Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo argued that President Biden’s “failure to rein in national inflation” could cost him the election as voters in his state find the current economy “unsustainable.”
“Since Mr. Biden took office, prices have risen 19 percent, a major factor in real average weekly earnings dropping 4 percent. This type of economic turmoil is simply unsustainable for Nevada families,” the Republican wrote in a New York Times guest essay.
“If recent polling on Democratic candidates in Nevada is any indication, and I think it is, Mr. Biden has a big problem to overcome, because after three and a half years, Nevadans are losing confidence in him to do something meaningful about inflation and housing and are left with the feeling that he just doesn’t get it,” he added.
Biden trails former President Trump by five points in the swing state, a Fox News poll found this month. Biden won Nevada by less than three percentage points in the 2020 election.
FOX NEWS POLL: NEVADANS TRUST TRUMP OVER BIDEN ON BORDER SECURITY BY 22 POINTS
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo wrote an op-ed in the New York Times arguing the economy was driving Nevadans to support Trump. (Getty Images)
Nevadans have been paying an extra $1,199 per month to purchase the same goods and services as they did in January 2021 because of inflation, according to a U.S. Joint Economic Committee estimate that Lombardo cited.
The governor warned that Biden is losing support from reliable Democratic voting blocs — like voters under 30 and Hispanic voters — in his state due to the “punishingly high” inflation and inability to afford housing.
“Many Nevadans believe that the nation’s economy would be better served with new leadership. They include 69 percent of young voters and 70 percent of Hispanic voters, who say they trust Mr. Trump to do a better job with the economy than Mr. Biden, according to a New York Times/Siena poll concluded last month,” he wrote.
“As Gen Z graduates enter the work force and look to purchase their first homes, it’s no surprise that they are concerned about today’s punishingly high inflation and mortgage rates and are seeking an alternative to the status quo. My friend Peter Guzman, who leads the Latin Chamber of Commerce in Nevada, attributes this shift among Hispanics to their ‘choosing policies over personalities’ in this fraught economic environment, and he’s right. Today’s pocketbook issues have transcended traditional voting blocs, allowing voters to evaluate how their vote impacts their wallet and vice versa,” he added.
The economy was described as the biggest obstacle to supporting Biden over Trump. (Getty Images)
Nevada voters prefer Trump to Biden on handling the economy and immigration, with the former president holding 16- and 22-point leads, respectively, according to the June Fox News poll.
A recent Bloomberg News/Morning Consult survey also found Trump leads Biden 48% to 44% across the seven key swing states in play — Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Fox News’ Aubrie Spady and Andrew Murray contributed to this report.
