
Image of Wendy Boszak
Wendy Boszak (D)
 
39.5
 
21,460

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 54,373
Candidate Connection = 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.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Nevada State Senate District 14

Wendy Boszak advanced from the Democratic primary for Nevada State Senate District 14 on June 12, 2018.

Candidate
✔
Image of Wendy Boszak
Wendy Boszak

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

Candidate Connection = 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.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Nevada State Senate District 14

Ira Hansen advanced from the Republican primary for Nevada State Senate District 14 on June 12, 2018.

Candidate
✔
Image of Ira Hansen
Ira Hansen

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

Candidate Connection = 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.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: Nevada State Assembly elections, 2016

Elections for the Nevada State Assembly took place in 2016. The primary election took place on June 14, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 18, 2016.

Incumbent Ira Hansen ran unopposed in the Nevada State Assembly District 32 general election.[1][2]

Nevada State Assembly, District 32 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.png Ira Hansen Incumbent (unopposed) 100.00% 24,161
Total Votes 24,161
Source: Nevada Secretary of State



Incumbent Ira Hansen ran unopposed in the Nevada State Assembly District 32 Republican primary.[3][4]

Nevada State Assembly District 32, Republican Primary, 2016
Party Candidate
    Republican Green check mark transparent.png Ira Hansen Incumbent (unopposed)

2014

See also: Nevada State Assembly elections, 2014

Elections for the Nevada State Assembly took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 10, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 14, 2014. Incumbent Ira Hansen ran unopposed in the Republican primary, while John Sampaga was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Louis Gabriel ran as a Libertarian candidate. Hansen defeated Sampaga and Gabriel in the general election.[5][6][7][8]

Nevada State Assembly District 32, General Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngIra Hansen Incumbent 72% 12,987
     Democratic John Sampaga 22.3% 4,024
     Libertarian Louis Gabriel 5.7% 1,037
Total Votes 18,048

2012

See also: Nevada State Assembly elections, 2012

Hansen ran in the 2012 election for Nevada State Assembly, District 32. Hansen ran unopposed in the June 12 primary election and was unopposed in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.[9][10][11][12]

2010

See also: Nevada State Assembly elections, 2010

On November 2, 2010, Hansen won election to the Nevada State Assembly, defeating Jodi Stephens (R). Two Republicans ran in the general election because no other party nominated a candidate.

Nevada State Assembly, District 32 General election (2010)
Candidates Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Ira Hansen (R) 15,005
Jodi Stephens (R) 12,780

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Ira Hansen did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2014

Campaign website

Hansen’s campaign website stated the following:

“

Jobs and Construction Defect:
Real jobs come from economic growth. Production creates prosperity. We need to empower the private sector in order to get Nevadans working again. I have run my own business since I was 19. I have been a licensed Nevada contractor for over 28 years and know what it is like to make payroll and comply with the seemingly endless government paperwork. Government creates the climate business functions in and genuine private sector business experience is truly lacking in the Nevada legislature. Now more than ever we need people with on the ground real life experience to halt the endless cycle of tax and spend. My business has been a member of the Nevada Federation of Independent Businesses for many years.

Although it was attempted by Ira in 2011 and 2013, the trial lawyer lobby was successful in stopping my attempts for meaningful construction defect tort reform. The great news is that in 2015 as Chairman of the Assembly Judiciary Committee and with tremendous support from the Nevada construction industry and its thousands of general and sub-contractors, Ira was able to get assembly bill 125 passed, which has restored common sense in the construction defect arena. Nevada's construction industry is booming once again.

Growth:
To diversify our economy and get people back to work we must keep taxes low and eliminate red tape. California has over-regulated and taxed their business community nearly to death. Let’s invite them to Nevada through limited government and low taxes.

Illegal Immigration:
Illegal means ILLEGAL. If you broke the law to get here, you should be sent back. President Eisenhower did exactly that in the 1950's. It is a terrible slap in the face to the immigrants who played by the rules to grant "amnesty" to cheaters. Businesses who knowingly hire illegals should be heavily fined.

