Daniel John Tarkanian (born December 18, 1961 in Redlands, California) was a candidate for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate to challenge Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in the 2010 election, but was defeated by Assemblywoman Sharron Angle. He is the son of retired college basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian, who coached the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) for years and was known for his frequent disputes with the NCAA over recruiting violations.
Currently, Tarkanian runs a real estate business and is co-director of the Tarkanian Basketball Academy. He was defeated in a campaign for State Senate in 2004 and Nevada Secretary of State in 2006.