Governor Lombardo Advances Towards Second Term
Republican Governor Joe Lombardo of Nevada has made a significant stride in his bid for re-election, securing a decisive win in the state’s Republican gubernatorial primary against six opponents.
As of Tuesday, Lombardo garnered 155,114 votes, accounting for 90.9% of the total, with 87% of ballots counted.
The other candidates included real estate agent Irina Hansen, who collected 2.3% of the votes, businessman Matthew Winterhawk with 1.7%, and Donald Bewdley Jr., founder and CEO of BlkEdgeAi, who received 1.3%. M. Cameron Hawkins and Jose Zelaya each attracted 0.6%, while entrepreneur Barak Zilberberg received 0.4%. Notably, 2.3% of Republican voters opted not to select any candidate.
In Nevada, governors are limited to two four-year terms, meaning this upcoming term will be Lombardo’s last.
Lombardo, who has an interesting background, was born in Japan to a military family and moved around a lot before settling in Las Vegas. He has served in both the U.S. Army and the Nevada National Guard. His career in law enforcement spans 26 years with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD), followed by his election as Clark County Sheriff in 2014, when he was just 31. He became governor in 2023.
His policies have mainly focused on workforce development in Nevada. Early in his term, he signed an executive order to freeze some regulations while advocating for the removal of outdated or burdensome ones. Additionally, he phased out remote work in his first week due to the pandemic’s impact.
On the Democratic side, Attorney General Aaron D. Ford secured his party’s nomination with 63.8% of the votes.
Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill gained 23% of the Democratic votes, while businessman James Cooper received 3.7% and healthcare worker Sunshine Arterburn 2.7%. Moreover, 4.2% of Democratic voters did not select a candidate.
Ford, at 54, is backed by organizations like Reproductive Freedom for All and two family planning groups. His campaign priorities include housing, healthcare, energy, and education. He also holds the distinction of being the first Black attorney general in Nevada’s history.
