Steven Horsford facts for kids
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Steven Horsford
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| Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus | |
| In office January 3, 2023 – January 3, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Joyce Beatty |
| Succeeded by | Yvette Clarke |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Nevada's 4th district |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Ruben Kihuen |
| In office January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Cresent Hardy |
| Majority Leader of the Nevada Senate | |
| In office February 9, 2009 – January 3, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | William Raggio |
| Succeeded by | Mo Denis |
| Member of the Nevada Senate from the 4th district |
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| In office February 7, 2005 – January 3, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Joe Neal |
| Succeeded by | Kelvin Atkinson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Steven Alexzander Horsford
April 29, 1973 Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | University of Nevada, Reno (BA) |
Steven Alexzander Horsford (born April 29, 1973) is an American politician and businessman. He currently serves as a U.S. representative for Nevada's 4th congressional district. He has held this position since 2019, and also served from 2013 to 2015.
Mr. Horsford is a member of the Democratic Party. He was the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus from 2023 to 2025. Before joining Congress, he served in the Nevada Senate from 2005 to 2013. He was the first African American to be the Majority Leader in the Nevada Senate. He was also the first African American to represent Nevada in the U.S. Congress.
After losing his congressional seat in 2014, Horsford worked for a business consulting firm. In 2018, he ran for Congress again and won. He defeated Cresent Hardy, the same person who had beaten him in 2014.
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Early Life and Education
Steven Horsford was born and grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada. His mother, Pamela Horsford, came to the U.S. from Trinidad when she was a teenager.
While attending Ed W. Clark High School in Las Vegas, Horsford worked at a Pizza Hut. He also cleaned kennels at a veterinarian's office.
When he was 19, his father, Gary Shelton, passed away. After this, Horsford briefly left the University of Nevada, Reno. He was studying political science and communications there. He returned to college the next year and earned his degree in 2014.
Business Career
Before his political career, Horsford was the CEO of the Culinary Training Academy. This program helps people get job training. He also served on the Southern Nevada Workforce Investment Board. In 1996, he started working at R&R Partners, a firm in Las Vegas.
Nevada State Senate Role
Senate Elections
In 2004, the current Democratic State Senator for Clark County's 4th district decided to retire. Steven Horsford ran for the open seat. He won against Republican Mabel Florence Lucier with 72% of the votes.
He became the fourth African American to serve as a state senator in Nevada. In 2008, he was reelected for his second term. He won with 74% of the votes.
Time in the Senate
Horsford served in six special meetings and four regular meetings of the Nevada legislature. In February 2009, he became the Nevada Senate Majority Leader.
In August 2011, Horsford chose Senator Mo Denis to lead the group's election efforts.
In November 2009, a TV station reported that Horsford had parked his SUV in a handicapped space. He apologized, saying "There was no excuse. It should have never happened." He said he made a donation to a charity.
In 2010, Horsford sent a letter asking for donations for his political group. The letter suggested that donors could meet with legislative leaders. Some people criticized this, and he apologized and stopped the program.
In 2011, a web poker company paid for Horsford to take a trip to the Bahamas. This happened before a law that would help online gaming was introduced. Horsford said the trip was "productive." He later received campaign money from the company, which he and some other lawmakers later returned.
Senate Committee Work
In his last time in the Nevada Senate, he led the Senate Finance Committee. He also served on the Senate Committee on Revenue. He was also on the Senate Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections.
U.S. House of Representatives Role
Congressional Elections
2012 Election
In October 2011, Horsford announced he would run for Congress. He chose to run in the new Nevada's 4th congressional district. This district includes part of Clark County and several rural counties.
He was set to run against former state Assemblyman John Jay Lee in the Democratic primary. However, Lee dropped out, making Horsford the nominee. In November, Horsford defeated Republican businessman Danny Tarkanian. Horsford won Clark County, which has most of the district's voters.
2014 Election
Horsford was narrowly defeated by Republican state Assemblyman Cresent Hardy. Hardy also lost his reelection after one term in 2016.
2018 Election
In January 2018, Horsford announced he would run again for the 4th congressional district. The current representative, Ruben Kihuen, decided not to run again. Horsford won the Democratic primary in June. He then defeated Republican nominee Cresent Hardy in the general election. He was sworn into office on January 3, 2019.
