VICTOR JOECKS: What Democrats hope Lombardo doesn’t talk about

The speech may be called the State of the State, but it will function as the start of Gov. Joe Lombardo’s re-election bid.

Next Wednesday, Lombardo will deliver the biennial address in Carson City. Presumably, he will lay out his legislative priorities and unveil his recommended budget.

But it’s obvious how the session will go. No matter how much he proposes to spend, Democrats will attack him for not spending enough. No matter how obvious a reform is, Democrats will reject it if it looks conservative. No matter how much good faith Lombardo has, Democrats will agree only to “compromises” they win overwhelmingly.

These may sound like bold predictions, but they’re not. It’s what Democrats did last session. And given that Lombardo is up for re-election next year, they’ll be even more reluctant to hand him any significant victory.

Knowing this, Lombardo needs to try a different strategy this year. He should promote great policies that put Democrats on the defensive politically. Here are four.

First, Lombardo should propose a substantial tax cut. The economy remains a top concern. Lombardo can’t control what happens nationally, but this would be a tangible way to help Nevadans. If Democrats reject it, then he and legislative Republican candidates would have a great issue on which to run. He should also propose flat spending and force Democrats to give him concessions if they want to spend more.

Second, Nevada needs tougher penalties on crime, especially retail theft. In November, California voters approved a tough-on-crime ballot initiative by more than 35 points. That’s in California. Democrats gutted Lombardo’s crime bill in 2023. He should put forward a strong proposal — such as lowering the threshold to felony theft to $250. Let Democrats explain to voters why their party is content with rampant shoplifting and items locked behind glass.

Third, he should protect women’s sports. Late last year, UNR women’s volleyball team courageously refused to play against a team that included a man. Lombardo and many Republican officials supported the UNR players. Democrats didn’t.

That’s a winning contrast. Just ask Trump and any Democrat who looked at the polling. Lombardo should invite the UNR volleyball team to his speech and recognize them.

Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony is also doing great work on this, too. On Tuesday, he unveiled a “Task Force to Protect Women’s Sports.” That’s another great way to drive this issue.

Fourth, Lombardo should propose universal school choice. Last session, Democrats flatly rejected his small $50 million proposed expansion of Opportunity Scholarships. Fine. Tell voters about the options parents would have if they elect more legislative Republicans.

Lombardo’s weakest major issue is probably high housing prices. That’s a tough one because he can’t stop people from fleeing California, which increases demand and costs. He should use his pull with the Trump administration to push for the release of land around the Clark County metro area. That should help ease the land shortages and eventually reduce housing prices. Deportations should help lower prices, too.

This session, Lombardo isn’t going to be able to win on his top issues. But he can mitigate the damage Democrats want to do and set himself and Republicans up for success in 2026.

Contact Victor Joecks at vjoecks@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4698. Follow @victorjoecks on X.