EDITORIAL: Sisolak’s speech shows he senses political peril

Giving an off-year State of the State address is a sure sign that Gov. Steve Sisolak believes he’s facing a tough re-election campaign.

On Wednesday, Mr. Sisolak will give a speech that lays out his thoughts on the upcoming year and touts his plans to spend federal money. The Nevada constitution directs the governor to deliver a message to the legislature before its biennial session. That speech, held in odd-numbered years, is the formal State of the State address.

The last time a governor gave an even-year version of this speech was in 2010. Then-Gov. Jim Gibbons was foundering in the midst of an economic crisis. The state budget was in shambles, and Mr. Gibbons didn’t have the benefit of a bailout from the federal government. He would go on to lose his re-election bid — in the primary.

Mr. Sisolak should make it to the general election, but his chances at securing a second term are far from assured. Presumably, he views this speech as a way to make his case.

First and foremost, Nevadans will want to hear his plans related to the pandemic. Last week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that his state would be adopting an “endemic” approach to dealing with the virus. Given that Mr. Sisolak likes to remain in Mr. Newsom’s shadow, he may follow a similar approach.

For the fully vaccinated, the serious risk posed by the coronavirus is mercifully low. That was true even as the more infectious omicron variant caused cases to spike. It is time to narrow coronavirus efforts, adapting to the reality that COVID won’t disappear entirely.

Mr. Sisolak should end his remaining emergency directives or provide a road map for doing so. Nevadans need to know the governor recognizes the need to wind down the extraordinary authority he’s wielded over the past two years.

In a broader sense, people want to know if things are back to normal. Mr. Sisolak is scheduled to speak at Allegiant Stadium without an in-person audience, aside from the media. Speaking in a large, but empty venue may give some unpleasant flashbacks. Let’s hope Mr. Sisolak can rhetorically demonstrate how Las Vegas is open for business and ready for tourists.

Mr. Sisolak will reportedly preview his budget that he would submit if re-elected. The last two governors who won re-election, both Republicans, pushed successfully for massive tax hikes the following session. Mr. Sisolak should tell Nevadans if he plans to follow a similar path. With all of the federal money Nevada received, he should make it clear there is no need to do so.

While the political motive for the speech is obvious, there are topics worth addressing.