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Danny Tarkanian, son of former UNLV coach, loses House race in Nevada

Danny Tarkanian

Danny Tarkanian (R), the son of legendary former UNLV head coach Jerry Tarkanian, was defeated Tuesday night by state Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford (D) in the race for the Nevada’s 4th Congressional District.

With 81% of precincts reporting, NBC News has projected Horsford as the winner by a 50-42 margin, despite reportedly trailing Tarkanian in recent polls prior to the election.

Nevada’s 4th Congressional District was created due to reapportionment after the 2010 census.

Tarkanian won six counties in the district by a convincing percentage-point margin, but Clark County, which includes the city of Las Vegas, turned out in much larger numbers and more decidedly for Horsford.

“I’m not sure what happened from a campaign standpoint,” Tarkanian told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “The Democratic Party in Clark County had a great showing.”

This was Tarkanian’s second unsuccessful run at a national seat in Congress. He was defeated in the 2010 Republican primary in the state of Nevada, a nomination he lost to Sharron Angle. Angle was later defeated by incumbent Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in the general election.

Tarkanian’s father, Jerry, coached won 778 games in his coaching career, much of it with UNLV, but also with stints at Fresno State and Long Beach State. He is one of just 12 coaches to reach the 700-win plateau.

The elder Tarkanian was hospitalized in March after suffering a mild heart attack, but celebrated his 82nd birthday in August.

Daniel Martin is a writer and editor at JohnnyJungle.com, covering St. John’s. You can find him on Twitter:@DanielJMartin_