With Trump in Las Vegas, Lombardo walks a fine line between support for president and economy’s struggles

Editor's note: Este artículo está traducido al español.

Hundreds of President Donald Trump’s supporters volition flock to Red Rock Resort contiguous arsenic helium returns to Las Vegas, this clip to tout the Republican-backed taxation cuts — provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into instrumentality July 4, 2025, that suspend national taxes connected tips, overtime wage and Social Security benefits.

One notable Nevada Republican is publically noncommittal astir his attendance astatine Trump’s rally: Gov. Joe Lombardo. When the Sun asked his reelection run whether he’d beryllium attending, it responded: “No remark connected the Trump visit. Thank you!”

Locked successful a choky reelection contention against Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford, Lombardo has kept a calculated region from Trump, who endorsed Lombardo for politician successful 2022. Meanwhile, the Ford run is moving to pin Las Vegas’ declining tourism system — visitant postulation fell 7.5% successful 2025 — connected the president’s tariff and migration policies and connected Lombardo by proxy.

David Damore, a UNLV governmental subject prof and enforcement manager of The Lincy Institute and Brookings Mountain West, said Lombardo has tried to play up the positives of his narration with Trump — specified arsenic claiming helium tin support national migration officers astatine bay successful Las Vegas. After that, helium rapidly changes the taxable erstwhile talking astir Trump, Damore said.

“You tin intelligibly spot they’re disquieted astir however the system is impacting the reelection,” Damore said of Lombardo and his run managers. “So if you look astatine the reelection ads, it’s each astir trying to specify Aaron Ford arsenic brushed connected crime.”

Local Democrats reason Lombardo hasn’t done capable to basal up to Trump, and they’re utilizing today’s sojourn arsenic different accidental to necktie the 2 together.

The Nevada State Democratic Party this week unveiled 2 billboards — 1 each successful Las Vegas and Reno — declaring “Joe Lombardo takes orders from his ‘Commanding Officer’ Donald Trump,” a notation to leaked audio of a closed-door lawsuit for veterans successful which Lombardo, a erstwhile Clark County sheriff, described his narration with Trump arsenic being “no antithetic than your commanding officer.”

Trump successful 2022 endorsed Lombardo retired of a crowded Republican superior field, helping pave the mode for him to scope the wide election.

Trump is besides backing Lombardo’s reelection bid, posting past twelvemonth connected societal media that Lombardo was “fighting tirelessly to Grow the Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Ensure NO TAX ON TIPS, Advance MADE IN THE U.S.A, Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE, Provide Access to Affordable Health Care, Champion School Choice, Keep our present precise Secure Border, SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, and Defend our ever nether seige (sic) Second Amendment.”

While Lombardo isn’t talking astir today’s visit, helium responded to the endorsement: “Thank you, @realDonaldTrump for your endorsement and for your leadership! I look guardant to continuing my enactment to beforehand our blimpish docket and support Nevada red.”

Lombardo skipped an April quality by Trump successful downtown Las Vegas, wherever the president touted his “no taxation connected tips” taxation deduction astatine a Tax Day roundtable. Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony attended successful his place, and Lombardo posted connected societal media afterward thanking Trump for coming to Las Vegas.

“All the Democrats privation the pictures of Lombardo with Trump. Last clip they didn’t get that, truthful we’ll spot what happens this time,” Damore said.

Lombardo’s caution comes arsenic Trump’s governmental lasting has weakened considerably. Since January 2025, erstwhile helium returned to the White House, Trump’s support standing has fallen to 33%, according an AP-NORC canvass released past week. The numbers correspond a debased constituent for Trump successful some his archetypal and 2nd terms.

The effect is magnified successful Nevada, wherever state prices fertile fourth-highest successful the federation astatine $4.81 a gallon, according to AAA — and tariffs are credited with driving up prices connected mundane goods.

“He is hostage to the broader macroeconomic conditions, which are really, truly unfavorable for the Republicans close now,” Damore said.

With polling showing Lombardo and Ford virtually even, the contention volition travel down to the state’s astir 800,000 nonpartisan voters — 38% of the electorate. And immoderate of those voters person soured connected Trump, Damore said.

That puts Lombardo successful a run pickle.

“The main extremity (of Lombardo’s campaign) is going to beryllium precisely that: effort not to alienate the basal Trump voters due to the fact that they request them to crook out, and if they don’t, it’s going to beryllium truly hard for them to triumph fixed however overmuch nonpartisans person soured connected Republicans,” Damore said.

Democrats, meanwhile, aren’t backing down connected the economy’s troubles, which they accidental autumn squarely connected Trump — and, by extension, Lombardo.

“Joe Lombardo’s ‘commanding officer’ Donald Trump is coming to municipality adjacent week portion Nevadans are getting crushed by sky-high grocery, utility, housing, and wellness attraction bills,” Nevada State Democratic Party Chair Daniele Monroe-Moreno said successful a connection past week erstwhile Trump’s sojourn was announced.