Governor of Nevada
Joe Lombardo
Governor of Nevada (since January 2023)RepublicanINCUMBENT
- Race
- Governor of Nevada
- Election
- 2026-11-03
- Opponents
- Aaron Ford (Democratic); Danielle Ford (No Political Party)
- Research
- Basic
Party linenone
No recorded floor votes — not a current legislator in our records.
Said vs. did2 statements · 0 votes
Joe Lombardo is the incumbent Republican Governor of Nevada, seeking a second term. A former Clark County sheriff, he was elected in 2022. His campaign highlights his record on education, health care, public safety and the economy; he has pledged no new taxes, vetoed a record number of bills from the Democratic-controlled Legislature, and backed a 2024 ballot question requiring voter ID.[1][2][3]
Compare statements with votes ›On the ballotGovernor
2026-11-03
| Joe Lombardo Republican | incumbent |
| Aaron Ford Democratic | challenger |
| Danielle Ford No Political Party | challenger |
Won the June 9 Republican primary with 91.0% of the vote.
Said vs. did
Each documented position next to the recorded floor votes we map to the same issue. Votes are compared one at a time; no overall stance is inferred from them.
Has pushed to expand the state's Opportunity Scholarship program for private-school scholarships, so far blocked by Democrats, and has advanced charter school growth.
Documented position[4]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
His campaign did not say whether the right to an abortion through 24 weeks should be added to the state constitution; he has said he would personally support a 15-week cutoff, but that abortion rights are codified in state law and should be left to voters.
Documented position[5]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Biography
Joe Lombardo is the incumbent Republican Governor of Nevada, seeking a second term. A former Clark County sheriff, he was elected in 2022. His campaign highlights his record on education, health care, public safety and the economy; he has pledged no new taxes, vetoed a record number of bills from the Democratic-controlled Legislature, and backed a 2024 ballot question requiring voter ID.[1][2][3]
Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.
Lombardo earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in crisis management from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.[6] He served in the U.S. Army, Army Reserve and Nevada National Guard from 1980 to 1986, then joined the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department in 1988 and rose through the ranks.[1][6]
After 26 years with the department, Lombardo was elected Clark County sheriff in 2014 and re-elected in 2018, serving until 2022.[1][6] He was elected governor in 2022, took office in January 2023, and is the Republican nominee for re-election.[6]
On the record
Official actions: bills, executive acts, filings and court records.
- bill2025-06-13 · Reported that he received 605 bills after the 2025 legislative session, signing 518 into law and vetoing 87.[7]
- billReinstated Nevada's third-grade reading retention policy as part of his 2023 education omnibus bill, AB400.[5]
- billVetoed a 2023 bill to cap corporate ownership of single-family homes, and later reportedly blocked a 2025 effort with stricter limits.[5]
- action2024-11-05 · Publicly and financially supported the 2024 ballot question to require voter ID, which passed and needs approval again in 2026.[5]
In their own words
Priorities
- Education: expanding school choice and accountability, and restoring retention of third graders who are not reading at grade level.[4]
- No new taxes, a pledge he has repeated since his first campaign for governor.[5]
- Public safety, including a proposal to lower Nevada's felony theft threshold from $1,200 to $750.[5]
Campaign moneyNo FEC filing summary matched — state candidates file with their state, not the FEC.
Profile: /people/joe-lombardo
Compare all 3 candidates side by side ›
Sources cited in this profile
- 1.2026 Nevada Voter Guide · The Nevada Independent · 2026-10-19 News report
- 2.From abortion to taxes: Where Nevada's 2026 governor candidates stand on the issues · The Nevada Independent · 2026-10-19 News report
- 3.Statement from Governor Lombardo Following Completion of Bill Signings · Office of Gov. Joe Lombardo · 2025-06-13 Official record
- 4.Joe Lombardo is running as an education governor. Here's how to grade his record · The Nevada Independent · 2026-10-14 News report
- 5.From abortion to taxes: Where Nevada's 2026 governor candidates stand on the issues · The Nevada Independent · 2026-10-19 News report
- 6.Governor Joe Lombardo · Office of the Governor of Nevada · 2026-10-19 Official record
- 7.Statement from Governor Lombardo Following Completion of Bill Signings · Office of Gov. Joe Lombardo · 2025-06-13 Official record