Joe Lombardo

Why they say you should vote for them

The candidate's own case to voters, summarized from their campaign and public statements.

• Says his main vision as governor has been "keeping Nevada safe, strong and full of opportunity."[3]
• Says his record includes nearly 100,000 new jobs, more than $6 billion in private investment, better schools, stronger public safety and more affordable housing.[6]
• Says he "won't hesitate" to veto bills again and to be "the last line of defense" against what he calls irresponsible politicians; says the bills he vetoed made Nevada less safe, grew government or raised taxes.[4]
• Points to what his campaign calls the largest education investment in state history, permanent teacher pay raises, expanded school choice and new school accountability laws.[2]
• Says he is working with the Trump administration to release more federal land in Nevada for attainable housing.[4],[3]

Background

• Governor, State of Nevada · 2023–present[1]
• Sheriff, Clark County (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department) · 2015–2023[1],[5]
• Officer, rising from detective to assistant sheriff, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department · 26 years before being elected sheriff in 2014[1]
• Soldier, U.S. Army and Nevada National Guard[1]

Education

• M.S., Crisis Management (2006), University of Nevada, Las Vegas[1]
• B.S. (civil engineering, per Ballotpedia), University of Nevada, Las Vegas[1],[5]

Where they stand

• Economy & Jobs
  Supports keeping Nevada's right-to-work law, which bars requiring union membership as a condition of employment; his campaign said in April 2026 that his position has not changed.[7]
• Taxes
  His campaign says he reduced the tax burden on businesses, including lowering the Modified Business Tax rate; at his campaign launch he said the bills he vetoed would have raised taxes or grown government.[2],[4]
• Education
  Supports expanded school choice, including more charter school seats, and stricter accountability for low-performing schools; says accountability is "always the key."[2],[3],[4]
• Public Safety
  Campaign cites pay raises for law enforcement and higher penalties for fentanyl traffickers; says he wants to undo what he calls Democrats' "soft-on-crime" laws.[2],[3]
• Abortion
  Describes himself as "pro-life" and said he would respect the 1990 voter-approved law allowing abortion up to 24 weeks; in 2023 signed SB 131, which bars state agencies from helping out-of-state prosecutions of abortion patients and protects Nevada providers from discipline.[8],[9]
• Guns
  In 2023 vetoed AB 354 (guns near election sites and unfinished frames or receivers), AB 355 (raising the age to possess certain firearms to 21) and SB 171 (firearm ban after certain hate-crime convictions), citing Second Amendment concerns.[10],[11],[12],[13]
• Elections & Democracy
  Supports a voter ID requirement and cites his role in starting the process that put a voter ID constitutional amendment on the ballot; voters approved it in 2024 and it returns to the ballot in 2026.[3],[4]
• Housing
  Signed the Nevada Housing Access and Attainability Act, which his campaign says invests $183 million in middle-income and workforce housing, and says he has streamlined rules for home construction.[2],[4]

Voting record

Joe Lombardo has not held an office with a recorded voting record. See Background and Where they stand.

In their words