LAS VEGAS –  Former Republican state senator Mark Amodei has won Nevada's special election to fill a seat in the U.S. House. Amodei easily bested Democrat Kate Marshall Tuesday in the rural Nevada district that has never elected a Democrat. {C} Amodei is a former state GOP chairman. He promised to fight for a balanced budget amendment in Congress and signed an anti-tax pledge. Amodei was elected in Nevada's 2nd Congressional District to replace Republican Dean Heller. Heller was appointed from the House to the Senate in May to replace Republican John Ensign. Ensign resigned over a sex scandal. Marshall had hoped to become the first Democrat to win the northern Nevada district and had campaigned as a moderate. She is the state treasurer.