Lombardo delivers $72M unemployment system on time while predecessor Sisolak’s failures toppled his career

When government failure becomes personal

By Brittany Sheehan  

Nevada News and Views

You might think computer systems are boring. Just ones and zeros, right? But in Nevada, a broken unemployment system helped destroy a governor’s career and flip a state from blue to red.

Democratic Governor Steve Sisolak lost his job in 2022. Sure, there were other factors. But nothing hurt him more than Nevada’s ancient unemployment computer system crashing when people needed it most.

Sisolak himself admits: “I know it cost me the election.”

Now his Republican successor, Joe Lombardo, just rolled out a brand new $72 million system. On time. Under budget. It works. And that’s a lesson every conservative should understand.

The COVID Catastrophe

When COVID hit in March 2020, Sisolak shut down Nevada’s casinos. That had never happened before, not even when President Kennedy was shot. Unemployment in Nevada spiked to historic levels in the short term, rising to nearly 29 percent.

Suddenly, hundreds of thousands of Nevadans needed unemployment benefits. But the state’s computer system was built in the 1980s. It ran on programming language older than most workers. In January, 2020, Nevada’s headline unemployment rate hovered just above the national average at 3.7 percent. Immediately following the pandemic business closures, 92,298 unemployment claims were filed in a single week.

The system collapsed. People couldn’t get through on the phone. The website crashed. Families went months without benefits.

“That was huge and still is a point of anger towards Sisolak in both parties that made him public enemy number one,” Andres Ramirez, a veteran Las Vegas Democratic strategist, told Newsweek.

Government Failure Hits Home

This wasn’t just a technical glitch. Real people suffered. Freelance photographer Richard Brian Salmeron waited months for his benefits. Some people even told reporters they felt suicidal with no money. Lines at food banks stretched for miles.

The state created a “strike force” to fix the problems. They fired multiple directors. Nothing worked. Dennis Perea, deputy director of DETR, resigned Friday. That follows two DETR directors leaving the agency since April. This has all the signs of high-ranking officials leaving a ship they know is sinking.

In August, and the bureaucratic bungling continues. Nevadans deserved more from the governor on the state’s jobless mess than intermittent news briefings and excuses.

How Lombardo Fixed It

When Republican Joe Lombardo won in 2022, he inherited this mess. But instead of making excuses, his team got to work.

Chris Sewell, who runs Nevada’s employment department, says they spent months planning before picking a vendor.

“The companies that were bidding on the project knew exactly what we were looking for,” Sewell said. “Do the work on the front end. Don’t try to fix it midstream.”

Governor Lombardo celebrated the launch on social media, calling it: “a significant step forward in streamlining state services.”

The DETR Nevada department announced: “The new system is live! Fast, simple, secure unemployment self-service for both employers and claimants.”

That’s conservative thinking in action. Plan carefully. Know what you want. Hold contractors accountable.

The Bigger Picture

This story matters because it shows how government failure hurts real people. When the unemployment system crashed, it wasn’t politicians who suffered. It was working families who couldn’t pay rent or buy groceries.

Most government IT projects are disasters. For IT projects, a 2004 industry study by the Standish Group found an average cost overrun of 43 percent; 71 percent of projects came in over budget, exceeded time estimates, and had estimated too narrow a scope.

Nevada itself has plenty of other failures. The state spent $80 million on a finance system that completely flopped under Sisolak. Unlike businesses, federal agencies do not have to earn profits, so they have little reason to restrain costs.

The DMV modernization? Started at $125 million. Now it might cost $425 million. And it won’t be done until 2029.

What This Means for Conservatives

First, competence matters. Voters don’t care about your philosophy if basic government services don’t work. Sisolak learned that the hard way.

Second, accountability works. When Lombardo’s team knew they’d be judged on results, they delivered results. Private companies face this pressure every day. Government rarely does.

Third, this shows why we need limited government. Every new program is another chance for failure. Every expansion of government is another system that can crash when people need it most.

But here’s the key lesson: When government must do something, do it right. Don’t make excuses. Don’t blame the previous administration. Fix the problem.

The Bottom Line

Steve Sisolak learned a hard truth: Voters judge you on whether government works, not whether you mean well. A broken unemployment system cost him his job and gave Republicans control of Nevada.

Joe Lombardo proved that good management can deliver good results. But the bigger lesson is simple: The best government program is the one you don’t need. The next best is one that actually works when you do.

Nevada fixed their unemployment system. Now let’s see if other states can follow suit. Or better yet, let’s see if they can avoid needing these massive programs in the first place.

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Brittany Sheehan is a Las Vegas-based mother, policy advocate and grassroots leader. She is active in local politics, successful in campaign work and passionate about liberty.