Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist Victor Joecks has been taking shots at Governor Joe Lombardo for months.
In a recent post, Joecks worried that Lombardo’s team “seem to believe that they can win re-election simply because he has raised a lot of money” and complained that “by refusing to lead on issues like protecting women’s sports, deporting illegals and tax cuts, Lombardo has given new and low-propensity GOP voters little reason to turn out in 2026.”
The Polling Reality Check
Let’s look at the actual numbers, not Joecks’ opinions.
Lombardo has a 53% approval rating compared to only 32% disapproval, according to the latest Morning Consult survey. That’s a healthy +21% net approval rating. Even a Democratic polling firm, Hart Research, found Lombardo with 51% approval and 38% disapproval – that’s a +13% net approval.
Now here’s the data that destroys Joecks’ argument about deportation being a winning issue: Trump’s immigration approval ratings are underwater or barely breaking even, while Lombardo stays strongly positive.
A July 2025 CNN poll found only 42% approve of Trump’s handling of immigration.
A June Pew Research poll showed Trump’s overall immigration approach was viewed negatively, with 42% approving and 47% disapproving. A Quinnipiac poll from June showed Trump at 40% approval and 56% disapproval on deportations specifically – that’s a -16% net rating.
Compare that to Lombardo’s +21% net approval. Think about this for a minute.
If deportation was really the winning issue Joecks claims it is, wouldn’t Trump’s numbers be higher than Lombardo’s? Instead, the data shows Nevada voters trust Lombardo (+21%) far more than they support Trump’s aggressive deportation policies.
Joecks bases his criticism on his personal opinions, not polling data. The numbers prove Lombardo’s approach polls better than the hardline positions Joecks wants him to take.
And, what is Lombardo’s approach, anyway?
The Immigration Reality Joecks Won’t Acknowledge
Joecks loves to criticize Lombardo on immigration, but he’s not telling the whole story.
Lombardo has consistently pushed back every time anyone tries to make Nevada a sanctuary state. As governor, he’s made clear that: “the Attorney General does not have the authority to make Nevada a sanctuary state” and declared:
“As long as I am Governor, Nevada will continue to follow federal law.”
When the federal government requested assistance with immigration enforcement, Lombardo authorized the Nevada National Guard to help ICE with administrative and clerical duties. About 35 guardsmen are providing “vital clerical, administrative, and logistical support” to ICE – including case management, transportation support, form filling, record maintenance, and vehicle maintenance. This frees up ICE agents to focus on actual law enforcement.
Lombardo also vetoed AB 217, which would have banned ICE agents from school grounds without a court order.
He called it:
“well-intentioned but fundamentally overbroad.”
Lombardo noted it would apply:
“24/7, effectively transforming school grounds into sanctuary zones at all times.”
This shows Lombardo won’t let Democrats create sanctuary policies through the back door.
The Washoe County Republican Party called Lombardo’s National Guard decision “true leadership in action,” saying Lombardo:
“is telling the nation and world that Nevada is not and will never be a sanctuary state.”
Lombardo isn’t weak on immigration; he’s just not making it the centerpiece of his governorship like Joecks wants. But when the federal government asks for help, he steps up. When sanctuary state efforts emerge, he shuts them down.
Joecks Ignores the Ballot Initiative That Already Exists
Joecks wrote that Lombardo:
“should use his executive power aggressively and secure funding for at least one ballot initiative that would boost conservative turnout.”
But here’s what Joecks apparently missed: there already is a popular conservative ballot initiative.
Nevada voters overwhelmingly approved Question 7 in 2024 by 73%-27%, requiring voter ID for all elections. This wasn’t some close squeaker – it was a landslide. And guess who was co-chairing the Nevada Voter ID Coalition? Governor Lombardo himself.
The voter ID measure has to be approved again in 2026 to become law. That’s exactly the kind of conservative turnout driver Joecks says Lombardo needs. Except Lombardo already has it, and he’s already leading it.
What Joecks Gets Wrong About Nevada Politics
Here’s what Joecks doesn’t seem to understand: Nevada isn’t Texas or Florida. Those states have Republican-controlled legislatures. Lombardo is running a purple state where Democrats are just one seat short of enjoying a super-majority in both the State Senate and State Assembly.
You can’t govern like Greg Abbott or Ron DeSantis when you’re dealing with a Democrat legislature that wants to turn Nevada into California East. Lombardo has to pick his battles carefully and build coalitions to get things done.
Joecks wrote that:
“Usually, the reason an elected official runs to the middle is that his base’s priorities aren’t popular. But these issues are.”
Actually, the data shows the opposite. Lombardo’s approach is more popular than the hardline positions Joecks wants him to take.
Where Lombardo Actually Delivers for Conservatives
The governor’s strongest issues are exactly what conservative voters care about most. Voters strongly support his continuing pledge of no new taxes or increases in existing taxes during his term of office. To reduce crime, voters overwhelmingly trust Lombardo over legislative Democrats by +40%.
Combined with his 75 vetoes in 2023, Lombardo set the record for a single Nevada governor’s term of 162 vetoes. That’s not the record of someone who’s rolling over for the Democrats.
Joecks’ Track Record Problem
Here’s something worth noting: Joecks has never been a candidate for public office and has never managed a political campaign. His expertise is on policy matters, not political strategy. Yet he keeps dishing out campaign advice as if he’s some kind of election guru.
His latest criticism perfectly shows this disconnect. Joecks complained that Lombardo has:
“given new and low-propensity GOP voters little reason to turn out in 2026.”
Anyone who’s actually worked on campaigns knows this makes no sense. Campaign messaging is never directed at low-propensity voters. That’s not how campaigns work. You focus on likely voters and your base, not people who rarely show up to vote.
Meanwhile, Lombardo was the only challenger in the country to defeat an incumbent governor in 2022, and Nevada was the only blue-to-red governor flip that year. Lombardo won Nevada two years before Trump did. Maybe Joecks should be asking what Trump can learn from Lombardo about winning Nevada, not the other way around.
Why Joecks’ Criticism Helps Democrats
When Joecks attacks Lombardo from the right, he’s essentially doing Aaron Ford’s work for him. Every column criticizing the governor gives Democrats ammunition to use against him. It’s hard to see how that helps the conservative cause.
Elections aren’t referendums. They’re choices. And when the choice is between Lombardo and Democrat Aaron Ford, there’s no contest for conservatives.
The Bottom Line
Political columnists love to stir up drama. It gets clicks and keeps them relevant. But the data tells a different story. Lombardo has solid approval ratings, a strong fundraising operation, a popular ballot initiative to drive turnout, and a track record of winning tough races.
More importantly, he’s actually delivering on conservative priorities where it matters most. He’s keeping taxes low, fighting crime, supporting law enforcement, and using his veto pen to stop bad Democrat legislation.
Joecks asked:
“What reason has Lombardo given them to turn out in 2026?”
Here’s the answer: a 73% successful voter ID initiative, record-setting vetoes of liberal legislation, no new taxes, and strong law enforcement policies that poll better than the issues Joecks wants to make the conservative flavor-of-the-week.
What Conservatives Should Do
Instead of listening to columnists who’ve never run for office themselves, conservatives should focus on sending Lombardo some backup in Carson City. The key to advancing conservative policies isn’t tearing down the governor who’s holding the line against Democrats. It’s electing more Republicans to the legislature who can help him do even more.
That’s how you build a conservative movement that actually wins instead of just complaining from the sidelines.
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.
