Nevada’s lieutenant governor is pitching a bold, growth-first playbook for the state’s future: lean rules, big entertainment, and even space tourism. Stavros Anthony leans on a long public service record to sell the Silver State as a place where entrepreneurs, sports franchises, and visionary investors can thrive without heavy-handed government getting in the way.
Anthony is a familiar face in Nevada politics who keeps a simple message: cut red tape and let private enterprise lead. He talks up Nevada’s entertainment boom as proof that a market-friendly approach pays off, and he sees new industries as opportunities rather than threats.
His résumé reads like a civic apprenticeship—almost three decades in law enforcement, service as a regent, years on the Las Vegas City Council, and an energetic run for mayor. Since 2022 he has been lieutenant governor alongside Gov. Joe Lombardo, and that ticket stands out as a rare Republican victory over incumbents at the state level.
Anthony used the FreedomFest stage in Las Vegas to explain how a limited-government stance fuels prosperity and keeps Nevada competitive. He framed his agenda around problem solving, economic freedom, and attracting business that creates jobs and raises standards of living.
“If you look at 10 years ago, we didn’t have one major sporting activity here in Nevada. They actually would not come here because they thought there would be illegal gambling and corruption and bribery and so on and so forth. In 10 years, we’ve become the sports capital of the world. Baseball is coming. We have hockey. We have football. We’re going to have basketball coming. F1. NASCAR. We have women’s basketball, on and on and that just kind of cropped up.”
“The thing about Las Vegas is anything can happen here, so it’s really not up to me as a lieutenant governor to decide what’s the next big thing in tourism. It’s the tourist industry that has to decide what’s the next big thing.”
Anthony is especially bullish on the idea that Nevada’s wide-open spaces and business-friendly environment could make it a hub for space tourism. He imagines entrepreneurs building experiences few other states can match, and he insists that government shouldn’t be the first mover—private firms should be.
“One thing that is of interest is space tourism. I think that might be a future here in Nevada because we have a lot of open land where … somebody like Elon Musk can shoot rockets up into outer space, hang out up there for a while, have some drinks. Hang out with friends.”
“What an experience that would be to see the Earth from up there and actually make it a tourist kind of an adventure. So, those are the kind of things that we’re constantly thinking about, but it’s the private sector that needs to do it. And I am very much in favor of allowing our entrepreneurs to come up with the next best thing and to support them.”
His pitch is consistent: Nevada wins when entrepreneurs can test big ideas without permission slips from distant bureaucrats. That mindset has helped lure major sports and entertainment investments, and Anthony sees similar potential in tech and aviation-adjacent ventures.
Anthony credits his policing career with teaching him how to fix real problems on the ground, not just argue about them from afar. He stresses that most police work is neighborhood-focused problem solving, which shaped how he approaches public service and policy priorities.
“You know, most people think of the policing that they see on television. High-speed pursuits, gunfights, bar fights, chasing people down dark alleys and arresting serious criminals. And that is a big part of policing. But, really, 90% of police work is really solving problems. Going into neighborhoods, finding out what are the issues in those neighborhoods, helping those neighbors solve issues to make their quality of life a lot better.”
“I’ve learned that that’s really what I should be doing as an elected official. My job is to go out there and talk to people and find out what the state can do, what a county could do, what a city could do to make their lives better; helping folks live the American dream and not causing problems like higher taxes, higher regulations, getting in their way, those sorts of things. So, that’s really what I learned about police work.”
President Trump’s endorsement of the Lombardo/Anthony ticket is a political asset Anthony cites confidently, especially around business-friendly moves like the no-tax-on-tips policy. He sees national figures visiting Nevada as a way to energize voters and highlight reforms that help working people keep more of what they earn.
“Well, President Trump has endorsed the governor. President Trump has endorsed me. He was just here a couple of months ago to talk about his no taxes on tips, which was a huge thing here in Nevada.”
“I think President Trump will be here. He’s welcome anytime to come to the great state of Nevada and talk to folks in Nevada. When he was campaigning, he would have events with 5,000 or 6,000 people attending. So, we have a good relationship with him. We want to have a relationship with him, and I believe he’ll be here to talk about some of the great things his administration is doing, not only in the country, but how it’s impacting Nevada in a positive way.”
On a personal level, Anthony points to lessons from his immigrant parents as the backbone of his politics—hard work, self-reliance, and fiscal responsibility. Those values inform his insistence that government should enable opportunity, not replace personal initiative.
“When they came to the United States, and they didn’t have anything, all they could do was find a job and get married and raise a family. … No. 1: you work hard.”
“No. 2: you don’t ask the government for anything. You want them to protect you, you want to have roads. But you don’t ask them for welfare. You don’t ask them for unemployment checks. You don’t ask them for food stamps. So, that’s not something that they thought the government would do.”
“Their responsibility was to work hard, raise a family, buy a home and live the American dream. That taught me a lot. And that’s really how I’ve continued my public service. I am here to support Nevadans in ways that they want support, but I’m not here to carry them. They need to carry themselves, and I think they understand that.”
Darnell Thompkins is a conservative opinion writer from Atlanta, GA, known for his insightful commentary on politics, culture, and community issues. With a passion for championing traditional values and personal responsibility, Darnell brings a thoughtful Southern perspective to the national conversation. His writing aims to inspire meaningful dialogue and advocate for policies that strengthen families and empower individuals.