Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford took to X this week to take a swipe at Gov. Joe Lombardo over the state’s job numbers. But a closer look shows his claims don’t quite add up.
Ford wrote:
“Nevada’s unemployment rate today is higher than when Gov. Joe Lombardo took office in ‘23 or at any time in ‘22 when he was running for Governor. Nevada lost nearly 5,000 jobs from May to June and Lombardo’s too busy cozying up to Trump to care.”
It’s a strong statement — but the problem is, the numbers tell a different story.
What the Real Numbers Show
According to the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR), the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in May 2025 was 5.5%.
In June 2025, it actually went down to 5.4%. That’s not a huge drop, but it’s still a drop — the opposite of what Ford suggested.
As for job losses, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported no statistically significant decline in Nevada’s overall employment from May to June.
In fact, DETR’s own data shows job growth in several sectors, including health care, education, and hospitality.
Some industries did see small dips, but nothing close to a net loss of 5,000 jobs statewide.
The “Highest in the Nation” Talking Point
It’s true Nevada’s unemployment rate remains one of the highest in the country. But Ford left out an important detail — we’re tied with California at 5.4%, not sitting alone at the top.
Nevada has had stubbornly high unemployment rates for years, in large part because of our economy’s reliance on tourism and hospitality.
When COVID hit, the shutdowns hammered those sectors harder than almost anywhere else.
And while we’ve made a big recovery since then, the seasonal nature of our job market and constant churn in service industries means the numbers can bounce around from month to month.
Missing the Bigger Picture
Ford’s post also tied Lombardo’s job performance to his support for President Trump — an obvious political jab that has nothing to do with actual employment data.
Lombardo’s critics often try to link national politics to local job conditions, but the reality is the governor’s policies on taxes, regulation, and business climate take time to show results.
For example, Lombardo has pushed for pro-growth policies like reducing certain business license fees, streamlining permitting, and supporting school choice to attract more families and employers to Nevada.
Those aren’t overnight fixes, but they do matter for long-term job growth.
Why Accuracy Matters
When a top state official like the attorney general puts out numbers, people expect them to be right.
If Ford wanted to have an honest conversation about Nevada’s job market, he could have acknowledged that while our unemployment rate is still too high, it’s at least trending in the right direction.
Instead, his message was framed to make it look like things are getting worse under Lombardo — and the available data just doesn’t back that up.
The Bottom Line
Nevada’s unemployment rate in June was lower than it was in May, not higher. And there’s no confirmed evidence of a 5,000-job loss in that period.
And while our state still faces big economic challenges, the idea that Gov. Lombardo is ignoring the problem in favor of national politics is more partisan talking point than fact.
Nevadans deserve real conversations about how to grow jobs, not cherry-picked stats that paint a misleading picture.
Because if we’re going to get more people back to work and keep our economy moving, we need solutions — not spin.
Sources: Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation; Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
