Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo officially launched his 2026 re-election campaign on Monday, warning voters that the “Nevada Way” is on the line if Democrats retake the governor’s office.
Lombardo, who defied the odds in 2022 as the only Republican to defeat an incumbent governor, framed his campaign as a defense against what he called the “woke, California agenda.” Speaking at Rancho High School in North Las Vegas, the governor declared, “I’ll continue to do everything in my power to stop Gavin Newsom from imposing his left-wing agenda on Nevada. As long as I’m your governor, I won’t ever accept Californians telling Nevadans what to do or making us pay the price for their bad ideas.”
Since taking office, Lombardo has cut more than 600 regulations, overseen 4% annual job growth that ranks Nevada sixth in the nation, and signed into law the largest education investment in state history. His administration also expanded school choice, secured a double-digit raise for law enforcement, and allocated $130 million toward middle-class housing.
Republicans hailed his record. “Nobody fights harder for the Nevada Way than Gov. Joe Lombardo,” Republican Governors Association communications director Courtney Alexander said, pointing to his achievements in business, education, and public safety.
Democrats, however, argue Lombardo remains vulnerable. The Democratic Governors Association labeled him “the most vulnerable Republican governor in America” and Nevada Democrats tied him to President Trump, accusing him of “embrace of Trump’s reckless policies.”
