David Damore

Executive Director, The Lincy Institute and Brookings Mountain West
Professor, Department of Political Science
Expertise: American Politics, Elections, Campaigns, Public Policy at State and National Levels, Latino Politics

Biography

David Damore is a professor of political science. He serves as the executive director of The Lincy Institute and Brookings Mountain West, two public policy centers at UNLV.

Damore teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in American politics and research methods and his research focuses on electoral politics and applied policy. He has written extensively on Nevada politics and policy and he is a coauthor of two recently published books, Blue Metros, Red States: The Shifting Urban/Rural Divide in America’s Swing States and Latinos in Nevada: A Political, Economic and Social Profile.

Damore regularly comments on Nevada politics for local, national, and international media outlets and his commentary and analysis has been published by The Brookings Institution’s FixGov Blog, The Cook Political Report, HuffPost, Politico Magazine, and USA Today. In addition to his positions at UNLV, Damore is a senior nonresident fellow in the Brookings Institution’s Governance Studies Program.

Education

  • Ph.D., Political Science, University of California, Davis
  • M.A., Political Science, University of Georgia
  • B.A., Political Science, University of California, San Diego

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David Damore In The News

K.T.N.V. T.V. ABC 13
If you've ever wanted to make a suggestion for a new law, now just might be your chance. The Southern Nevada Forum held its initial meeting on Monday, with the goal of coming up with a dozen new ideas to fix problems faced by residents of the Las Vegas Valley. The 13-year-old organization — created by the Vegas Chamber, the City of Las Vegas, Brookings Mountain West and former Assembly Speaker Marilyn Kirkpatrick in 2013 — brings together lawmakers and community leaders to brainstorm ideas.
Reno Gazette-Journal
Rep. Mark Amodei’s recent decision to retire opens a Northern Nevada House seat long considered untouchable – giving Democrats a rare chance to test Republican dominance in the state’s most conservative congressional district. Political scientists say midterm backlash, economic pressure and weak candidates can sometimes turn “safe” districts into November surprises.
The Nevada Independent
Nevada’s congressional races are quickly becoming contests between incumbents and wealthy challengers bankrolling their own campaigns, with one exception, new campaign finance filings reveal.   
Reno Gazette-Journal
Nevada is starting to feel the effects captured in new U.S. Census data showing population growth slowing, driven by a drop in international migration. The number of foreign migrants coming to the Silver State plunged by more than half from 2024 to 2025.

Articles Featuring David Damore

Some early studying during the opening week of the Spring 2026 semester (Josh Hawkins/UNLV).
| February 3, 2026

A look at some of the most eye-grabbing headlines featuring UNLV faculty, staff, and students.

Fall colors 2025
| November 10, 2025

Some of the biggest news headlines featuring UNLV faculty and students.

Campus beauty.
| August 6, 2025

A collection of the most prominent news stories from last month featuring UNLV staff and students.