That winning grin and folksy style were familiar, but even his critics should admit Gov. Joe Lombardo’s delivery of Wednesday’s State of the State address showcased a chief executive in his comfort zone.

Lombardo’s second State of the State gave him a chance to tout his record, now that he has one. On his personal highlight reel: improvements in the state’s scandalously inept IT system, an unprecedented investment in K-12 education that included breakthrough funding for charter schools, improvements in the state’s woeful unemployment rate, a voter identification measure, and a whopping $1.3 billion in Nevada’s Rainy Day Fund. He left out setting a record for vetoes in a single session, but his Democratic Party friends reminded him of that later.

He also called for a coming together of Republicans and Democrats on areas of common interest, for the common good of all Nevadans. With such sentiment in the air, Democrats neither sat on their hands nor noticeably gritted their teeth. It was that kind of night.

“It’s no secret that in the coming months we won’t see eye to eye on everything, and that’s OK,” Lombardo said. “What I do know, however, is that there will be no disagreement among us on two essential mandates: fulfilling the people’s trust and giving them nothing less than our very best.”

It’s a lovely valentine, I suspect that “our very best” includes passing some of the governor’s pet projects.

It’s a close call, but this one might have been my favorite moments: “I would ask that before some of you say no, work with me, collaborate with my agency heads, ask questions, give input, offer alternatives and set aside partisan politics. The stubborn reality is that if we do nothing these challenges will only become more difficult.”

I also liked the pregnant understatement of these lines: “I’m a big believer in school choice,” followed closely by, “No child should be trapped in a failing school because of their ZIP code.”

No, of course not. Nor should students mired in mediocre neighborhood schools be packed off to marginally better performing ones. It’s a slippery stroll from “underperforming” to “abandon all hope.”

Not to diminish the collegial spirit, but calls for cooperation and compromise have always reminded me of the instructions the referee gives boxers before Round 1. You know, let’s have a clean fight, and protect yourself at all times. Soon enough, those reminders to follow the rules and fight fair are forgotten amid a flurry of low blows and rabbit punches.

But that’s the game, whether the sport is pugilism or politics.

More importantly, the speech also provides a platform for the governor to introduce his goals and vision, if he has one, for the legislative session and the coming biennium. Among Lombardo’s many plans: cleaving the behemoth Department of Health and Human Services in the name of increased efficiency; making teacher pay raises permanent while extending pay raises for charter school teachers, too; increasing penalties for repeat criminal offenders; developing a $1 billion in new affordable housing, improving health care, increasing homeless outreach, freeing federal land for local use and working to help pass a voter ID ballot measure.

The State of the State is mostly about the governor and ceremony, but the Democrats also had their say, ably delivered by nice-guy Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager (D-Las Vegas) about the time most folks were switching to Netflix. He also had something to say about the state of politics in Carson City.

“This past November, Nevada voters again overwhelmingly voted for Democrats to lead our state Legislature,” Yeager said. “Indeed, Nevada voters sent a clear message about the issues they care about and what they want our state to look like in the future. We do not take your trust for granted and we know that the decisions we make matter to you. So, it is now time to get down to business for you, the people of Nevada.”

I think this is the part that was meant to leave a slight welt.

“Gov. Lombardo has said that working together is important to him. It is important for us as well,” Yeager said. “Governor, there is absolutely no need to break your veto record from the last session of 75 vetoes. Nevadans expect and deserve leaders who will work together to solve everyday problems. That is what we intend to do, and we sincerely hope that the governor is a willing partner in this effort.”

He also reminded those viewing that the Democrats have been the advocates for increasing the public education budget and plan to fix “the issues with the Clark County School District Board of Trustees, which continues to make news for all the wrong reasons.” That includes setting minimum professional standards for top school district administrators. Good luck with that.

A couple of fights that are unavoidable: the tussle over “school choice” and its potential to divert public school dollars. Lombardo has made his affinity for choice clear.

While claiming to demand excellence, all national statistics to the contrary, Yeager said, “We will, however, continue to oppose any attempt to privatize public education and divert your taxpayer money to unaccountable private organizations, including out-of-state for-profit corporations who want to make money off of our students. It is wrong, and we will not allow it.”

Will the governor’s continued plan to wrench down election rules and voting tabulation schedules move forward without substantial pushback? Yeager’s strongest argument, not made Wednesday, is the Republican Party’s debunked but swirling conspiracy surrounding vote counts and suspicious voting machines. Facile litigation and “Stop the Steal” memories remain fresh in many minds. Until Lombardo’s side stops pretending that paper ballots counted by partisans are safer than those mean old Dominion machines, he might have a difficult sell in Carson City.

For all appearances, Lombardo has grown into his difficult job. It’s one of the advantages of having been a sheriff. He’s certainly stood up to trouble before.

Whether he stays comfortable in the coming months during the 2025 legislative session in part depends on whether the conservative continues to consider vetoes victories, or moves to a higher level of political poker with the majority Democrats.

For the sake of the state, let’s hope they all rise to the occasion in 2025.

John L. Smith is an author and longtime columnist. He was born in Henderson and his family’s Nevada roots go back to 1881. His stories have appeared in New Lines, Time, Readers Digest, Rolling Stone, The Daily Beast, Reuters and Desert Companion, among others.