LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Las Vegas Councilwoman Victoria Seaman announced Monday she had resigned from the Las Vegas City Council to take a job with the federal Department of Health and Human Services in Denver.
Seaman was appointed as the regional director for the Denver Regional Office of the Health and Human Services Department, which oversees organizations across Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.
"It's kind of my wheelhouse. That's the kind of thing I love to do," Seaman told Channel 13 in an interview. "I've worked with the county a lot, the state Legislature when they're in session, in making sure that they understand where we're at whatever that was with the city, helping us with the issues. So this is kind of taking that to a bigger level."
Seaman's move has big political consequences in the valley, and not just for the Las Vegas Council. Seaman announced in April she was running for the Clark County Commission seat currently held by Commissioner Justin Jones.
Seaman, a former one-term Nevada assemblywoman, was elected to the council in a special election in 2019, and re-elected in 2022. She ran on a platform of settling the long-running Badlands land-use lawsuit, but her efforts to bring it to a close collapsed.
She ran for mayor against Shelley Berkley in 2024, but lost 53% to 47% in a campaign that sometimes turned bitter. The Badlands matter was finally settled after Berkley was elected.
Despite their differences, Berkley wished Seaman well in a post on X on Monday.
Congratulations to Councilwoman Victoria Seaman on her appointment and I wish her great success. https://t.co/f2rXtOJbPW
— Shelley Berkley (@mayoroflasvegas) August 25, 2025
Seaman said Monday she didn't hesitate when offered the chance to work in the Trump administration.
"It's bittersweet, but it wasn't a tough choice when I got the opportunity, which wasn't very long ago," she said. "You know, this happened so quickly, and so it was a no-brainer that I could be more useful in this position than what I'm doing right now or in the future for the county commission. I feel like I would be working for the American people."
Although the city's charter says vacancies must be filled by appointment, under state law, the city can also fill the seat by calling a special election. The city has 30 days to decide and will have an item on its Sept. 3 agenda pertaining to the vacancy.
Seaman's announcement also had implications for the Clark County Commission District F seat, where incumbent Jones, a former Nevada state senator, is considered vulnerable because of a letter of reprimand issued by the State Bar of Nevada.
But now, Republicans will have to find another candidate for that post. (While City Council seats are considered nonpartisan offices, county commission seats allow candidates to run under party labels. Jones is a Democrat, while Seaman is a Republican.)
Seaman cited opening a new aquatic center, upgrading all parks in her ward, passing new ordinances to protect animals, and increasing penalties for using illegal fireworks.
Not only that, but settling the Badlands litigation — albeit years after a much less expensive Seaman-backed settlement collapsed — she said, is one of her council achievements.
"I remember just really fighting to get people to understand how important it was to settle that. But now it is settled," she said. "Yeah, we could have had [a] $64 million [settlement]. The council just wasn't on board, and I was one vote, but I sure certainly had a big voice on it and continued to have a big voice until we finally got the settlement."
Longtime cop announces for council
In other Las Vegas City Council news, longtime Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Officer Steve Grammas announced he will run for the Ward 6 City Council seat currently held by Councilwoman Nancy Brune.
Grammas was immediately endorsed by Gov. Joe Lombardo, Clark County Commissioner April Becker and Nevada state Sen. John Steinbeck, the former Clark County Fire Department chief.
Like Grammas, all are Republicans, although the City Council seats are considered nonpartisan.
Grammas has been president of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association since 2016 and a police officer for 27 years.
He's known for supporting President Donald Trump, endorsing his re-election in 2024. Trump paid a visit to the union's offices in September while campaigning in Las Vegas.
“My first job was as a summer camp counselor for the City of Las Vegas at Mirabelli Community Center,” said Grammas in a statement announcing his candidacy. “I love this city, and I have dedicated my life to keeping it safe. Now, I want to continue giving back by serving on the City Council. The role may be different, but the mission remains the same: ensuring that Las Vegas is one of the best places to live, work, and raise a family.”
Brune, the former executive director of the Kenny Guinn Center for Policy Priorities, was first elected to the council in 2022, although she's a longtime resident. She's a graduate of Yale University, where she earned her doctorate, and Harvard University, where she earned a master's degree in public policy.
Filing for office opens on March 3, and the primary election is scheduled for June 9.