Editor’s note: Catherine Cortez Masto won her race by a margin of 0.9%. To see how Blue Tent's recommended candidates performed this cycle, read our full 2022 midterms rundown.
Catherine Cortez Masto is an under-the-radar senator. She became the first Latina ever elected to the Senate after winning office in 2016, inheriting Harry Reid’s seat thanks in part to the Democratic Party machine the former Senate leader had built up. Since then, she hasn’t done a whole lot to get her national press, positive or negative, but as a Democrat holding a swing seat, she’s about to become one of the most talked-about politicians in the country. Should donors give to her?
Below, we explore three key questions that small and medium donors should answer before supporting candidates. (See how we evaluate candidates.)
Is This Race Important?
This is one of a handful of races that will decide control of the Senate, which is Democrats’ top priority this cycle.
Can Cortez Masto win?
Nevada has been going the Democrats’ way in recent cycles. In the 2018 Senate election, Jacky Rosen beat incumbent Dean Heller by five points, and Joe Biden won the state by just over two points. The worry is that this will be a cycle where Republicans bounce back throughout the whole country, and the party’s weakness with Hispanic voters should be a particular cause of concern in Nevada. This race is rated a toss-up by the Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball, and FiveThirtyEight rates the state as having a two-point Republican lean. No one knows which way this race will go at this point, but Cortez Masto’s incumbency should be worth something. She can certainly win.
Does She Need Money?
Having raised over $44 million, Cortez Masto is well funded and shouldn’t have trouble outspending her GOP rival. So while Blue Tent recommends her, we consider donating to her campaign to be a low priority at this time. (Read about how we recommend candidates.)