Saving Nevada from one-party rule
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that Joe Lombardo and Aaron Ford are virtually tied in the race for Nevada governor. A recent poll has incumbent Lombardo at 39% and Attorney General Ford at 38%. At the sports book this is a pick-em — too close to call.
In almost every election at least one candidate will proclaim with grave sincerity and a tone of voice suitable for a warning of impending doom that this election “is the most important election of our lifetime.”
Typically, the life changing nature of the election is an exaggeration intended to convince voters of disaster on the horizon if they vote for the “Other Guy/Gal.” Current American political campaigns — of both major parties — follow the theory that it is not enough to state that the opponent is misguided and wrong — rather voters must be frightened that election of the opponent would be an apocalyptic event of biblical proportions more dreadful than history’s worst hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes and floods combined. Some candidates even add that their loss would signal the “death of democracy.”
Notwithstanding the political hyperbole, some elections actually are more important than others. And, for Nevadans, the contest between Lombardo and Ford may well be the most important election of our lifetime.
Nevada is among a small group of states that is not consistently controlled by one party. We really are a swing state — a purple state from the mix of red and blue. We can — and do — go both ways. Both Nevada senators are Democrats, three of four representatives to Congress are Democrats, and our State Legislature is heavily Democrat, but our governor and lieutenant governor are both Republican.
Electing Democrat Ford as governor would be a major tipping of the scales from purple to blue.
We need not look as far away as Cuba or North Korea to confirm that when one party is in complete control of government, problems can arise. Consider California. The Golden State has become for all intents and purposes a one-party government led by Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom. One result of this uni-party rule is that lots of Californians are moving to Nevada and other red or purple states to escape the excesses/tyranny/cost of one-party rule.
Aaron Ford is undeniably of the Newsom ilk.
Our AG has spent Nevada taxpayer funds to join 40 lawsuits against Trump and others seeking to frustrate efforts to limit voting to citizens, enforce immigration laws, and address government bloat, waste and fraud. California is the lead plaintiff in eight of the lawsuits Ford joined. Others arose in far-left places like NY, NJ, Illinois and Mass. Ford opposed the NV Ballot initiative to ban Transgender men from women’s sports calling it a “political ploy” by Lombardo to discriminate against transgender Nevadans.
The election of Ford might not be the death of democracy but it would mute a strong opposition voice.
Joe Lombardo is certainly a conservative but he is also much more moderate than Ford. Lombardo is not a puppet for Trump or anyone else. He has taken constructive action on health care and education that many Democrats approve of and has used his veto power to hold the line for woke-weary Nevadans.
The reelection of Joe Lombardo wouldn’t move Nevada left or right — it would save us from one-party rule.
On the other hand, there might be an upside to electing Aaron Ford. Why would anyone move to a place that is just as expensive and just as ‘woke’ as California — and doesn’t even have a beach?
The good news with a Ford win: no more Californians moving to Nevada.
Philip S. Bovee is an attorney and writer who has lived in Pahrump since 2023.