Education:
We need to put more money in the classroom and cut administrative bureaucracy. Parents need more flexibility in choosing what is best for their children. I will continue former Senator Maurice Washington’s breakthrough work in charter schools and parental choice law.

Taxes:
Nevada state spending has skyrocketed from 5.4 billion in 2001 to 9.5 billion in 2010. Because the economy ground to a halt, tax revenue has since limited government expansion. However many new taxes are being proposed for the next legislative session. All taxes are ultimately paid by you, the consumer. Some are even planning on some form of income tax which must have a Nevada IRS to enforce it. Once in place it is only a short jump to a personal income tax. We do not need more taxes, we need less spending.

Unbalanced Legislature:
Typically almost half of Nevada legislators are government employees, while only about 4% of Nevadans work for state or local government. Ordinary workers and private sector businesses need to make sure their voice is heard. However with the ratios so skewed towards government as the answer, it is little wonder the decisions seem so lopsided. We strongly need more private sector business oriented legislators.

Range Management:
In the last two decades Nevada has had dramatic cutbacks in livestock grazing and a corresponding increase in million acre range fires as fuel loads from mainly the alien "cheat-grass" explosion. Livestock grazing has its flaws but it is much better than spending tens of millions fighting avoidable fires. And miracle plants like forage Kochia should be heavily utilized when re-seeding burns.

Mining:
Nevada is the Silver State and mining is the bedrock of Nevada's rural economy even today. Mining has the highest wages of any industry in Nevada and is one of the only industries doing well. We should not kill the goose that lays the golden egg and reduce exploration and extraction through a crushing burden of new taxes.

Alternative Energy:
I am a member of the Nevada Renewable Energy Coalition. Nevada is to solar and geothermal energy what the Middle East is to oil. The long term future for utilizing our almost untapped potential is huge and energy related jobs are some of the best paying in the nation. I am licensed in solar and geothermal and will use my expertise as a 24-year licensed Nevada contractor to help draft policies that will make Nevada the nation's leader in clean energy technology. However, ultimately energy and which type to use should be dictated by the free market.

Second Amendment:
I am a lifelong member of the NRA and have been a champion of the right of the people to keep and bear arms on both of my radio shows and in my newspaper columns.. Both myself and my wife Alexis are holders of Concealed Carry Permits and I received a 100% perfect score from the NRA. I am an avid outdoorsman who has spent literally years in Nevada's back-country. When it comes to our rights the intent of the founding fathers is perfectly clear: "shall not be infringed" means exactly that.[13]

”
—Ira Hansen’s campaign website (2024)[14]

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.


Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Ira Hansen campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2022Nevada State Senate District 14Won general$110,527 $0
2018Nevada State Senate District 14Won general$120,530 N/A**
2016Nevada State Assembly, District 32Won $80,050 N/A**
2014Nevada State Assembly, District 32Won $118,952 N/A**
2012Nevada State Assembly, District 32Won $75,324 N/A**
2010Nevada State Assembly, District 32Won $57,169 N/A**
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Nevada

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states.  To contribute to the list of Nevada scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.


2024


2023


2022


2021


2020


2019


2018


2017


2016


2015


2014


2013


2012


2011

Nevada Policy Research Institute

See also: Nevada Policy Research Institute's Legislative Report Card (2011)

The Nevada Policy Research Institute, a Nevada-based conservative-libertarian think tank, releases a "Legislative Report Card" evaluating members of the Nevada State Legislature on "each lawmaker's voting record on legislation impacting the degree of economic freedom and education reform." Bills determined by the Institute to be of greater significance are weighted accordingly. According to the Institute, "a legislator with a score above 50 is considered to be an ally of economic liberty."[16]

2011

Hansen received a score of 54.21 percent in the 2011 report card, ranking 13th out of all 63 Nevada State Legislature members.[16]

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Hansen and his wife, Alexis, have eight children.

