Shea M. Backus
Nevada State Assemblymember, District 37 since 2018. Ran in 4 elections between 2018 and 2024, winning 3. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2028.
Nevada State Assemblymember, District 37Born 1975Lawyer
- In office
- 7 yrs
- Since 2018
- Bills became law
- 9
- 15 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 3.7%
- Chamber median 0.2%
- With party
- 98%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +15.0
- Won 2026
- Next election
- 2028
- Nov 7, 2028
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:51 PM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Jobs and Economy Special · vice chair
- Revenue · chair
- Ways and Means · vice chair
- Growth and Infrastructure
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
Became law Jun 2025
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Backus sits in the Nevada State Assembly
Backus is closer to the center than 81% of the chamber's Democrats.
Closest: Joe Dalia, Venise Karris, Duy Nguyen
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:57 PM ET
With Backus’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Democrats98%
- Cosponsorships of the other party's bills33%
Black tick: the average of Democrats in the Nevada State Assembly.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Backus’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Democrats.
| Date | Bill | Backus | Dem. majority | Rep. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 19, 2025 | SB 4: Revises provisions relating to state financial and governmental administration. (BDR S-11) | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 30–7 |
| Jun 2, 2025 | SB 260: Revises provisions relating to air quality. (BDR 53-961) | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 32–10 |
| Jun 2, 2025 | SB 460: Revises provisions relating to education. (BDR 34-16) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Passed 38–4 |
| Jun 2, 2025 | SB 217: Makes revisions relating to reproductive health care. (BDR 40-24) | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 27–15 |
| May 30, 2025 | AB 428: Requires certain health plans to include coverage for fertility preservation services.… | Yes | Yes | Yes | Passed 38–4 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Backus was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin | Seat | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Nevada State Assembly, District 37 | Won | D+15.0 | D+0.2 | +14.8 |
| 2024 | Nevada State Assembly, District 37 | Won | D+2.6 | D+0.2 | +2.4 |
| 2022 | Nevada State Assembly, District 37 | Won | D+2.6 | D+3.6 | −1.0 |
| 2020 | Nevada State Assembly, District 37 | Lost | R+1.8 | R+3.2 | +1.4 |
| 2018 | Nevada State Assembly, District 37 | Won | D+0.5 | R+3.2 | +3.7 |
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: Nevada Secretary of State (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Seats Backus has held
- Nevada State Assembly, District 37 · since 2022
- Nevada State Assembly, District 37 · since 2018
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Backus has run against
- Jill M. Douglass (R) · 2026 election, won
- David Brog (R) · 2024 election, won
- Jacob Deaville (R) · 2022 election, won
- Andy Matthews (R) · 2020 election, lost
- Jim Marchant (R) · 2018 election, won
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: Nevada Secretary of State (unofficial)
How we know Backus
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/1fa69460-c910-4cf1-acfb-1d44c342e658
- Wikidata Q94974391
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:51 PM ET