--- title: "Horsford vs. Whipple: 2026 Nevada’s 4th District race" url: "https://www.2026election.com/race/2026-house-nv-04" updated: "2026-08-01" source: "Candidates' campaign sites and Ballotpedia, quoted verbatim" publisher: "Pluribus" --- # 2026 Nevada’s 4th District race: Steven Horsford (D) vs. Cody Whipple (R) Rating: Likely D · Election: November 3, 2026 · Ballot checked: October 9, 2026 · Positions captured: August 1, 2026 Incumbent Democrat Steven Horsford faces Republican challenger Cody Whipple in Nevada's 4th Congressional District general election on November 3, 2026. The matchup pits Horsford's legislative record on prescription drug price caps, tipped worker tax relief, and corporate landlord oversight against Whipple's background as a small business owner, rancher, and advocate for school choice and Second Amendment rights. ## Candidates - **Steven Horsford** (Democrat, incumbent) · [Campaign site](https://www.stevenhorsford.com) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Steven_Horsford) - **Cody Whipple** (Republican) · [Campaign site](https://codyk4congress.com/) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Cody_Whipple) ## Issues ### Economy and Cost of Living Salience: high Horsford emphasizes federal legislative remedies like tariff refunds and tip tax exemptions, while Whipple highlights his background as a business owner and favors market-centered solutions. **Steven Horsford:** Supports tariff refunds and tip tax relief Horsford focuses on lowering household costs through targeted federal legislation. He introduced the RELIEF Act to refund illegal tariff revenues to families and small businesses and authored the TIPS Act to eliminate federal taxes on tips alongside ending the tipped subminimum wage. - Introduced the RELIEF Act to direct direct refunds of unlawful tariff revenues back to Nevada consumers and businesses. - Proposed the TIPS and TIP Improvement Acts to end the $2.13 federal subminimum wage and eliminate federal taxes on tips for working families. - Voted for the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 while opposing major Republican budget reconciliation spending measures. > “Trump’s tariffs are not paid by foreign governments. They are paid by Nevada families at the grocery store, the gas pump, and the checkout line.” > — Steven Horsford, via [Campaign site](https://www.stevenhorsford.com) **Cody Whipple:** Supports small business growth and lower living costs Whipple emphasizes practical solutions drawn from 25 years as a small business owner and rancher to lower everyday expenses. He advocates for supporting Nevada enterprise and reducing government burden on families. - Leverages experience founding and running a regional digital communications network serving first responders and businesses. - Pledges to bring real-world business experience to cut living costs and promote private sector growth. - Focuses on rural economic vitality and preserving Nevada ranching traditions. > “Cody Whipple is a fourth-generation Nevadan, small business owner, and rancher who understands what it takes to get things done.” > — Cody Whipple, via [Campaign site](https://codyk4congress.com/) ### Education Salience: medium Horsford prioritizes robust federal public school funding, whereas Whipple advocates for school choice and returning authority to parents and local educators. **Steven Horsford:** Supports public school funding and federal education grants Horsford advocates for full funding of public education from Pre-K through higher education. He supports workforce training programs and opposes federal funding cuts to classroom resources. - Pledges to protect federal public education funding and classroom support programs. - Supports career and technical education linked with local labor and workforce training initiatives. - Opposes voucher programs or federal budget cuts that reduce resources for public schools. > “Steven will fight to properly fund our schools, from Pre-K through high school and college, so that every student in every school can succeed.” > — Steven Horsford, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Steven_Horsford) **Cody Whipple:** Supports school choice and parental control in education Whipple advocates for shifting education decision-making authority away from federal bureaucrats to parents and teachers. He supports school choice, technical education, and youth sports expansion. - Strongly advocates for expanding school choice options for Nevada families. - Promotes career and technical education programs alongside youth sports. - Emphasizes local decision-making by parents and teachers over federal administration. > “He is a strong advocate for school choice, career and technical education, and expanding youth sports opportunities to ensure every child has the chance to succeed.” > — Cody Whipple, via [Campaign site](https://codyk4congress.com/) ### Gun Policy and Second Amendment Salience: medium Horsford advocates for strict federal gun control policies like assault weapon bans, while Whipple opposes gun restrictions and emphasizes Second Amendment rights and safety training. **Steven Horsford:** Supports universal background checks and assault weapon bans Horsford favors gun safety regulations, including expanding background checks, banning bump stocks, and reinstating a federal assault weapons ban. - Supports reinstating a federal ban on assault weapons. - Advocates for universal background checks on all firearm purchases. - Supports outlawing bump stocks and firearm accessories designed to accelerate rate of fire. > “Steven will fight to expand background checks and ban bump stocks. He supports reinstating the assault weapons ban.” > — Steven Horsford, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Steven_Horsford) **Cody Whipple:** Opposes gun restrictions and supports Second Amendment rights Whipple is a lifelong sportsman who strongly defends Second Amendment rights. He supports expanding firearm safety education and outdoor programs for youth rather than imposing restrictions. - Pledges to protect Second Amendment firearm ownership rights. - Supports expanding youth firearm safety education and wilderness training. - Opposes new federal gun control measures or bans on popular firearms. > “A lifelong sportsman and conservationist, Cody has worked closely