Republican Schwartz puts up $1 million to finance his run for Lee’s seat in Congress

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Republican Dan Schwartz, who served as state treasurer under Gov. Brian Sandoval, announced Wednesday he would run for Congress, joining four other Republicans who are trying to unseat Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Susie Lee.

Schwartz enters the race after other candidates have had a significant head start on raising campaign money, but he pledged to spend $1 million of his own money.

Lee narrowly won re-election in 2022, defeating April Becker by about 10,000 votes — about 4% of the vote. She was expected to face a challenge by Republican state Assemblywoman Heidi Kasama, but Kasama dropped out of the race in early January. She said Republicans couldn’t afford to lose her seat in the Assembly when Democrats were so close to a supermajority that could override vetoes by Gov. Joe Lombardo.

Schwartz rocked the boat as treasurer, at one time rejecting Sandoval’s budget and promoting his own budget, which aggressively supported school vouchers.

“I was proud to serve overseas in the Army, turnaround an ailing business, and then be elected Nevada state treasurer. Today, our country needs a reboot, and that change needs to start right here in Nevada. I’m not afraid to take on the system, and I’m ready to take that fight to Washington,” Schwartz said in his campaign announcement.

Schwartz joins Republicans Elizabeth Helgelien, Drew Johnson, Steve London and Steve Schiffman in their bids to represent the GOP against Lee.

Schwartz ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2018, losing in the Republican primary, and he lost again in the primary in 2022 when he ran for lieutenant governor.

In a statement on his election platform, Schwartz listed priorities including:

• Invest in the American people through a fair tax system that lifts up the Middle Class and creates an economy that expands opportunities for workers.

• Term Limits for Congress and our courts to encourage new leaders instead of empowering career politicians.

• Encourage public service and provide new incentives to serving in a military or non-military position.

• Close the borders until Congress does its job and fixes our broken immigration system.

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