Dean Rhoads was a Republican member of the Nevada Senate, representing the Northern Nevada District (map) since 1984.
Previously he served in the Nevada Assembly from 1976 through 1982.
In October 2010, Senator Rhoads broke with the Republican establishment to endorse Harry Reid over Sharron Angle in that year's Senate Race.He was on the Board of Directors of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a conservative lobbying group.Jon Ralston, Nevada's leading political journalist, described Rhoads as a "consummate rural lawmaker", and "one of the most principled in history".