Nevada primary results show Lombardo's endorsement is helpful, but not gospel

Running for re-election as Nevada governor, Joe Lombardo (R) recruited and endorsed nearly two dozen candidates in everything from statewide offices to local government positions.

He came out of last week's primary with a winning record — but some notable misses, too.

Of the 17 candidates Lombardo endorsed in a contested primary, 14 emerged victorious, including one who finished second but advanced to the general election. 

But the three losses were in big races: his endorsed candidates for secretary of state, Congressional District 2 and Washoe County district attorney all fell short. His political apparatus also gave money to a state Senate candidate who lost, but Lombardo did not formally endorse him.

Yet more than a dozen Republican legislative hopefuls endorsed by Lombardo swept the field. Julie Butler, the former director of the Nevada DMV, was Lombardo's pick in Assembly District 40, an open district that includes Carson City. Butler, squaring off against three other opponents, including the better-funded Stacy Woodbury, called the governor's endorsement "crucial."

"To a lot of the voters, my background and that of Ms. Woodbury's was very similar. So, you know, they were kind of looking for, 'Well, what distinguishes you from her?'" Butler said. "In  some of those cases, the governor's endorsement tended to sway some people."

Lombardo has taken a hands-on approach to down-ballot races throughout his term, using endorsements and donations through a network of PACs to help tip the scales. It's a counterweight to the Democrats' highly coordinated Reid Machine, and helps fill a void that has long existed among Nevada Republicans.

Some of his interventions are necessary: With the 2027 legislative session approaching, the governor has to consider how to ensure his priorities succeed in what will likely be Democrat-controlled chambers. He'll need as many Republican allies as he can get, and could suffer without loyalists in the Legislature.

One example of this was last fall's film tax credit expansion proposal. Though the governor did not make it a public priority, one of the causes of its death was that he was out of step with legislative Republicans who helped kill the plan.

In interviews with The Nevada Independent, political insiders granted anonymity to candidly discuss their thoughts said candidate loyalty and quality were key drivers of Lombardo's decision to endorse. 

For example, Washoe County District Attorney Chris Hicks was a public supporter of Lombardo's crime bill last year, and Lombardo returned the favor by giving his endorsement. Hicks ultimately lost to Sparks City Attorney Wes Duncan by about 17 percentage points.

However, one insider noted, endorsements in Nevada have traditionally not been the most critical factor in wins and losses. President Donald Trump has given them greater significance, with Trump's endorsements holding game-changing weight in the Republican races.

Though former Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) did not make a concerted public effort to back certain candidates in the legislative elections during his term — leaving the endorsements largely up to the caucuses and state party — this isn't the first time a Nevada governor has tried to influence down-ballot races.

In 2016, then-Gov. Brian Sandoval (R) backed Republicans who largely supported his education funding package. At the time, Republican consultant Greg Ferraro told the Reno Gazette-Journal that the governor's ticket had done fairly well.

"I think when you look at it from a final analysis, the governor is going to have a pretty good scorecard," Ferraro said. 

Lombardo biggest losses

Lombardo endorsed James Settelmeyer in the race to succeed retiring Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV) in Northern Nevada's 2nd Congressional District. He stuck with Settelmeyer, a former longtime state lawmaker whom he had appointed in 2023 to lead the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, even after President Donald Trump endorsed his main opponent, David Flippo.

"I'm very grateful for Gov. Lombardo for being a man of character and being with me through the entire campaign," Settelmeyer told The Indy last week.

In the Republican contest for secretary of state, Lombardo's team recruited and backed Reno businesswoman Shirley Folkins-Roberts. Her campaign brought in about $80,000 in the first three months of this year and spent almost $200,000 on ads, including one that began by mentioning Lombardo's endorsement.

Folkins-Roberts, however, had never run for office before. She lost to Jim Marchant, a one-term assemblyman who has been on the ballot every two years since 2016. He was the Republican nominee for secretary of state four years ago and is much more skeptical about the security of Nevada's elections.

Marchant won despite raising only a few thousand dollars and not spending any money on advertising or yard signs, he said in an interview last week. He also beat an establishment-backed candidate in the 2022 primary.

Asked about the role of Lombardo's endorsement, Marchant said the results reveal that the preferred candidates of primary voters and the GOP establishment are not always aligned. He also said in conversations with voters, Lombardo's name "never, never came up."

"I talk to the people, not the establishment," he said. "I talk to people out there that are hurting, and I hear them. There's a lot of things that can be done by our leaders on both sides of the aisle, and it doesn't appear that they care about the people, to me."

One particular loss that may affect the general election came in the form of a candidate Lombardo did not endorse, but who his campaign apparatus financially backed.

Laz Chavez, a former assistant sheriff under Lombardo in Clark County, lost his state Senate bid to George Harris, the former Clark County GOP chair. 

A political insider noted that Harris is viewed as more conservative than Chavez, which could make it harder for him to win moderates and oust Sen. Marilyn Dondero Loop (D-Las Vegas) in the general election.

How endorsements helped in legislative races

Lombardo made five endorsements in contested state Assembly primaries, including two candidates running in closely watched races in heavily Republican areas. They told The Indy Lombardo's endorsement was pivotal to their success.

The primary for Assembly District 39 was also a unique race.

The incumbent was Assm. Blayne Osborn (R-Gardnerville), whom Lombardo endorsed. He had never won an election because he was appointed to a seat vacated when former Assm. Ken Gray (R-Dayton) joined the Trump administration.

But Gray's stint at the National Cemetery Administration was short-lived, and he challenged Osborn in an effort to win back his seat. Lombardo previously endorsed Gray for re-election in 2024. Osborn won by about 3,000 votes after Lombardo gave his support.

"The governor is incredibly popular, especially in our district," Osborn said. "Part of our strategy was just getting that message out to voters that I was part of the governor's team and supportive of him, and he was supportive of me."

Even candidates who didn't win Lombardo's endorsement sought to imply they were close with the governor. Gray sent out a message to residents touting his relationship with Lombardo, according to a copy obtained by The Indy. Though treasurer candidate Jeff Carter did not receive Lombardo's endorsement, he also ran ads featuring himself with the governor.

"That to me really speaks to the popularity of the governor," Osborn said.

Reporter Mini Racker contributed to this article.