Lombardo builds massive $15M war chest in critical Nevada governor showdown
FIRST ON FOX: A Republican governor running for re-election in one of the most closely watched races in the country in a key battleground state is heading into the spring with a historic amount of cash on hand.
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, elected in November 2022, announced on Tuesday a record-breaking year-end campaign cash-on-hand of over $9 million after raising an additional $4.28 million in 2025, which his campaign says in a press release is the highest non-election year total on hand of any governor in Nevada history.
Two Lombardo-affiliated PACs added another $5.9 million in cash reserves after raising more than $4.7 million last year, bringing the governor’s total political war chest to $15 million.
The campaign says that with the record haul, Lombardo is in the "strongest financial position of any governor in Nevada history at this stage of the cycle."
DEMOCRATS 'DOOMED TO FAIL' WITHOUT POPULIST ECONOMIC MESSAGE, WARREN WARNS
"I’m grateful for the overwhelming support from Nevadans who share our vision for a stronger, more affordable Nevada," Lombardo told Fox News Digital.
"This record-setting fundraising reflects confidence in our work expanding access to attainable housing and affordable healthcare, keeping communities safe, supporting educators and empowering parents, and strengthening our economy. With historic broad bipartisan support behind us, we’re ready to take our message to every corner of the state and make the case for four more years to finish the job."
Lombardo, who served as a police officer for 26 years and was sheriff of Clark County, was the only challenger to defeat an incumbent governor in the 2022 elections as he edged out Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak and made Nevada the only blue-to-red governor flip that year.
In September, Lombardo warned of the risks ahead if the Democrats retake the governor's office. And he said he's the backstop against what he described as the "woke, California agenda" from Nevada's bigger neighbor to the west.
"I’ll continue to do everything in my power to stop Gavin Newson from imposing his left-wing agenda on Nevada. As long as I’m your governor, I won’t ever accept Californians telling Nevadans what to do or making us pay the price for their bad ideas," Lombardo said, according to an excerpt shared with Fox News Digital ahead of delivery.
Lombardo, speaking at Rancho High School in North Las Vegas, where he graduated and launched his first campaign for governor four years ago, also spotlighted his accomplishments while emphasizing the "unfinished business" to secure Nevada's future.
The Nevada Democratic Party, on the other hand, has tried to tie Lombardo to President Donald Trump, slamming the governor for what they charged was his "embrace of Trump’s reckless policies, all of which have led to worst-in-the-nation unemployment rates, a growing housing crisis, and sky-high costs."
Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford and Reno-anchored Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill have both launched campaigns for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.