UNLV campus in Las Vegas where a student-led candidate debate brought together voters and political candidates

Meet the Candidates Who Participated in UNLV Debate Night in Las Vegas

March 24, 2026•2 min read

Candidate Debate Night at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas brought together a diverse group of candidates from across federal, state, and local races to engage directly with students and the Las Vegas community.

Cover image courtesy of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).

This page provides a comprehensive list of the candidates who participated in the discussion, along with the offices they are seeking.

For a full breakdown of the event, key topics discussed, and to watch the complete debate, view the full recap here: Inside Candidate Debate Night at UNLV: How Las Vegas Students Are Reshaping Civic Dialogue

Where available, candidate campaign websites are linked for reference.

Federal Candidates

Bobby Khan

Candidate for U.S. Congress (CD1)
Non-partisan

Marty O’Donnell

Candidate for U.S. Congress (CD3)
Republican

Cody Whipple

Candidate for U.S. Congress (CD4)
Republican

State-Level Candidates

Rafael Arroyo

Candidate for Nevada State Senate (District 12)
Republican

Joseph Charafi

Candidate for Nevada Assembly (District 8)
Republican

John Carlo

Candidate Nevada Assembly (District 16)
Republican

Tighe Galvin

Candidate for Nevada Assembly (District 21)
Libertarian

Local Candidates

Albert Mack

Candidate for Clark County Commission (District F)
Republican

Steven Borella

Candidate for Clark County Recorder
Libertarian

Diana Ramirez

Candidate for North Las Vegas City Council (Ward 1)

Statewide Candidate

John Scott

Candidate for Governor of Nevada
Non-partisan

About the Event

The debate was hosted at UNLV in collaboration with the Gen Z Coalition of Las Vegas, College Republicans of UNLV, and Young Americans for Liberty.

The format included:

Opening statements
Moderated policy questions
Live audience Q&A

Students and attendees engaged directly with candidates on key issues affecting Las Vegas, including housing, water, crime, immigration, and education.

Watch the Full Debate

Why This Matters

Providing voters, especially students and first-time voters, with direct access to candidates is a critical part of strengthening civic engagement.

Events like this allow individuals to hear directly from candidates, ask questions, and form their own opinions based on full conversations rather than short clips or summaries.

Stay Involved

Future debate events are already being planned.

If you are a candidate, student organization, or community member interested in participating, collaborating, or attending future events, we encourage you to reach out.

Marlon A. Medina

Marlon A. Medina is a Las Vegas–based entrepreneur, creative director, and community leader focused on shaping culture through media, faith, and civic engagement. He is the founder of Golden Medina Services, a media and marketing agency dedicated to high-impact storytelling and strategic communication. He also serves as the founding chair of the Gen Z Coalition of Las Vegas, an independent, locally led coalition focused on serious civic discourse and leadership development for young people across Southern Nevada. Marlon has been involved in nonprofit and board-level efforts addressing exploitation, abuse, and institutional accountability. This work informs his writing, including Behind Closed Doors: The Truth About Abuse, and his partnerships with schools and organizations to bring these conversations into the communities that need them most.

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