Many Democrats performed better than expected in the 2022 midterm elections, retaining major governor offices and residential seats, and halting the historic trend to expand their majority in the Senate.
One notable exception was Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak. He was overwhelmed by the lockdown he ordered during the coronavirus pandemic and the backlash from the subsequent economic downturn. Even if Democrat Sen. Katherine Cortez Mast won a re-election victory in Nevada, Sisolak became the only Democratic governor to lose that year, giving way to Republican Joe Lombardo.
Now, as Democrats look for directions after the November defeat and ponder the best ways to oppose President Trump and his allies, Sisolak is considering a rematch against Lombardo. Former Clark County Sheriff Lombardo stood as a Republican breakwater against the Democratic-controlled Nevada Legislature. He will be re-election next year.
Lombardo holds a somewhat unusual position in the Republican Party today. He speaks positively about the president, but he has focused on distancing himself from the party last year and exposing election conspiracy theory, and he has not been particularly vocal on Trump's campaign trail.
In two calls this week, Sisolak, 71, spoke about the possibility of a comeback attempt, the Democratic state, and how the economic disruption caused by Trump's tariffs will affect Nevadan.
This is a conversation, condensed and edited.
What have you seen in Nevada since you left office, and how do you think Governor Lombardo is doing?
I have seen a lot of changes. He rejected 50 bills in the first session and we will see him doing this session.
Visits with the economy are now, and flights from our foreign partner Canada are down 15%. The same applies to Mexico. As the economy gets tougher and tougher, people will not have disposable income so they can come to Las Vegas for a nice holiday, and that will cause problems. That would cost a job.
Trump has withdrawn visas from some students at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. He has fired some federal workers, which is a shame.
What people need to understand is that these are more than just numbers. These are jobs. These are family.
I think Joe needs to get up and start talking about some of these Nevada situations. I know he's on a tightrope walk with President Trump now.
Are you considering a challenging Lombardo in 2026?
We are waiting for what will happen over the next few months of Congress. I'm not eliminating it – I'm looking into it. I've been encouraged by many people to run again, and I'm thinking about it.
Today I picked up some dry cleanings and came across someone who recognized me and said, “Yeah, I miss you. I want you to run again.” That's a daily occurrence. It's so heartwarming to see people feel that way.
That's a big job. That's a big decision. I go with my family and see everything.
We have some votes [with John Anzalone, a veteran Democratic pollster]. We're looking into the question now. Both the main and general election challenges – how people feel about the work I did and the future.
What do you think of Nevada Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford? Who said it Is he going to run for governor?
Yes, I know Aaron. I've known him for a long time.
That's a big decision. I hope he thought about it and decided with his family.
You are the only incumbent Democratic governor to lose in 2022, and most of them came from backlash against the Covid lockdown. This feeling has helped Trump last year as well. Can you overcome that?
Our priorities were to save lives, and that's what we did. I won't go back to that. We lost over 10,000 Nevadans to Covid. When I made those decisions, I didn't consider reelection.
Nevada has a tourist-rich economy, slower than other states and recovered from the pandemic. Last year, state voters were still unhappy with the cost of living, supporting Republicans for the first time since 2004. What do you say to those people?
All promises born out of Lombardo or Trump have not come to the point of reducing the costs of homes, groceries and gasoline. People feel more painful and painful than ever.
There is a lot to look for souls with Democrats right now. Working class voters felt that Democrats were no longer talking to them in their final elections. Was that what you wrestled?
It was difficult for Joe Biden to go outside after a long stay. It felt like people weren't hearing the truth.
We talked more about trans athletes than we did about the cost of food. And I don't think people are interested in trans athletes who play in sports, in contrast to what their grocery bill will be like.
Voters felt we were talking to them, not with them. They were unhappy with what happened, so they wanted a change. The changes that have come are what they are seeing now, but they are not what they signed up for.
Do you think Biden should not run for reelection?
Well, I don't know. That's not a decision I made. I'm based on the fact that my interaction with the President was pretty good. I didn't see frailty, or what you wanted to call it, it existed. There were many meetings I had with him, and the events I did for him, he was pretty good until the end.
And, unless voters get what they negotiated, do you think they'll naturally return to Democrats if Trump's tariffs hurt them financially?
I'm not an economist, but I understand the volatility of the stock market. I'm worried that it's wreaking havoc on people's savings, their 401(k)s. It affects states like Nevada, where civil servant funds are invested in securities and other such.
I think people want some clarity and certainty. I don't think they're watching it now.
I think some of them will come back to nature. In many cases in politics, when people are unhappy, they just want change. When elections come in one year or 18 months from now, are people happy with a certain financial situation? Or was things better than before?
