How Vaupel Lost Reese’s Bid to Control Reno City Council and Why Marshall's Win Matters
For years, Mayor Hillary Schieve and Councilmember Devon Reese have shaped a voting bloc inside City Hall, but that has all changed.
Jun 11, 2026
For years, Mayor Hillary Schieve and Councilmember Devon Reese have shaped appointments, influenced votes, and created a voting bloc inside City Hall.
But the 2026 cycle has unexpectedly fractured that structure — and the decisive break came not only in the mayor’s race, but in Ward 2.
The defeat of Vanessa Vaupel, the candidate backed by Naomi Duerr and aligned with Devon Reese, didn’t just end a council bid. It ended the possibility of Reese consolidating a five‑vote majority that would have extended his influence.
With Kate Marshall emerging as the next mayor with 44% of the primary vote, the Schieve‑Sferraza era is effectively over, and Devon Reese has lost influence.
The Vaupel Question: How Did a New Arrival Get Establishment Backing?
People wondered how someone who had only recently moved to Reno could launch a council run with the backing of an outgoing councilmember.
The answer lies in political self‑preservation:
Naomi Duerr wanted to maintain relevance and influence after leaving office and possibly run for another office.
Reese met Vaupel at a democratic party event and promised her his support if she would run.
Duerr reached a political understanding with Reese that she would back Vaupel, and Reese would back Duerr in any future endeavors.
The goal was simple — preserve a majority that would maintain Reese’s control on the council with the departure of Schieve. But the plan collapsed. Vaupel lost. And with that loss, the Reese coalition lost its path to control the city council.
Ward 2: The Vote Reese Couldn’t Afford to Lose
Both remaining contenders — Sommer Pellett and Matt Johnson — are viewed as independent‑minded. Neither is expected to align with Reese.
That means Ward 2 will no longer be a seat controlled by the Schieve‑Sferrzza network that brought Reese to the council. That single shift breaks the old majority.
How Devon Reese Uses Patronage to Build Power and Influence
The Old Power Map: Reese’s Path to Control
Before the 2026 cycle, the alignment looked like this:
Reese‑Aligned Votes
Hillary Schieve – Mayor
Devon Reese – Ward 5
Naomi Duerr – Ward 2
Miguel Martinez – Ward 3
Brandi Anderson – Ward 6
Independent Votes
Kathleen Taylor – Ward 1
Megan Ebert – Ward 4
This gave Reese a 5–2 working majority. If he had become mayor, he and his allies would have appointed a like‑minded replacement — locking in control. That scenario is now gone.
The Case for Kate Marshall: Why Reno Needs Change in the Mayor’s Office
Enter Kate Marshall: The Factor That Changes Everything
The rise of Kate Marshall is the most consequential political development in Reno since Schieve’s first election over a decade ago.
Marshall is:
Not aligned with Reese
Not part of the Schieve/Sferrazza political clique
Not dependent on the developer‑donor networks that shaped the last decade of city politics
Her coalition is broader, more civic‑institutional, and less transactional. Her presence at the center of the council fundamentally changes the environment.
The New Power Map: A Council No Longer Under Reese’s Influence
With Vaupel out and Marshall in, the new alignment looks like this:
Independent or Marshall‑Aligned Votes (4)
Kate Marshall – Mayor
Kathleen Taylor – Ward 1
Sommer Pellett or Matt Johnson – Ward 2
Megan Ebert – Ward 4
Reese‑Aligned Votes (3)
Devon Reese – Ward 5
Miguel Martinez – Ward 3
Brandi Anderson – Ward 6
This is the first time in years that the Schieve‑Sferrazza bloc does not control the council. And it means Reno will finally see policy shaped by a majority not tied to the Schieve-Sferrazza political machine of which Reese is a core member.
The Wild and Crazy Legacy of Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve
The Schieve Play Failed
Hillary Schieve invested heavily in Reese:
Public endorsements
Fundraiser appearances
A long‑standing political partnership
The original 2022 appointment that placed him on the council
Her goal was clear: Reese, as mayor, would preserve her influence long after leaving office. But with Marshall’s rise and Vaupel’s defeat, that plan has collapsed. The Schieve-Sferrazza contingent no longer has the votes to steer the city.
Schieve even went so far as to support Eddie Lorton just to hurt Taylor's chances of becoming mayor.
Why Are Hillary Schieve and Eddie Lorton Suddenly Aligned?
What This Means for Reno
For the first time in a decade:
The mayor is not aligned with the Reese supporting network
That network will not control ward 2
Taylor and Ebert remain independent
The majority of the council is not part of the old bloc
This is a structural shift, not a temporary one. Reno is entering a new political era — one defined by independent votes, institutional leadership, and a mayor who is not part of the old alliances.
The Marshall factor is not just a new mayor. It is the end of a political dynasty.
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