


Incumbent Republican candidate for Governor in Nevada
General Election
Voters choose the office holder.
Current prediction-market probability for the candidate, updated as market prices change.
Joe Lombardo is trading at 48% to win the Nevada Governor winner? on prediction markets.
Key details about the candidate’s background, party, office sought and current campaign.
Current roleGovernor
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyModerate Republican
Age63 years old (Nov 8, 1962)
GenderMale
LocationNevada
BackgroundPolitician
EducationUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas (B.S.)
Notable personal detailsJoseph Michael Lombardo is an American politician and former law enforcement officer who has served as the 31st governor of Nevada since January 2, 2023. He previously served as Sheriff of Clark County (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department) after a career with LVMPD. He earned a B.S. from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and an M.S. in Crisis Management from UNLV (2006), and served in the U.S. Army and the Nevada National Guard.
Supports no new broad tax increases for Nevada, favors reducing the tax burden on businesses (including lowering the modified business tax and other business taxes), and has pursued temporary tax relief measures such as suspending the state gas tax while using budget surpluses for one‑time investments. Emphasizes pro‑business, deregulatory policies and workforce/economic diversification to grow revenue rather than raising taxes. Has vetoed proposed tax increases while advancing business tax cuts and incentives.
Supports strengthening and expanding Medicaid services and access to care through state actions (behavioral health investments, workforce initiatives, and creation of a Nevada Health Authority) and has urged protection of Medicaid expansion funding from federal cuts. He also vetoed an IVF coverage mandate citing concerns about unfunded Medicaid costs.
Joe Lombardo emphasizes enforcement-first immigration policies: he opposes sanctuary cities, has promoted deportations tied to his record as sheriff, has expressed support for state-level border security measures (including backing razor wire actions by Texas), and has authorized/supports National Guard assistance for federal immigration enforcement. His public statements and actions prioritize removal of undocumented immigrants who commit crimes and strengthening border control.
The candidate describes himself as personally pro-life but supports Nevada’s existing law allowing abortion up to 24 weeks, opposes a federal ban, and has acted to uphold and protect state-level abortion access while vetoing legislation he said would infringe on Nevadans’ rights. He has signed or allowed protections that limit state cooperation with out-of-state prosecutions and vetoed bills he said conflicted with constitutional protections.
Supports development of clean and renewable energy and launched a state Climate Innovation Plan while also emphasizing a ‘‘diverse energy supply portfolio’’ that includes natural gas and withdrawing Nevada from the U.S. Climate Alliance. Policy messaging stresses balancing clean-energy deployment with energy reliability and economic considerations.
Supports broad Second Amendment rights and opposes many new gun restrictions. Says he will veto laws that ban ghost-gun components, opposes limits on magazine capacity, and seeks to scale back Nevada’s red flag law while supporting law-enforcement measures. Endorses efficient background checks limited to keeping guns away from criminals and people with serious mental-health issues rather than broader gun-control measures.
Joe Lombardo is in the news mainly because his 2026 Nevada governor re-election race is shaping up to be highly competitive. He is also reporting a big fundraising lead over Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford, with far more cash on hand. Recent coverage says Democrats are targeting the race and that Lombardo has President Donald Trump’s endorsement. A recent Trump rally in Las Vegas also drew attention after a crowd reaction was linked to Lombardo mentioning a killed police officer.
Recent polling results and the candidate's current average in the race.
Joe Lombardo currently averages 46.3%, ranking first in this race, 5.6 points ahead of the nearest opponent.
Average recalculated from polls through Jul 25 - 29.


Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
Endorsers of Joe Lombardo for Nevada Governor winner?
Elected official
Donald Trump endorsed Joe Lombardo for re-election as Nevada governor.
Public endorsement
Professional Firefighters of Nevada endorsed Joe Lombardo as part of its election slate.
Elected official
Vegas Chamber endorsed Joe Lombardo for re-election as governor of Nevada.
Advocacy group
Clark County Education Association endorsed Joe Lombardo for a second term.
Elected official
Clark County Education Association endorsed Joe Lombardo for Nevada governor.
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.