The ever-expanding Republican primary field in Nevada’s 4th Congressional District grew once more Wednesday with the announcement that Catherine Prato, the former director of nursing education for the state’s nursing board, launched a bid to flip the seat of Democratic Rep. Steven Horsford.

Prato, a registered nurse from Las Vegas, also sits on the Nevada Health Occupations Students of America board as vice chair, in addition to seats at several other nursing organizations.

She joins a crowded group of seven other Republicans vying for the seat, including former Assemblyman Jim Marchant, Navy veteran and ex-congressional aide Charles Navarro, former Miss Nevada and small-business owner Lisa Song Sutton, Nye County Commissioner Leo Blundo, small-business owner Randi Reed, veteran and small-business owner Sam Peters and small-business owner Rebecca Wood.

The 4th District — a geographically sprawling district that encompasses both North Las Vegas and much of the state’s rural center — has been represented by both major parties since its creation in 2011. Still, Democrats have won the seat all but one cycle, when Republican Cresent Hardy held the district between 2014 and 2016.

The seat is now held by Horsford, who — in addition to representing the district from 2012 to 2014 — went on to replace outgoing Democratic incumbent Ruben Kihuen after he declined to run for re-election in the wake of sexual harassment allegations.

