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Amodei retirement was surprise even to his staff, Titus says
When Nevada's 2nd U.S. House District Rep. Mark Amodei announced his retirement from Congress earlier this month, it came as a surprise to his constituents.
It also came as a complete surprise to his own congressional staff in his Washington, D.C., office, U.S. Rep. Dina Titus said on "Nevada Newsmakers."
"Well, it took us all by surprise, too," Titus, D-Las Vegas, told host Sam Shad.
"As I understand it -- from my chief of staff talking to his -- they (staff) didn't even know. He (Amodei) just came in one day and said, 'Here's a letter I'm about to send, and this is it,'" Titus said.
Amodei announced his retirement Feb. 6.
On Dec. 16, 2025, however, he had told NOTUS (News of the United States news site) he planned on running for re-election in 2026. Yet he cryptically added: “Ask me in 60 days.”
Then, 53 days later, Amodei delivered his surprise.
"I don't think he shared that (retirement news) with too many people, so I'm not sure what his thinking was behind it or what he plans to do," Titus said.
Titus noted Republican dominance of Nevada's 2nd U.S. House District, suggesting the seat may remain with the GOP.
"I just hope it's not somebody that's a real MAGA person that we can't find anything to work together on," she said.
Two Democrats have already jumped into the race to replace Amodei.
Greg Kidd of Incline Village, a wealthy venture capitalist and former analyst at the Federal Reserve, reportedly spent between $9 million and $11 million, much of it his own money, to lose to Amodei in the 2024 election. Then, he was affiliated with no political party. He's is running as a Democrat this year.
Teresa Benitez-Thompson, a former majority leader in the Nevada Assembly and current chief of staff to Attorney General Aaron Ford, also said she will run.
A potential Democratic primary could pit a moneyed candidate against one with grass-roots moxie.
A Democrat, however, has never won a CD-2 general-election race since the district was formed after the 1980 census. The Cook Political Report still rates the district as heavy Republican but adds 2026 -- with an open seat -- gives the Democrats their best shot in the past 15 years.
"It's a hard-core Republican district, so it will be hard," Titus said about a potential Democratic victory in the district. "I can't say it's impossible, and this will be a Democratic sweep year."
If Benitez-Thompson and Kidd square off in a spirited primary, the winner could face a depletion of resources and energy before advancing to the general election against a potentially formidable GOP challenger.
"If Kidd stays in as a Democrat, that means you'll have two races, including a primary," Titus said. "It's hard to go up against $11 million, but it's not always just the money that is the determining factor."