Stavros Anthony to seek lieutenant governor’s post in 2022

In a statement, the former Las Vegas police captain criticized the current political power balance in the state capital, where Democrats hold the governor’s office and the Legislature and all statewide offices except secretary of state.

He said watching the 2021 legislative session last spring, and the administration’s handling of the pandemic and the economy, “started me thinking maybe I should run and allow myself the opportunity to lay out competing visions on how to best move Nevada forward, and stop the continuation of the catastrophic policies of this administration.”

Nevada’s lieutenant governor, who runs for office independently from the governor, presides over the Senate and casts tie-breaking votes when necessary. The officeholder also chairs the state Commission on Tourism and serves on several other state boards related to small business, transportation and economic development.

The position is currently vacant with the September resignation of Democrat Kate Marshall, who left to join President Joe Biden’s administration. Gov. Steve Sisolak has so far not appointed a replacement.

Anthony joins two other announced Republican candidates, former state treasurer Dan Schwartz and business consultant Mack Miller, who’s run previously for state Assembly and Las Vegas mayor. Candidacies aren’t official until candidates file to run in March.

If elected, Stavros said he wanted to focus on economic development with an emphasis on small business, public safety, advancing tourism, and overseeing the Senate. First elected to the Las Vegas City Council in 2009, he is in his last term.

“I have spent a career in public service, with the last eleven years on the Las Vegas City Council, enforcing laws passed by the legislature,” he said, adding that he wanted to put his skills and experience “to deliver strong conservative and common-sense leadership for all Nevadans.”

Anthony lost his 2020 bid for Clark County Commission to Ross Miller.

Anthony sued to force a new election, claiming the number of voting discrepancies exceeded the margin of victory. The case reached state Supreme Court, which in June upheld a lower court’s ruling rejecting his bid.

A Las Vegas resident for 41 years, Anthony left the Metropolitan Police Department as a captain after 29 years. He won a seat on the state board of regents in 2002 and was re-elected in 2006. He briefly ran for Congress in 2018 before dropping out of the race, citing health reasons.

Contact Capital Bureau reporter Bill Dentzer at bdentzer@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DentzerNews on Twitter.