The 2022 Nevada gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2022, to elect the governor of Nevada. Incumbent Democratic governor Steve Sisolak ran for re-election to a second term, but lost in the general election to Republican Joe Lombardo, the Clark County sheriff. This was the first time since 1966 that an incumbent Democratic governor lost reelection in Nevada, and the first since 1982 that any incumbent governor of Nevada lost reelection.
Sisolak was the first Democrat to seek re-election to Nevada's governorship since Bob Miller in 1994, and was subsequently the only incumbent governor in the United States to lose re-election in 2022. Decision Desk HQ called the race for Lombardo on November 11.
Significantly, Lombardo's win marked the first time in the state's history that anyone had won the governorship without winning either Clark or Washoe counties, home to a combined 89% of the state's population. This was largely due to Lombardo's stronger performance in Clark, his home county; Sisolak's previous opponent, Adam Laxalt, lost the county by 13.3% there, while Lombardo only lost by 5.7%, a significant gain.
Political analysts have attributed Sisolak's defeat to his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic; lockdowns during the pandemic proved unpopular in Nevada, which has a tourism-driven economy and a reputation for libertarian political leanings.
Amid a slate of failed gubernatorial pickup attempts, this was the only governorship Republicans flipped in the 2022 elections, as well as the only state governorship to flip to the party that did not carry that state in the 2020 presidential election. This was also the first time since Pat Quinn's defeat in the 2014 Illinois gubernatorial election that an incumbent Democratic governor lost re-election in any state.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Steve Sisolak, incumbent governor (2019–2023) and former Clark County commissioner (2009–2019)
Eliminated in primary
- Tom Collins, former Clark County commissioner (2005–2015) and former state assemblyman for the 1st District (1993–2001)
Declined
- Marilyn Kirkpatrick, Clark County commissioner (2015–present)
Endorsements
Steve Sisolak
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Joe Lombardo, sheriff of Clark County (2015–2023)
Eliminated in primary
- Seven Achilles Evans, businessman
- Gary "Radar" Evertsen
- Joey Gilbert, attorney and former boxer
- Eddie Hamilton, businessman and perennial candidate
- Tom Heck, retired Air Force officer and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016 and 2018
- Dean Heller, former U.S. senator (2011–2019) and U.S. representative for Nevada's 2nd congressional district (2007–2011)
- John Lee, mayor of North Las Vegas (2013–2022)
- Stan Lusak, candidate for governor in 2018
- Guy Nohra, venture capitalist
- Edward O'Brien
- Fred J. Simon, small business owner and surgeon
- William "Dock" Walls, businessman and perennial candidate
- Amber Whitley
- Barak Zilberberg, real estate investor
Withdrew
- Michele Fiore, Las Vegas city councilwoman (2017–2022) and former state assemblywoman for the 4th District (2012–2016) (ran for state treasurer and lost)
Declined
- Mark Amodei, U.S. representative for Nevada's 2nd congressional district (2011–present) (ran for re-election and won)
- Heidi Gansert, state senator from the 15th district (2016–2024)
- Rick Harrison, businessman and reality television personality
- Mark Hutchison, former lieutenant governor of Nevada (2015–2019) (endorsed Lombardo)
- Ben Kieckhefer, state senator from the 16th district (2010–2021), member of the Nevada Gaming Commission (2021–2023)
- Adam Laxalt, former Nevada attorney general (2015–2019) and nominee for governor in 2018 (ran for the U.S. Senate and lost)
- Derek Stevens, casino owner
Endorsements
Dean Heller
Organizations
Joe Lombardo
William "Dock" Walls
Polling
Graphical summary
Libertarian primary
Candidates
Declared
- Brandon Davis, advertising agency owner
Independent American primary
Candidates
Declared
- Ed Bridges, nominee for Nevada's 3rd congressional district in 2020
Independents
Candidates
Declared
- Bradley Beck, geologist
- Austin Billings, logistics professional
- Monique Richardson, pastor
General election
Post-primary endorsements
Steve Sisolak (D)
Executive branch officials
- Barack Obama, 44th president of the United States (2009–2017)
U.S. senators
- Catherine Cortez Masto, U.S. senator from Nevada (2017–present)
Organizations
- AAPI Victory Fund
- AFSCME Local 4041
- Building & Construction Trades Council of Northern Nevada
- Clark County Black Caucus
- Defend the Vote PAC
- Everytown for Gun Safety
- Giffords
- IATSE Local 720
- Jewish Dems
- League of Conservation Voters - Nevada
- National Democratic Redistricting Committee
- National LGBT Chamber of Commerce
- National Organization for Women
- Nevada Faculty Alliance
- Nevada Recovery PAC
- NextGen America
- Planned Parenthood
- Professional Fire Fighters of Nevada
- SEIU of Nevada
- Silver State Equality
- Somos Votantes
- Southern Nevada Building Trades Unions
- United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
- Vegas Chamber
Labor unions
- Culinary Workers Union
- International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
- Iron Workers Union
Polling
Aggregate polls