Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager (D-Las Vegas) was re-elected to the Nevada State Assembly for District 9 in the November election, securing 51.11% of the vote and narrowly defeating Republican challenger Erica Neely, who received 48.89%.
Despite his victory, the race has drawn attention due to the significant financial disparity between the candidates. Yeager’s campaign spent $577,554, vastly outpacing Neely’s $8,211.
This spending imbalance has raised questions about voter sentiment amid record-breaking campaign expenditures.
Campaign finance reports show that Yeager’s funding was heavily supported by various political action committees (PACs). Notably, the Nevada Strong PAC donated $80,000 to the Ending Carson City Corruption PAC, which funded ads targeting Assemblywoman Heidi Kasama.
Yeager’s campaign also received $10,000 each from organizations like the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees and Arevia Power LLC.
According to the Nevada Secretary of State’s campaign finance reports, Yeager’s campaign reported total monetary contributions in excess of $1,000 amounting to $742,500 during the 2024 election cycle.
In the 2022 general election, Yeager secured 53.2% of the vote, defeating his opponent, who received 46.8%, according to Ballotpedia.
Yeager, who has represented District 9 since 2016, is also known for his strong financial ties to Nevada’s trial lawyer lobby. Since 2017, political organizations affiliated with the Nevada Justice Association (NJA), which represents the state’s trial attorneys, have contributed over $7.67 million to influence Nevada politics.
Yeager has received substantial support from these groups, including $40,000 in donations from the NJA’s political arm, Citizens for Justice. Yeager’s law firm, Battle Born Injury Lawyers, is a significant donor to Citizens for Justice, contributing $216,833 since 2017.
This connection has raised concerns about Yeager’s role in shaping policy that may benefit the trial lawyer industry, particularly in light of ongoing debates over capping contingency fees in civil cases.
In the 2022 election cycle, PACs and politicians contributed approximately $2.4 million to Nevada lawmakers, with Yeager receiving substantial backing, according to The Nevada Independent. His District 9 seat encompasses parts of the southwestern Las Vegas Valley.
