Shea BackusShea Backus

EMILYs List recruits, trains and supports Democratic pro-choice women candidates at every level of the ballot. By helping to elect these women to office in 2025 and 2026, we’re not only building a foundation for the future, but we’re also putting strong women in charge of decisions that affect women and families every day — from the legislators who write laws to the attorneys general who defend and enforce them to the secretaries of state who ensure access to the ballot.

Shea Backus (Cherokee Nation) is a current Nevada State Assemblymember and attorney with a strong record of advancing policies that support education, economic opportunity, and Tribal communities. A third-generation Nevadan raised in Las Vegas, she brings a deep understanding of both urban and rural communities, shaped in part by time spent on her family’s ranch in Oklahoma. Her leadership is grounded in a commitment to public service, accountability, and expanding access to opportunity. As a legislator, Backus has served as Chair of the Revenue Committee and Vice Chair of Ways and Means, where she has helped secure significant investments in public education, including funding for a public school in a Tribal community. She has led efforts to strengthen teacher pipelines, support economic development, improve access to healthcare, and address the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) crisis, including passing a state Indian Child Welfare Act. Backus is running for re-election to continue advancing policies that support working families, expand housing affordability, and ensure that Tribal communities are included in decisions that shape Nevada’s future.

Shea Backus is a third-generation Nevada who grew up in Las Vegas and spent her summers on her grandparents’ ranch in Talala, OK. She is a proud product of public education, Kindergarten through law school. Shea graduated from ASU's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law with a certificate in Indian Law. For two of the three terms that she has served, she chaired Revenue and vice chaired Ways & Means. She has successfully moved policy to address economic development, remove barriers created by health insurance prior authorization, address missing and murdered indigenous relatives, and enact a state Indian Child Welfare Act. Shea has resided in Assembly District 37 for over 11 years with her husband Marc, who is a commercial pilot and a member of a union, and their dog—Carson. While she is not a full time caregiver, her mom moved in with after her husband passed away.

incumbent