Nevada’s Lombardo backs Trump despite pledge to stay out of primary

Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo (R) will endorse former President Trump for the state’s upcoming caucus, he said Thursday, going back on a promise to stay out of the GOP presidential primary.

Lombardo told The Nevada Independent that he will also vote “none of the above” in the state’s primary, where Trump is not on the ballot. 

Nevada will hold both a caucus and primary on Feb. 8 and 6, respectively, after a protracted legal battle between the state and Nevada Republican Party. Only the caucus results will award delegates for the Republican Party’s nominee selection.

Trump endorsed and campaigned for Lombardo during his 2022 gubernatorial bid. 

“We need President Trump’s decisive leadership back in Washington, D.C.,” Lombardo said in a statement to The Hill. “President Trump oversaw record economic success, implemented strong foreign policy, and ensured our law enforcement officers are treated with the respect they deserve.”

The governor said in September that he would not make an endorsement in the presidential primary but dismissed the notion Thursday.

For “all practical purposes … the race is over,” he said.

Trump holds a massive lead over GOP rivals former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in national polls. He has about 62 percent support, according to The Hill/Decision Desk HQ’s average of polls.

In the only Silver State poll of the race released so far this year, a small sample from Emerson College, Trump led his opponents by 65 points, taking 73 percent support.

Updated at 3:18 p.m.