2020 Election
Horsford ran for reelection against Republican former state Assemblyman Jim Marchant. In November, Horsford won the election by five points.
2022 Election
Horsford won reelection again in 2022. He ran without opposition in the Democratic primary. He defeated Republican Sam Peters by about 5%.
Time in Congress
Horsford's first two-year term began on January 3, 2013. He is a member of the House Progressive Caucus. He was the only member of this group to support a spending bill in 2013. This bill included a delay for a part of the Affordable Care Act.
According to an analysis by FiveThirtyEight, Horsford voted with President Joe Biden's position 100% of the time in the 117th Congress.
Political Stances
As of June 2022, Horsford had voted in line with Joe Biden's stated position 100% of the time.
On February 9, 2023, Horsford voted against a bill that would stop Washington D.C. from letting non-citizens vote in local elections.
COVID-19 Policies
On January 31, 2023, Horsford voted against a bill that would remove COVID-19 vaccine rules for healthcare workers. On February 1, 2023, he voted against ending the COVID-19 national emergency.
Immigration Views
Horsford helped create a bill (H.R.15) that would allow undocumented immigrants to become citizens. He believes Congress needs to fix immigration laws for everyone, not just young people. He also thinks border security with Mexico and Canada needs to be better. However, he does not believe a wall on the southern border will solve immigration issues.
Trump Impeachment
On December 18, 2019, Horsford voted for both reasons to remove President Donald Trump from office. These reasons were abuse of power and blocking Congress.
Healthcare Beliefs
Horsford believes that "healthcare is a right, not a privilege." He thinks all Americans should have healthcare similar to what veterans and senior citizens receive.
Gun Control Stance
Horsford supports a set of gun control rules. These include background checks for gun buyers and banning certain types of weapons. He also supports increasing funding for mental health programs. He believes in respecting the Second Amendment but also making clear rules for different types of weapons.
Federal Lands
During his first term in Congress, Horsford helped create the Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument. He also helped set aside about 50,000 acres of wilderness in Nevada. He does not support giving federal land in Nevada to the state. He says Nevada struggles to fund education, so it would be hard for the state to manage large amounts of public land.
Israel Policy
Horsford has said that the debate about moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem was "a distraction." He believes it took attention away from other important international issues.
Minimum Wage
Horsford supports increasing the federal minimum wage. In March 2014, he worked undercover with a UPS driver. He did this to understand the lives of working people in Las Vegas. He also wanted to argue for raising the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 per hour.
Supreme Court
Horsford voted against a bill that would provide extra security for Supreme Court justices. This bill was proposed after concerns about their safety.
Reparations
Horsford supports H.R. 40, a bill to create a group to study and suggest ways to make up for the harm caused by slavery to African Americans.
Syria Policy
In 2023, Horsford voted against a resolution that would have required President Joe Biden to remove U.S. troops from Syria within 180 days.
Congressional Committee Work
- Committee on Financial Services (118th Congress)
- Committee on Ways and Means (116th-117th Congress)
- Subcommittee on Health
- Committee on the Budget
Caucus Memberships
- Congressional Black Caucus (chair)
- Congressional Progressive Caucus
- New Democrat Coalition
- Problem Solvers Caucus
- Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment
Other Political Activities
2008 Presidential Election
Horsford helped Nevada host the second national presidential caucus in 2008. He supported Barack Obama early on. He was a co-chair for Obama's campaign in Nevada.
National Committees
Horsford was the national vice chairman of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee. He also served as the Democratic National Committeeman for Nevada. He is a member of the Democratic National Committee's Change Commission and its Rules & Bylaws Committee.
Career Between House Terms
In April 2015, Horsford returned to work at R&R Partners. As an officer there, he helped MGM Resorts International. He worked to make sure that at least half of the workers for a new resort in Maryland were from that county. He also helped ensure the resort worked with minority-owned businesses.
Personal Life
Horsford married Sonya Douglass, a professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, in 2000. They have three children. In 2022, Sonya Horsford filed for divorce.
In 2013, Horsford had open heart surgery. This was to treat a heart condition that runs in his family.
See also
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