Source link : https://las-vegas-news.com/teresa-benitez-thompson-draws-on-social-work-roots-and-legislative-record-in-2026-bid-to-flip-nevadas-gop-congressional-seat/
Lawmaker. Social worker. Pageant queen. Is Congress next for Teresa Benitez-Thompson? – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: Pixabay)
Reno, Nevada – Teresa Benitez-Thompson has spent decades balancing roles as a social worker, state legislator and former Miss Nevada. Now she is knocking on doors across Northern Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District in pursuit of the Democratic nomination for an open House seat. The district has remained in Republican hands for 15 years, yet this year’s race features an unusually open field and shifting national conditions that could alter the outcome.
Early Challenges Shaped a Focus on Community Support
Benitez-Thompson was born in California and moved to Nevada at age four after her family sought stability. Her father struggled with substance abuse, and she was raised largely by grandparents in a Reno suburb. Those experiences led her to advocate for young mothers facing similar pressures, an effort that grew into the Nevada Empowered Women’s Project. She later earned a master’s degree in social work and spent five years arranging adoptions for children with special needs. She also provided hospice care across rural counties, often driving long distances to reach patients in places such as Gardnerville and Fallon. That direct service work remains central to how she approaches policy questions today.
Legislative Tenure Built Bipartisan Relationships and Concrete Results
Elected to the Nevada Assembly in 2011,…
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Author : Matthias Binder
Publish date : 2026-05-17 11:19:00
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