Nevada brothel owner wins GOP state assembly primary

Dennis Hof, a 71-year-old brothel owner and reality series star, bested a five-year incumbent in a Republican primary for Nevada State Assembly Tuesday.

Hof ran as a Libertarian and lost a general election to incumbent James Oscarson in 2016, but ousted him on Tuesday while running as a Republican by a more than six-point margin.

Owner of several brothels in Nevada, most notably the Moonlite BunnyRanch, where the HBO documentary series, "Cathouse" was set, Hof ran on a platform of cutting taxes and eliminating nonessential government regulations.

As Hof faces off against Democrat Lesia Romanov in November, some of his own businesses will be at risk of severe regulation. Last week, the Lyon County Commissioners decided to allow an advisory question on the ballot asking residents if brothels and prostitution should be made illegal in the area, including where several of Hof's brothels are located.

According to the agenda summary of the commissioners, the result of the question will not be legally binding, but may be the first step to regulators ending legal prostitution in the county.

"The question would be advisory only but Lyon County has historically followed through with the wishes of the voters," the document read.