Noteworthy events

Columns

In the 1990s and 2000s, Hansen was a columnist for the Sparks Tribune. Following Hansen's election as Speaker-designate, journalist Dennis Myers researched the assemblyman's output during that time, concluding in an article published November 20, 2014, that he "would be one of the most controversial speakers in Nevada history" based on statements regarding gender, race and homosexuality, of which a number were republished. Among the examples were repeated references to black people as "Negroes" as well as claims of a link between gay men and pedophilia. Andrew Barbano, who penned editorials for the Tribune along with Hansen, wrote prior to the article, "I believe Ira is an overt bigot, racist and homophobe."[17]

Hansen apologized the same day as the article's publication, stating that his comments "have been taken out of context and are being portrayed as intentionally hurtful and disrespectful" and "were meant to be purposely provocative in various political, cultural and religious views." Senate Minority Leader Aaron Ford (D) issued a statement against Hansen, saying, "I am saddened that I once again find myself in a position where I have to explain to my children why and how someone who was elected to office in our home state would make such antiquated and bigoted comments. Mr. Hansen has stated that his words were meant to be 'provocative.' They certainly provoke, but more than that, they are offensive."[18]

On November 23, 2014, Hansen submitted an email message to the Republican caucus, announcing that he would step down from his position:

“ For the greater good of the State of Nevada and the cause I support it is necessary for me to withdraw as Speaker Designee. The tens of thousands of people who both read my columns and listened to my radio shows through two decades in the media know this has been a carefully orchestrated attack to remove a conservative Republican from a major leadership role in State government. The deliberate character assassination and the politics of personal destruction have totally distorted my views and record. Ultimately, this whole attack has very little to do with my views. The powers that be are planning a massive, more than one billion dollar, tax increase and I stood in the way as Speaker. I have already served two terms as an Assemblyman without any of these vicious attacks. It was only when I had risen to leadership that this smear campaign occurred. That is the real reason for this and it is vital the public understands that.[19][13] ”

See also

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External links

Candidate

Nevada State Senate District 14
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    Officeholder

    Nevada State Senate District 14
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    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Nevada Secretary of State, "2016 Master Statewide Certified List of Candidates," accessed August 19, 2016
    2. ↑ Nevada Secretary of State, "2016 general election results," accessed November 25, 2016
    3. ↑ Nevada Secretary of State, "2016 Election Certified List of Candidates," accessed May 16, 2016
    4. ↑ Nevada Secretary of State, "Official Primary election results," accessed August 22, 2016
    5. ↑ Nevada Secretary of State, "2014 filed candidates," accessed April 8, 2014
    6. ↑ Clark County, "Candidate filing," accessed April 8, 2014
    7. ↑ Nevada Secretary of State, "Nevada Primary Election 2014," accessed June 10, 2014
    8. ↑ Nevada Secretary of State, "2014 Official Statewide General Election Results," accessed April 30, 2015
    9. ↑ Nevada Secretary of State, "2012 Primary Candidates," accessed May 6, 2014
    10. ↑ Clark County, "2012 Primary Candidates," accessed May 6, 2014
    11. ↑ Washoe County, "2012 General Election candidates," accessed May 5, 2014(Archived)
    12. ↑ Nevada Secretary of State, "Official Results of the 2012 Primary Election," accessed April 23, 2014
    13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    14. ↑ Ira Hansen’s campaign website, “Issues,” accessed September 17, 2014
    15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Nevada State Legislature, "Session Information," accessed July 3, 2014
    16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Nevada Policy Research Institute, "The 2011 Nevada Legislative Session Review & Report Card," accessed May 5, 2014
    17. ↑ Reno News & Review, "On paper," November 20, 2014
    18. ↑ Reno Gazette-Journal, "Update: Hansen 'sorry' after inflammatory columns highlighted," November 20, 2014
    19. ↑ Las Vegas Review-Journal, "Speaker designate Ira Hansen withdrawing from position," November 23, 2014

    Political offices
    Preceded by
    -     		Nevada State Senate District 14
    2018-Present    		 Succeeded by
    -
    Preceded by
    -     		Nevada State Assembly District 32
    2010-2018    		 Succeeded by
    -


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