Police Union Leader and Addiction Advocate Challenge Nancy Brune in Las Vegas Ward 6 Race

Meet the challengers looking to oust Nancy Brune in Las Vegas' Ward 6 – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: Unsplash)

Las Vegas voters head to the polls June 9 for a Ward 6 primary that revives a familiar contest from two years ago. Incumbent Nancy Brune, who defeated a police officer challenger in 2022, now faces Steve Grammas, president of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association, and Dave Marlon, founder of the nonprofit Vegas Stronger. The top two finishers advance to November unless one secures more than half the vote and claims the seat outright. Council members serve part time and receive annual compensation of $108,900.

Candidates Bring Distinct Professional Paths

Brune entered office with an academic profile that includes five degrees, among them a doctorate in political science from Yale and two master’s degrees from the same institution, plus undergraduate and graduate work at Harvard. Before her election she directed the Kenny Guinn Center for Policy Priorities and advised think tanks and universities nationwide. She has raised nearly $559,000 for the current campaign, drawing support from Mayor Shelley Berkley, Clark County Commissioner William McCurdy II, local casinos, and the Las Vegas Firefighters Local 1285 PAC. Grammas began his career as a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department cadet in 1998 after his family could not fund college. He later earned an associate degree in criminal justice and has led the police union for a decade, lobbying the Legislature on officer protections. A registered Republican and vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump, he holds roughly $200,000 in campaign funds from local businesses, trade groups, and Station Casinos. Marlon built his career around substance-abuse treatment and homelessness services. He founded the CARE Coalition and The Solutions Foundation, and he previously served as CEO of CrossRoads treatment center. A registered nonpartisan with four degrees, including a doctorate in psychology from Walden University and two master’s degrees from UNLV, he has loaned his campaign $50,000 and reports just over $115,000 on hand from individual donors and a construction firm.

Budget Pressures and Economic Outlook Divide Approaches

The city closed last year with a $110 million shortfall after settling a long-running lawsuit over the Badlands development for $286 million. Tourism revenue has since flattened, and sales-tax collections remain soft. Brune credits conservative spending that avoided layoffs or hiring freezes, though she notes paused capital projects and warns that continued visitor declines pose the greater long-term risk. She points to ongoing investments in the medical district, health care, and events such as the Super Bowl as steps toward diversification. Grammas faults the council for prolonging the Badlands litigation and calls for tighter scrutiny of discretionary spending, citing a Las Vegas Boulevard sign installed in 2020 as an example of waste. He favors incentives such as free visitor parking and outreach to companies like Amazon to expand the tax base. Marlon argues the city can streamline its budget process and attract new employers to generate jobs and revenue, claiming greater familiarity with city finances than current members.

Homelessness Strategies Reflect Differing Priorities

The number of people experiencing homelessness in Las Vegas rose 20 percent between 2023 and 2024, reaching a decade high. The next annual count is scheduled for release this summer. Brune highlights the city’s emergency shelters, funding for Campus for Hope, and a recuperative medical center as evidence of progress within Clark County’s only jurisdiction offering such services. Grammas advocates arresting individuals for public violations and then linking them to services through the sheriff’s department, arguing that chronic street homelessness burdens residents who face repeated solicitation or harassment. Marlon proposes cutting food aid that he says enables street living and instead routing people through a hotline to treatment facilities that address mental health and substance-use disorders first.

Education and Water Issues Surface as Secondary Concerns

Unlike neighboring cities, Las Vegas does not authorize charter schools. Grammas supports shifting funds from underperforming district schools to charters and expanding vocational pathways in trades and law enforcement. Brune praises Clark County Superintendent Jhone Ebert and favors turning school campuses into community hubs with after-hours fields and on-site day care. Marlon believes the Legislature should resolve charter-authorization questions and wants action on chronic truancy rates that undermine the American dream for many students. On water, Marlon criticizes Clark County’s removal of septic tanks as government overreach and calls for a regional study that could include desalination or imports from distant rivers. Brune stresses that conservation alone will not suffice and that broader resource planning is required. Grammas notes the city’s national leadership in recycling and reuse while acknowledging expert concerns about future supply. The June primary will test whether voters prefer continuity with Brune’s policy-focused record or a shift toward the enforcement-oriented and treatment-centered visions offered by her challengers.