with wildlife organizations and believes in protecting Second Amendment rights.” > — Cody Whipple, via [Campaign site](https://codyk4congress.com/) ### Infrastructure, Water, and Community Services Salience: low Horsford emphasizes securing federal funding appropriations for water conservation and public transit, while Whipple highlights his private-sector work building communications infrastructure for emergency services and rural communities. **Steven Horsford:** Supports federal drought funding and local community projects Horsford focuses on delivering federal dollars for district infrastructure, securing $4 billion for Lake Mead drought mitigation and over $10 million for local public safety and road projects. - Secured $4 billion in federal funding for Lake Mead drought mitigation and Southern Nevada water security. - Delivered $10.2 million in community funding for local road improvements, safe school zones, and first responder gear. - Co-chaired the bipartisan I-11 caucus to promote regional interstate transportation. > “Secured $4 billion in drought mitigation funding to protect Lake Mead and Southern Nevada’s primary water supply.” > — Steven Horsford, via [Campaign site](https://www.stevenhorsford.com) **Cody Whipple:** Supports rural infrastructure and local emergency communication Whipple highlights his 25-year work building a digital communications network that serves first responders, schools, and businesses across rural and suburban Southern Nevada. He also emphasizes conservation and ranchland management. - Built a regional digital communication network serving first responders, school districts, and businesses. - Manages a family cattle ranch and supports preserving Nevada's ranching and agricultural traditions. - Advocates for rural Nevada infrastructure and community connectivity. > “Today, his network serves first responders, school districts, construction companies, and businesses serving Southern Nevada, Southern Utah, Northern Arizona and California, helping keep communities safe and connected.” > — Cody Whipple, via [Campaign site](https://codyk4congress.com/) ### Housing Affordability Salience: high **Steven Horsford:** Restricts corporate landlords and housing market speculation Horsford targets institutional investors as a key driver of rising rent and home prices in Southern Nevada. He authored the HOME Act and requested congressional inquiries into corporate landlord pricing practices. - Introduced the HOME Act to limit Wall Street acquisition of single-family housing. - Requested formal congressional hearings on corporate landlord price manipulation in NV-04 zip codes with high price hikes. - Directed federal housing officials to investigate corporate rent and sales price manipulation. > “Introduced the HOME Act to break Wall Street’s grip on Nevada’s housing market and give families a real shot at owning a home.” > — Steven Horsford, via [Campaign site](https://www.stevenhorsford.com) **Cody Whipple:** No documented position in our sources ### Healthcare and Senior Services Salience: medium **Steven Horsford:** Supports capping prescription costs and protecting Social Security Horsford highlights his legislative work capping out-of-pocket Medicare prescription costs at $2,000 annually and authorizing Medicare price negotiations. He sits on the Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee to oppose benefit cuts. - Delivered a $2,000 annual out-of-pocket cap on prescription drug costs for Medicare recipients. - Authorized Medicare to directly negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies. - Cosponsored the Social Security 2100 Act to expand benefits and maintain program solvency. > “Delivered a $2,000 annual cap on out-of-pocket prescription costs for Medicare patients, and gave Medicare the power to negotiate prices directly with drug companies.” > — Steven Horsford, via [Campaign site](https://www.stevenhorsford.com) **Cody Whipple:** No documented position in our sources ### Immigration and Border Security Salience: medium **Steven Horsford:** Supports comprehensive reform and selective enforcement oversight Horsford supports a legal path to citizenship, DACA protections, and streamlined visa processing for tourism while maintaining accountability in border enforcement. He voted for the bipartisan Laken Riley Act but opposed the SAVE Act and unchecked ICE expansion. - Voted Yea on the Laken Riley Act to require detention of undocumented immigrants arrested for theft crimes. - Voted Nay on the SAVE Act requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register for federal elections. - Opposed DHS rules adding travel history requirements for international tourists in order to protect Nevada's tourism economy. > “I’m fighting for comprehensive reform that creates legal pathways, reduces backlogs, and holds enforcement agencies accountable to the law.” > — Steven Horsford, via [Campaign site](https://www.stevenhorsford.com) **Cody Whipple:** No documented position in our sources ### Democracy and Voting Rights Salience: low **Steven Horsford:** Supports federal voting rights legislation and campaign finance reform Horsford advocates for restoring and expanding federal voting rights protections. He is an original cosponsor of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and voted for the Freedom to Vote Act. - Cosponsored the John Lewis Voting Rights Act to restore federal voting protections. - Voted for the Freedom to Vote Act to expand national ballot access and increase donor disclosure. - Opposed the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) requiring proof of citizenship documentation for federal election voter registration. > “I’m an original cosponsor of the bill to restore the federal protections the Supreme Court has stripped away, and haven’t stopped pushing to get it passed.” > — Steven Horsford, via [Campaign site](https://www.stevenhorsford.com) **Cody Whipple:** No documented position in our sources ## Polls and markets _Updated Oct 31._ - [Polymarket](https://polymarket.com/event/nv-04-house-election-winner) — NV-04 House Election Winner: Democrats 96.3%, Republicans 3.0% - [Kalshi](https://kalshi.com/events/HOUSENV4-26) — NV-04 House winner?: Steven Horsford 95.3%, Cody Whipple 4.4% [View this race on 2026election.com](https://www.2026election.com/race/2026-house-nv-04)