Molina Leads Denis in Regent District 5 Race
Stephanie Molina holds a 54.7 percent lead over former Democratic state senator Moises Denis in the Board of Regents contest.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Stephanie Molina leads Moises Denis in the District 5 Board of Regents race, with Molina holding 54.7 percent of votes cast to Denis's 45.3 percent. Both advanced from the June primary, which left incumbent Regent Patrick Boylan off the November ballot.
Why it matters
The outcome reshapes the Nevada Board of Regents, which oversees four community colleges, three universities and one research institute. Boylan's exclusion follows criticism and pressure over his comments about transgender athletes at a 2024 meeting, which he did not resign over.
Preliminary returns show Molina ahead 54.7 percent to 45.3 percent in District 5, while Goicoechea leads Lane 50.4 percent to 49.6 percent in the closest district, District 8. Final certified totals for all races were not yet available in the source data.
The players
Stephanie Molina
Molina is the leading candidate in the District 5 Board of Regents race and holds a 54.7 percent share of the vote.
Moises Denis
Denis is a former Democratic state senator trailing Molina in the District 5 Board of Regents race with 45.3 percent of the vote.
Patrick Boylan
Boylan is a sitting Regent who was left off the November ballot after facing criticism for comments about transgender athletes and did not resign.
Jennifer McGrath
McGrath was appointed to the District 2 Board of Regents seat in 2025 by Gov. Joe Lombardo and holds a 60.5 percent lead in the race.
Joe Lombardo
Lombardo is the Governor of Nevada who appointed McGrath to the District 2 seat on the Board of Regents in 2025.
The details
Molina and Denis advanced from the June primary and faced each other in the November general election for the District 5 seat. Boylan's removal from the ballot came after the primary results determined which candidates would advance.
Timeline
2024: Boylan made comments about transgender athletes at a Board of Regents meeting, prompting criticism and calls to resign.
2025: Gov. Joe Lombardo appointed Jennifer McGrath to the District 2 seat.
June 2026: The primary election advanced Molina and Denis and left Boylan off the November ballot.
November 3, 2026: General election for Board of Regents seats was held.
12:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 4, 2026: Preliminary results were reported for the Board of Regents races.
Political Context
The District 5 race followed a 2024 controversy in which Regent Patrick Boylan faced pressure to resign over his remarks about transgender athletes, and he did not step down. Voters' June primary decision to advance Molina and Denis effectively ended his bid to remain on the Board, with the November contest now deciding his successor.
Nevada voters in these Board of Regents districts will determine who oversees the state's community colleges, universities and research institute. Residents of the affected districts, including the Las Vegas Valley, North Las Vegas and rural northern Nevada counties, will have a direct say in who sets policy for public higher education.
The takeaway
Board of Regents seats shape the direction of public higher education across Nevada, so the November results carry lasting effects for students and institutions. Voters who want to track how the board is governed can follow its meetings and member records as the new terms begin.
Further reading
Explore more in Elections coverage for Nevada's higher education governance races.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Las Vegas Review-Journal.
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