Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo held a campaign event for his new Reno campaign headquarters on South Virginia Street on Monday.
2 News Nevada had an exclusive one-on-one interview with Lombardo about his new headquarters and some of his priorities for the upcoming election.
“It's a point of information, communication, and momentum,” Governor Lombardo said regarding his third HQ for this election cycle. “It's the ability for people to be willing to talk about things Joe Lombardo and even the other people that are part of the Republican Party, to run for office, and for us to get them information on everybody that is part of the ticket."
Many supporters and other Nevada Republican candidates filled the room at the office to show their allegiance.
During our interview, Lombardo told us the midterm elections typically have a lower voter turnout than the presidential elections.
The largest portion of voters in Nevada are non-partisans and independents, and the Governor says he will put an emphasis on reaching those voters throughout his campaign.
"Talk to them,” he said. “You know, before, traditionally in politics, you would figure out who was part of what party. You wouldn't reach across the aisle. You would hope it would happen naturally, but you were a little more proactive for the party you represent. I represent everybody, right?"
When asking the Governor about northern Nevada specifically, and what he’s done during his tenure, he said it goes a lot with his statewide initiatives.
However, some counties are faced with harder challenges than others.
“Because every county, Clark and Washoe, they have the same issues per se, affordable housing,” Lombardo said. “More so up here in Reno, and Washoe, and the surrounding areas than southern Nevada.”
The Governor spoke about the work that’s being done on his new attainable housing initiative that passed out of the 2025 Nevada Legislative Session.
“Just recently, I have had the luxury of doing, approving, and approving today, several bonding projects that are specifically here in northern Nevada,” he said. “Put the sticks in the foundations down. Sticks in the air, and eventually people will occupy those residences.”
In terms of what he has planned if reelected, Lombardo says it’s a rinse and repeat approach.
“It doesn't change because I think those are all-encompassing big issues for a state,” the Governor said. “What’s important to me is diversifying the economy, improving upon the education system, improving upon the health care system, improving upon the ability to have attainable, affordable housing, and public safety."
Lombardo spoke on his desires for the voter ID ballot initiative. It’s appearing on the ballot again after passing in favor in the 2024 election.
It needs to pass twice in order to make a change to the state constitution.
There’s also a new question he is hoping to put on the ballot.
“The new ballot initiative is the prohibition of men competing in women's sports,” Lombardo said. “Obviously, you've got to get qualified. It's currently in the Supreme Court because it's being litigated. We're anticipating we'll have a decision here in short order. And if we're successful, able to move forward, we've got to qualify by gathering signatures."
19 other candidates are running against Lombardo.
For the Republicans, Barak Zilberberg, Donald J. Beaudry Jr., Matthew Rian Winterhawk, Jose M. Zelaya, Irina Hansen, and Michael Kameron Hawkins.
Democratic candidates include Attorney General Aaron Ford, Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill, Miqehl Bayfield, James Cooper, and Emile Bouari.
There are quite a few people running not affiliated with a political party, which includes: Max Beck, Christopher Battenberg, Emilio Ray Rodriguez, John T. Scott, Allen Anderson Rheinhart, Jordan Koteras, and Danielle Ford.
