On Wednesday, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo sat down for an exclusive interview with 2 News Nevada.

This has been an interview we've been requesting for more than a year, and he was finally made available a few months before the general election in November.

In our talk with Lombardo, we covered a multitude of topics, including looking back at his tenure, the war in Iran, data centers, and much more.

Looking in the rearview

Governor Lombardo has served Nevada for almost three and a half years.

When asked what he feels he has accomplished during his term so far, Lombardo reflected on his record.

"Do we have enough time," he answered initially. "When I decided to run for governor, we ran on a platform of success, and that success incorporated expansion of the economy, improving health care, improving the education system, and public safety."

However, most things in life come with their own set of challenges.

"I think the most difficult part was during the legislative session. A lot of cumbersome or ill-thought-out policies and laws were brought forward, and I was put in a position to not increase taxes, which a lot of that legislation was encompassing," he said.

Lombardo holds the record for the most vetoes by a governor in the state's history.

He is often quoted saying that this is "bad government."

Data centers

As we reported on Tuesday, Governor Lombardo visited the Fleet Data Centers groundbreaking. We asked him his thoughts on the contention surrounding the centers.

On one hand, people champion the economic impact, but others have environmental concerns, including water usage.

"I'm wholeheartedly in support of data centers because currently we're not having that draw on the resources, the limitation of our resources, within our environment as a result of data centers," he said.

However, the governor said if things do not remain consistent, his position could change.

"If that draw is limiting the resources of energy production and increases the rate on the end users, that's when they will no longer support it," Lombardo said. "Right now, the industry is cooperating with us going through the process."

President Trump's policies

When we asked directly what Lombardo thinks about President Donald Trump's policies and how they have impacted Nevada, he didn't give a strong opinion one way or the other.

"I don't know all the nuances of foreign policy associated with that and the tariffs and how it directly affects Nevada, but me as the governor of the state of Nevada, I'm concerned about Nevada."

One policy he did champion comes from the Big Beautiful Bill.

"One of the big things we deal with in the Medicaid space is the work requirement that came out of the Big Beautiful Bill and was put upon the consumer of that benefit, and I support that," Lombardo said.

The governor says this is needed to combat Medicaid fraud.

As we've reported, Lombardo's Nevada Health Authority, which was created after the 2025 Nevada Legislative Session, is looking at how it will impact the state.

The war in Iran is causing gas prices to spike all across the country.

After the first strikes on Iran, Lombardo said he was in support of the war, but his position is starting to shift.

"I'm not as supportive of the longevity," the governor said. "I think there's a need to come to a solution sooner rather than later. And remember what I said earlier, I don't know all the nuances."

President Trump is talking about temporarily suspending federal taxes on gas, which would help lower costs for most of the country.

However, that would not be the case in Nevada.

"There's a law that was passed in previous legislation stating that if the federal tax were to decrease, the state tax would increase to make up for that delta," he said.

That legislation dates back to 1997 and was originally intended to help keep road infrastructure funding intact because those taxes go directly to local roads.

Getting rid of the law would require a special session.

Lombardo says his office is looking into ways right now to help relieve prices at the pump.

Banning transgender athletes

The governor is currently petitioning to get a question on the ballot that would ban transgender athletes from competing in sports.

There isn't any documentation of this happening in sports in our state at any level.

The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association has already banned transgender athletes at the high school level.

"None of that is permanent," Lombardo said. "The ballot initiative will codify that into law. In other words, the protection of whatever percentage — it doesn't matter if it's one — that protection of those individuals that are suffering as a result of it."

The initiative still needs enough signatures to appear on the ballot, and it would need to pass this election and again in 2028 before it would be enshrined in the state's constitution.

Film tax credits bill

During the special session last year, the film tax credits bill saw most of the headlines.

The legislation was trying to give Warner Bros. Discovery, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Howard Hughes $1.8 billion in transferable tax credits over 15 years.

"I personally believe a lot of the division with that was short term by the participating parties, the legislative parties, versus the long term," he said.

The governor put it on the special session proclamation but didn't publicly share his stance strongly.

"I was supportive of that environment for two reasons. One, the long-term solution and stability of our economy, especially in Southern Nevada, but more importantly, the jobs."

Lombardo said that since the session, he has not been approached with a new idea on how to move the project in a different direction.

If you want to view our almost 30-minute interview with Governor Lombardo, it's linked below.