There’s no two ways about it: It’s getting more expensive to live in Nevada.
Whether it’s housing costs, car insurance, gas, groceries, or power bills, Nevadans pay more than the national average for many life necessities, and many Nevadans are struggling to get by.
That’s why pocketbook issues are, once again, top of mind for many voters. Nearly half — 43 percent — say the economy is their top issue this election cycle, according to recent polling.
Therefore, it’s no surprise that the candidates for Nevada’s top job are focusing on ways to improve the state’s financial well-being. But what do the candidates who are running for governor plan to do to lower costs for the average Nevadan?
Democratic gubernatorial nominee, Attorney General Aaron Ford, described his “Affordable Nevada” agenda that would limit corporate home purchases, cap rental security deposits at one month’s rent, address medical debt, limit certain prescription drug costs to Medicare-negotiated prices, and guarantee school meals.
Ford also says he plans to do more to distance himself from the Trump administration.
"This Lombardo-Trump economy is decimating individuals and businesses alike, and it's because we have a governor who, in his own words, has said we should be taking care of Trump's billionaire friends," Ford said. "My focus is on Nevadans working every single day just to survive and who can't even think about thriving right now."
That includes opposing the Trump Administration's tariff policy, which has ultimately resulted in far fewer international visitors in recent years, especially Canadians.
"I endeavored to do so soon after the tariffs were implemented to see if I could reach out to Canadian officials myself. But that's part of what is necessary: working with folks, reaching out to folks, having conversations with folks, standing up to an administration, separating us from an administration, saying that I know Trump is attacking you, but we're not."
KNPR also reached out to Republican nominee and incumbent Governor Joe Lombardo. His campaign did not respond to multiple requests to join us.
However, this is what Lombardo said about the economy in August at President Trump’s rally at Red Rock Casino.
"The economy is growing. We've created 100,000 new jobs in Nevada post-pandemic."
One of the most pressing problems facing most Nevadans is the high cost of housing. According to 2024 Census data, Nevada had the second-highest rate of cost-burdened renters nationwide last year.
Lombardo recently hosted a housing policy roundtable in Las Vegas with state leaders and advocates from across Nevada. At the event, he highlighted his administration's housing accomplishments from his first term.
"We've invested over $183 million in rental and down payment assistance to address the issue. Issued over a billion dollars in bonding capacity to address affordable housing and to assist the builders. As a result, we've already invested $64 million of the $183 million in that particular issue."
But what power does the governor have to address the economy?
"I think that there's actually a lot of power that the governor has, and there are also some limitations that the governor has as well, right?" said The Nevada Independent's Tabitha Mueller, who recently wrote a three-part series on the topic.
"You can veto legislation that comes out of the legislature. That's a huge amount of power because you get to control what gets implemented and what doesn't. The governor also has some soft powers, right? So he or she can advocate in Congress, or you can sort of talk to other leaders and sort of use your bully pulpit, so to speak, to communicate with others the needs of the state. Now, there's a lot the governor can't do. Like the price of gas is tied to that war in Iran."
To complicate things further, both candidates have laid out aggressive agendas without raising taxes. But is that even possible?
"We don't have income taxes, and so we're on a kind of shoestring budget when it comes to the legislature," said Mueller. "And I'm always skeptical when you say, 'Hey, we're going to have all of these things.' Well, show me how you're going to pay for it."
Guests: Aaron Ford, democrat, Nevada Attorney General and Candidate for Governor; Tabitha Mueller, reporter, The Nevada Independent
