RENO, Nev. (KOLO) -History was made here in Northern Nevada in the early hours of November 4, 2026.
At 3:00 in the morning Democrat Teresa Benitez-Thompson learned her race against Republican David Flippo was called.
Benitez Thompson won decisively in a contest political pundits gave her no chance.
Nevada’s Congressional District 2 was established back in the 1980s. It has always been represented by a Republican and has more Republicans registered in the district.
But Benitez-Thompson says she put her head down and got to work. Traveling throughout one of the largest districts in congress based on miles.
“I did not just sit around,” says Benitez Thompson. “I did what I always do. I put my head down every day and did the work. And I had conversations. I hope that’s not lost on this.”
She worked throughout the district—north, east, south, west, and everywhere in between. She says she talked to everyone and anyone who wanted to relay their challenges and how she might be able to help if elected to congress. Benitez Thompson says their challenges with the current economy were easy to relate to.
She has four kids. She shops. She takes them to activities. And there is a price tag on all of that.
“You don’t need to tell me what groceries cost,” she says. “I don’t need talking points on groceries. When I bought three gallons of milk on my grocery store run this week at my local grocery store, that gallon of milk was over $7.00.”
She says making history is not lost on her.
But she says that’s not the job. She understands she must represent the people of Nevada Congressional District 2 regardless of if they voted for her or not.
She says she worried about SNAP benefits which many Nevadans will lose early next year. Insurance premiums or co-pays are impossible to pay for, many in her district will choose to go without because healthcare is just too expensive.
She says she and her Democratic colleagues were given their marching papers by the voters on November 3, 2026 and that means lowering the cost of living for those struggling to make ends meet.
“I did not sit around waiting for a blue wave to take me over the finish line,” say Benitez Thompson. “We’ve been beating the pavement since day one.”
She heads to Washington D.C next week for orientation.
A policy wonk she says she’s excited to go over proposed legislation to discover what’s really in the bill, and how it will impact her constituents.
“I think you need people who have got real skin in the game, going back there and making policy because I won’t let people, I won’t let congress stop thinking about families like mine.”
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