LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto delivered a campaign victory speech Sunday morning in Las Vegas after winning re-election to the U.S. Senate.
Cortez Masto's campaign called it a "come-from-behind" victory that gives Democrats a majority in the Senate.
She will deliver the speech at Carpenters International Training Center, surrounded by union workers, according to her campaign.
WATCH IT HERE:
Supporters chanted "We vote, we win!" and "Union power!" as they waited for the senator to take the stage.
"We've known this was going to be a tough campaign — but like all of you, I'm a Nevadan. And I know what it takes to deliver for my state," Cortez Masto told supporters. "So when the national pundits said I couldn't win, I knew Nevada would prove them wrong."
She said she's never forgotten where she came from, as the daughter of a teamster, and will fight for essential workers and families.
"I know my family, not only those that are here today, but those who've passed, would be so proud to see me serving as the first Latina in the U.S. Senate — and even prouder to see me re-elected," Cortez Masto said.
Sen. Cortez Masto has arrived. @KTNV pic.twitter.com/X6ayUCasf0
— Justin Hinton (@justinhintontv) November 13, 2022
"This victory is for Nevada and for all of us," she added. "This election, Nevadans rejected the far-right politicians working to divide us."
Cortez Masto outlined a few priorities in her speech, including bringing down housing costs, "creating good-paying union jobs right here in Nevada," and working to ensure that "every individual who works hard to provide for themselves and their families, or in service to this country, can retire with dignity." She also addressed "fighting for our immigrant families" by creating a pathway to citizenship.
The senator said she looks forward to working again with Reps. Dina Titus, Susie Lee, and Steven Horsford, all Democrats who won their respective re-election campaigns. She also thanked Gov. Steve Sisolak, who lost his campaign against Republican Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo.
"I am a proud Nevadan," she concluded. "Every single day, I do not forget where I come from. And when I walk into that Capitol, I take all of you with me because this is about standing strong together and making sure our voices are heard."
Ballots tabulated in Clark County on Saturday gave the Democratic senator a nearly 5,000-vote lead over her Republican challenger, former Attorney General Adam Laxalt. That number proved too high for Laxalt to retake the lead at the tail end of the counting process.
Laxalt was ahead in the days following Nov. 8 while Nevada's election officials carried out the days-long counting process. Statutory deadlines in Nevada mean the state counts mail-in ballots four days after Election Day, as long as they're postmarked by Nov. 8.
EXPLAINER: Why AP called the Nevada Senate race for Catherine Cortez Masto
An additional 27,000 ballots tabulated in Clark County on Friday narrowed Laxalt's lead to nearly 900 votes, numbers that weren't changed much by counted ballots in Washoe and Douglas counties.
Later on Saturday, Cortez Masto carried a batch of more than 10,000 ballots from Washoe by 56% to 40%, and her lead grew to more than 6,500 votes.
Laxalt had yet to comment on the latest numbers Sunday morning, though he shared a Twitter thread asking voters to check their ballot status and cure it if needed.
LATEST UPDATES ON NEVADA RACES:
- Steve Sisolak concedes victory to Joe Lombardo in Nevada governor's race
- Ballot Question 2 passes, increases Nevada's minimum wage to $12 per hour
- Stavros Anthony poised to become Nevada's next lieutenant governor over Democrat Lisa Cano Burkhead
- Nevada State Treasurer Zach Conine declares victory over Councilwoman Michele Fiore
- Nevada Reps. Dina Titus, Susie Lee, Steven Horsford issue victory statements in 2022 re-election campaigns
- Making history: Meet North Las Vegas's first Black woman elected mayor
- Attorney General Aaron Ford issues victory statement in 2022 re-election campaign against Sigal Chattah
- Ballot Question 1 passes, adds equal rights amendment to Nevada Constitution
