Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak, a Democrat, right, speaks during a visit to the Pennington Health Science Center at The Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, Nev., Wednesday, March 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Rich Pedroncelli / AP
(Katelynn Richardson) – During Nevada’s gubernatorial debate, Democratic Governor Steve Sisolak and his Republican opponent Joe Lombardo sparred over education, the economy, and abortion.
On education, Sisolak rejected the idea of bringing school choice to Nevada but supported a raise for teachers.
“We cannot afford to have school choice right now,” Sisolak said in the Oct 3 debate. “We just simply cannot afford it.”
Lombardo pointed out that Nevada is 49th in the country for education under the existing system. He said that school choice has been successfully tested elsewhere, so it’s time to “look at different ways of doing business.”
On abortion, Sisolak reaffirmed his support and pressed Lombardo on his changing stances.
“I support, unequivocally, a women’s right to choose,” Sisolak said
Lombardo, who has said he intends to govern through “a pro-life lens,” has repeatedly stressed that abortion is not at risk under current Nevada law. But his positions on specific restrictions have evolved.
While Lombardo once said he would overturn Sisolak’s executive order protecting out-of-state patients who come to Nevada for abortion, he released a statement last week indicating the opposite.
Until “the legislature can make clear that Nevada is not going to prosecute women who seek an abortion or medical providers that perform legal abortions,” Lombardo said he would not repeal the executive order.
In September, Lombardo said he would oppose a national abortion ban.
During the debate, Lombardo said that he supports anything that is to “the benefit of the woman and her baby.”
Candidates also addressed economic issues. Lombardo promised not to raise taxes and criticized Sisolak’s pandemic response for its drastic impact on Nevada businesses.
When Sisolak was asked about his claim that he didn’t raise taxes for “Nevada families,” he pointed to vetoed proposals from the Democratic legislative caucus and argued his mining tax increase would not have an impact.
The Nevada Independent’s Jon Ralston, the moderator, also asked whether Lombardo thought former President Donald Trump was a great president.
“I wouldn’t say great,” Lombardo said. “I think he was a sound president…He moved the country forward instead of backwards.”
“There was a modicum of fraud, but nothing to change the election,” he said.
When Sisolak was asked what he thought of President Biden, he said Biden is “a very good president.”
“I think he has done well with what he was given,” Sisolak said. “It’s tough decisions he’s had to make.”
A Nevada Independent-OH Predictive Insights poll released Sunday shows Lombardo now holds a three-point lead over Sisolak, with voter support at 45% and 42%, respectively.
By
Katelynn Richardson | The Center Square
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