Republican Mark Amodei, Nevada's outgoing representative for Nevada's U.S. House District 2, was adamant Wednesday on Nevada Newsmakers, saying he will not endorse Republican Col. Dave Flippo in the race to succeed him.

"No, not my cup of tea," Amodei said of Flippo. "Not my cup of tea," he repeated, before offering mocking support: "But come on, listen: Go get 'em, tiger. Good luck."

Amodei doubled-down later in the interview, telling host Sam Shad: "Listen, you asked the question straightforward. I am not endorsing Mr. Flippo."

Asked if he would now support Democrat nominee Teresa Benitez-Thompson of Reno, Amodei said: "Well, there's an independent in there too. So as we get closer to the start of early voting, I'll make my mind up, I'm sure."

Amodei said he disliked that Flippo was originally slotted to run for Congress in Nevada's U.S. House District 4 -- but switched races quickly to run for Nevada's only current seat held by a Republican when he learned of Amodei's retirement.

Amodei has held the Northern Nevada seat since 2011. Amodei has never really been challenged in any of his re-election campaigns since then -- in a district that has been held by Republicans since its inception after the 1980 U.S. Census.

"You (Flippo) pull out of (GOP primary for) CD4, 72 hours after I say I'm not coming back, ("And you say about CD2), 'Oh, there's a Republican seat. I'm going to go run for it,'" Amodei said.

Amodei was also critical of negative campaign ads Flippo ran against GOP primary opponent James Settelmeyer, the former Republican leader in the state senate and a fourth-generation Douglas County rancher.

Settelmeyer appeared to have the primary race in hand until President Trump endorsed Flippo a week before the election, pushing him to victory even though Flippo had few ties to the district.

Flippo took 47 percent of the vote in the 13-candidate primary in early June. Settelmeyer was second with 35 percent of the vote.

"Then you run an absolutely scurrilous campaign against the guy who's one of the nicest guys around," Amodei said. "The voters are never wrong. But guess what? Mark Amodei is not endorsing him. I've got some stuff (opinions) in terms of who will do a good job and whatever. I wish him all the best. (But) no way. No. Thank you."

Amodei has not spoken with Flippo and has no plan to do so.

"No. What's there to talk about?" Amodei said. "As you can tell from this, I'm trying to be nice because you're recording. There's nothing for us to talk about."

Amodei, however, said he understands why GOP Gov. Joe Lombardo has endorsed Flippo.
They're on the same ticket, same team, said Amodei, a member of Carson High's fabled 1975 state championship basketball team.

"The governor's in a different position than Mark Amodei is," said Amodei. "You know, he's on the ballot. Republican unity is a good thing, which it is. But guess what? I don't speak for anybody but myself when it comes to this election and speaking for myself, no, thanks."

Amodei, a past chairman of the Nevada Republican Party, was reminded he has advocated for party members to be strong team players during elections.

"I'm not on this team," he said. "Republicans in Nevada are very independent people, as they proved in that primary, OK? They don't like being told what to do. I'm not checking my lifelong Nevada service at the door ...He'll be fine ... without me."

Flippo has declined Nevada Newsmakers interview request and a request to debate Benitez-Thompson on the show, Shad said. However, leaders of Flippo's campaign team have offered to be interviewed on the candidate's behalf, Shad added.

Amodei did not agree with Flippo's campaign stance of shielding their candidate or declining to debate his Democratic opponent.

"We (Amodei campaigns) never said no to a debate, you know, that. Heck, you hosted some," he said to Shad. "And so I just think once again, speaking only for myself, that's the essence of asking for the responsibility of representing people.

"And so if it's like I will only speak through (others), I mean, the job isn't going to allow you to only serve under circumstances which you control," Amodei said. "I mean, I've had impromptu town halls with people who did not like me in the parking lot at the Elks Club and other places -- out in front of my office. And it's like, so you're going to do public service, but you're not.....That's an interesting style.

Amodei mocked Flippo's campaign as "close to the people."

"Oh, by the way. I find it incredibly interesting that you're asking people for a vote, but you're saying, well, my campaign professionals, or whatever they are, they'll go on the record for me. Wow, that's close to the people."