LES VEGES (KSNV) — More than seven months since one-term Gov. Steve Sisolak, a Democrat, was unseated by Republican challenger Joe Lombardo, the former is slowly tiptoeing back to Nevada commitments and addressing his political future.
On Monday, Sisolak spoke to the Nevada Alliance for Retired Americans (NARA) in Henderson. The midday speech was attended by dozens of trade unionists and retirees. And if one thing was clear, it was that work still loves Sisolak.
“I just have one question, real quick. Are you thinking of running for another one?” an audience member asked to scattered laughter and applause.
“I get asked this every day, every day,” the former governor said.
He said he enjoyed teaching (refer to his scholarship at the University of Chicago) and spend more time with his family, especially his mother, who is about to turn 97.
“I don’t know what the future holds. Two years from now will be a long, long time. I feel really, really good and I feel better. I’m a lot more relaxed than I was a year ago,” he said. Sisolak. “Needless to say I was very disappointed with the election results, but we’ll see what happens. It’s not something I’m ruling out for sure.”
When pressed about his future plans during a one-on-one with News 3 after the event, he reiterated his stance but said he would not consider running for federal office.
However, he said he would offer his support to those running for re-election, such as Sen. Jacky Rosen, if asked. And if the Democratic Party tapped him for stand-in appearances, he’d go.
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“Typically, as governor, you don’t call a special session until you have the votes lined up to pass something,” Sisolak said in not-so-veiled criticism of his successor. “And that didn’t happen this time. So we’ll see how that plays out in Carson City.”
Lombardo has been increasingly criticized for calling a second special session of the Nevada Legislature immediately after the regular session ended. Some lawmakers have said they would have preferred more free time before considering an A’s stadium bill so they could look at it with a fresh perspective.
Sisolak also said he’s disappointed Lombardo has vetoed so many bills, but acknowledged the governor has the ability to do so, adding, “I totally respect that.”
Sisolak indicated he would support an A bill if he were governor, but approved of the tough crackdown lawmakers were giving the bill’s sponsors and A leadership during the special session.
“I’m hopeful they can get the Oakland A’s without giving too much away,” Sisolak said. “But to make sure that we get jobs here as a result of this, and the community gets the payback that’s needed for that. There were a lot of amendments that weren’t heard the first time. I’m disappointed that they came back with none change after the first hearing, which is really surprising to me.”
Sisolak said he had spoken with some Democratic lawmakers and didn’t think the stadium bill would have enough votes in its initial form, but he felt incoming amendments dealing with community contributions, the tax on live entertainment and Flip tax would convert more support.
The former state leader also credited himself with starting movie tax credits in Nevada and was hopeful that Sen. Roberta Lange’s massive film studio tax bill that could lure Sony Studios to Southern Nevada had its own special session.
“That’s a lot of jobs, both construction and permanent, as far as film production, video production,” Sisolak said. “I don’t know if that was the extent of the film tax credit issue that became the problem there. But they’re going to have to work on it, because it’s a great opportunity for Nevada to be part of the film industry.”
