Comment Republican Joe Lombardo is expected to unseat Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak in Nevada after a tight race, giving the GOP their first pickup in a gubernatorial race this election cycle. In a statement released ahead of Friday night’s race, Sisolak said it “looks like we’re going to be a percentage point or so short of victory” and that he believes in “our electoral system, democracy and honor of the will of the voters of Nevada.” He noted the struggles of the past four years — including the pandemic and inflation — and said he reached out to Lombardo to wish him well. During the campaign, Lombardo, the sheriff of Clark County – which includes Las Vegas – criticized Sisolak’s handling of crime and the coronavirus pandemic and tapped into voters’ financial struggles in a state where inflation has remained particularly high. . He said he would be a “pro-life governor” but tried to downplay the issue and said he would follow “the people’s vote” as Sisolak accused him of switching positions out of political convenience. “Our victory is a victory for all Nevadans who want our state back on track,” Lombardo said in a statement Friday night. “It’s a win for small business owners, for parents, for students and for law enforcement.” Lombardo’s win marks the first GOP pickup in a year when many Democratic incumbents defied GOP hopes for a red wave, winning tight races in Wisconsin, Michigan, Kansas and Oregon, where an independent candidate split the vote of the Democrats. Unlike others at the top of the GOP ticket in Nevada, Lombardo rejected former President Donald Trump’s baseless claim that the 2020 election was stolen and said in a debate that the lie bothered him. After besting more than a dozen other candidates in a crowded GOP primary with Trump’s backing, he at times distanced himself from Trump but continued to campaign with the former president. Lombardo also called for diversifying Nevada’s tourism-dependent economy and criticized its public education system. Sisolak’s election in 2018, as Democrats also held majorities in state legislatures, gave his party unified control of state government for the first time in decades. Lombardo received extensive financial support from Nevada businessman Robert Bigelow, owner of the Budget Suites of America hotel chain, who gave more than $13 million to political action committees to promote Lombardo. This helped Lombardo compete with Sisolak’s fundraising advantage. While Democrats have enjoyed success in Nevada in recent years, statewide races are typically decided by two points or less, and both parties expected this year’s contests to be close. Nevada had a Republican governor, Brian Sandoval, from 2011 to 2019. Amy B Wang contributed to this report.
