Reuben D'Silva
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Reuben D'Silva
| honorific_suffix =
| image = File:Reuben D'Silva (cropped).jpg
| state_assembly = Nevada
| district = 28th
| term_start = November 9, 2022
| term_end =
| predecessor = Edgar Flores
| successor =
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1985}}
| birth_place = Mumbai, India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality =
| party = Democratic
| otherparty = Independent
| spouse =
| partner =
| relations =
| children =
| parents =
| residence = North Las Vegas, Nevada
| education = Rancho High School
| alma_mater = College of Southern Nevada (A.A.)
University of Nevada at Las Vegas (B.A.)
University of Pennsylvania (M.A.)
Yale University (M.A.)
| occupation = High School History Teacher
| website =
| allegiance =
| branch = United States Marine Corps
| serviceyears = 2004–2008
| rank = Corporal
| unit =
| battles = Operation Iraqi Freedom
| mawards = Purple Heart
}}
Reuben D'Silva (born 1985) is an American politician serving as a member of the Nevada Assembly from the 28th district.{{cite web |title=Assemblyman Reuben D'Silva |url=https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/Legislator/A/Assembly/Current/28 |website=leg.state.nv.us |publisher=Nevada Assembly |access-date=22 August 2023}}
Early life and education
D'Silva was born in Mumbai, India, and immigrated to the United States as a toddler. At the time of immigration, his mother was undocumented and his father had temporary protected status. After his mother received a letter of deportation, then-Senator Richard Bryan, who later became state governor, stepped in to help. Growing up in the Las Vegas Valley from the age of six, he attended the now-closed St. Christopher Catholic School and Rancho High School in North Las Vegas, Nevada, where he served as class president for his graduating class. After graduating from high school in 2003, he attended the Community College of Southern Nevada and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps after.{{Cite web|url=https://dsilvafornevada.com/copy-of-biography|title=Biography|website=D'Silva for Nevada|access-date=2025-06-25}} He is a practicing Catholic and is a member of the Knights of Columbus, attending the St. James the Apostle church in Las Vegas.{{Cite web |title=Reuben D'Silva |url=https://www.newpolitics.org/candidate/reuben-dsilva |access-date=2025-06-25 |website=New Politics}}
He transferred to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), while still serving as a Marine from 2003 to 2008.{{Cite web |title=War and after {{!}} Yale Alumni |url=https://yalealumnimagazine.org/articles/4273-war-and-after?page=6 |access-date=2025-06-25 |website=Yale Alumni Magazine}} While enrolled in February 2007, he was deployed to Iraq to provide security in the Iraq War. He was awarded the Purple Heart and the Naval Achievement Medal for his service during this time, as he was injured by enemy gunfire and helped save his teammates.
After returning to UNLV, D'Silva graduated with a Bachelor's degree in History. He received a Master's degree in Global Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and another Master's degree in Cooperative Religion and Politics at Yale University.
Career
Following his graduations, D'Silva returned to Las Vegas to teach History at his alma mater, Rancho High School. He also coached the girls' basketball team and serves as an advisor for several clubs.
As an academic mentor, D'Silva has led and organized community events in several states, including his local Nevada, as well as California, Arizona, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Louisiana, Arkansas, Georgia, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. D'Silva also served as the Western Regional Director of Social Action for his fraternity alma mater, Phi Beta Sigma, and currently serves as the Alumni Director of Education.
Political career
In 2013, D'Silva was selected by then-Senator Harry Reid to serve on Nevada's Military Action Selection Committee. In 2014, mayor pro tempore and city councilmember Isaac Barron appointed him as a Trustee for the North Las Vegas Library District.
=United States House of Representatives=
==Elections==
===2016===
{{Main|2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Nevada#District 1}}
D'Silva ran as an Independent against Democratic incumbent Dina Titus and finished 3rd with 7.3% of the vote.
===2018===
{{Main|2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Nevada#District 1}}
He ran against Titus again in 2018, this time as Democrat, however he was comfortably defeated in the primary 79% to 21%.
=Nevada State Assembly=
==Elections==
===2022===
{{Main|2022 Nevada Assembly election#District 28}}
With Edgar Flores opting to run for the Nevada Senate rather than for re-election, D'Silva was one of four Democrats who ran to succeed him. He easily won the primary before winning the general election with a 2 to 1 margin over Republican Clint Brown. D'Silva is the first Indian-American to serve in the Nevada State Assembly.{{Cite web|url=https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/freshmen-orientation-assemblyman-reuben-dsilva|title=Freshmen Orientation: Assemblyman Reuben D'Silva|access-date=2025-06-25|date=2023-01-12|first=Naoka|last=Foreman|website=The Nevada Independent}}
Electoral history
{{Election box begin no change
|title = Nevada State Assembly's 28th district, 2022
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Nevada Democratic Party
| candidate = Reuben D'Silva
| votes = 6,323
| percentage = 67.4
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Nevada Republican Party
| candidate = Clint Brown
| votes = 3,055
| percentage = 32.6
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 9,378
| percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
| winner = Nevada Democratic Party
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Democratic primary for Nevada State Assembly's 28th district, 2022
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Reuben D'Silva
| party = Nevada Democratic Party
| votes = 1,252
| percentage = 64.6
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Cindi Rivera
| party = Nevada Democratic Party
| votes = 336
| percentage = 17.3
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Aaron Bautista
| party = Nevada Democratic Party
| votes = 230
| percentage = 11.9
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Antonio Bowen
| party = Nevada Democratic Party
| votes = 121
| percentage = 6.2
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 1,939
| percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Democratic primary for {{ushr|Nevada|1}}, 2018
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Dina Titus (incumbent)
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 20,897
| percentage = 78.7
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Reuben D'Silva
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 5,659
| percentage = 21.3
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 26,556
| percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title={{ushr|Nevada|1}} election, 2016{{cite web | url=https://www.nvsos.gov/silverstate2016gen/USCongress/| title=Silver State Election Night Results 2016 | publisher=Nevada Secretary of State | date=November 8, 2016 | access-date=December 9, 2016}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Dina Titus (incumbent)
| votes = 116,537
| percentage = 61.9
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Mary Perry
| votes = 54,174
| percentage = 28.8
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Independent (United States)
| candidate = Reuben D'Silva
| votes = 13,897
| percentage = 7.3
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Independent American Party of Nevada
| candidate = Kamau Bakari
| votes = 3,744
| percentage = 2.0
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 188,352
| percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box hold with party link without swing
| winner = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Nevada State Assembly}}
{{Authority control}}
External links
{{Portal|Nevada|Biography}}
- [https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/Legislator/A/Assembly/Current/28 Assemblyman Reuben D'Silva] official State Assembly website
- [https://dsilvafornevada.com/ Reuben D'Silva Democrat for Assembly District 28]
{{CongLinks|votesmart=177270}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:DSilva, Reuben}}
Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States
Category:Democratic Party members of the Nevada Assembly
Category:Politicians from Las Vegas
Category:College of Southern Nevada alumni
Category:University of Nevada, Las Vegas alumni
Category:University of Pennsylvania alumni
Category:21st-century members of the Nevada Legislature
Category:Candidates in the 2018 United States House of Representatives elections
{{Nevada-politician-stub}}