Jim Hartman
Former Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak in media interviews says he is weighing a rematch against Gov. Joe Lombardo, the Republican who defeated him in 2022.
Sisolak was the only incumbent governor to lose in the 2022 midterm elections and Nevada was the only blue-to-red governor flip that year.
Lombardo narrowly defeated Sisolak (by 1.51%), with a margin of 15,386 votes.
Democrats performed better than expected in the 2022 midterms, bucking historical trends to hold onto key governor’s offices, House seats and expanded their Senate majority.
Nevada’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto eked out re-election, but Sisolak lost.
He was weighted down by a backlash to his severe lockdowns and masking mandates ordered during the coronavirus pandemic and by the economic disaster that resulted.
Now, as Democrats search for a new direction after their November defeat, Sisolak is talking about making a comeback.
While Sisolak makes no apologies for his actions, Republicans would be certain to remind voters that Nevada’s COVID response was ranked near the bottom of the states.
Nevada was ranked tied for 48th – with Mississippi – in a comprehensive “State Pandemic Scorecard” issued in December 2021 by Politico. Only Wyoming ranked lower than Nevada in handling COVID issues, according to the report.
In February 2020, Nevadans were celebrating a record low unemployment rate of 3.6%. Sisolak’s draconian lockdown orders in March 2020 were ruinous to Nevada’s economy.
By April 2020, Nevada set the highest unemployment rate ever recorded – 30.5%. That’s higher than in the Great Depression. It sent the state’s unemployment insurance system into meltdown.
Sisolak’s lockdowns also destroyed many “non-essential” small businesses, closing them permanently. His arbitrary capacity orders wildly fluctuated from 50% to 25%, then back to 50%, making it difficult for businesses to plan and comply.
Onerous mask mandates in traditionally libertarian Nevada contributed to angry recall efforts against Sisolak. His indoor masking requirement for all people over age nine regardless of vaccination status continued into 2022.
Critics noted that even California Gov. Gavin Newsom had a more limited indoor masking requirement – applying only to the unvaccinated.
Under Sisolak directives, Clark County schools remained closed for an entire school year resulting in devastating and ongoing learning loss.
Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford, 52, has already signaled his intention to run for governor. Ford, termed out as attorney general, told the Nevada Independent in December that he plans to run for governor in 2026.
Sisolak’s potential entry in the race would set up a Democratic gubernatorial nomination contest with Ford. The former governor would be 73 years old upon assuming office again in January 2027.
The Nevada governor’s race is rated a tossup by the Cook Political Report, the respected national political forecaster. Lombardo, 62, is bolstered by an early fundraising advantage and favorable polling numbers.
Campaign financial reports show Lombardo with a huge war chest, exceeding $5.5 million on hand at year end. He raised $3.363 million in 2024.
By comparison, Ford is far behind Lombardo in fundraising with $440,000 on hand after raising $537,000 in 2024.
As for polls, an independent poll done in January by Noble Predictive Insights with data from their Nevada Public Opinion Pulse survey found Lombardo “is maintaining a strong standing.”
Lombardo’s net approval rating was +12 and his net favorability rating was +13.
The latest April 10 Morning Consult survey puts Lombardo’s net approval rating at +23. That’s a five-point increase over the last six months.
Lombardo has a rare position in the Trump- dominated GOP. While supporting the president, he distanced himself from the Nevada GOP’s focus on debunked election conspiracy theories and he has not been especially vocal in Trump’s support.
Yet, Lombardo’s re-election may turn on Trump’s standing with Nevada voters 18 months from now. Polls currently show Trump’s approval sinking, which could make Lombardo vulnerable next year.
E-mail Jim Hartman at lawdocman1@aol.com.