Incumbent judge trails in Family Court race
An incumbent in Family Court is trailing in a close race for Department N, according to initial election results.
Family Court Judge Paul Gaudet had received 47 percent of the vote as of Wednesday, while attorney Kerri Maxey had about 53.1 percent.
About 710,000 votes in the race had been counted as of Wednesday afternoon, according to data from the Nevada secretary of state’s website.
Gaudet, 58, was appointed to the bench in March 2023 by Gov. Joe Lombardo, following the death of Family Court Judge Mathew Harter. Gaudet previously had operated his own law firm focusing on family law, personal injury cases and a few commercial and criminal cases.
Maxey, 48, is a former Clark County public defender who has previously represented juvenile clients. She also spent three years as a staff attorney with the Minor Guardianship Advocacy Program at the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada, and is currently working at the public defender’s office, now representing adult clients.
“With the latest vote numbers showing us up by over 40,000 votes, we are feeling confident today that we will win this race,” Maxey said in a statement sent Wednesday. “For nearly two decades, I have tirelessly advocated for children and families in our community. I am now fully prepared and committed to serving in my new role as Family Court Judge, where I will continue to uphold the values of fairness, compassion, and justice for all.”
Gaudet was endorsed by several major law enforcement organizations and the Clark County Prosecutors Association, while Maxey’s endorsements included Service Employees International Union Local 1107, Culinary Local 226 and the Nevada chapter of the National Organization for Women.
Gaudet declined to comment on the race Tuesday night but noted that initial results showed he was only behind by just over 30,000 votes.
Two other candidates in Family Court ran unopposed this election — incumbent judges Gregory Gordon in Department C and Gina McConnell in Department O.
Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240.
