Steinbeck, Koenig, and Yurek post bottom GOP scores in legislative session

By Brittany Sheehan  

Nevada News and Views

Three Nevada Republican lawmakers posted the lowest conservative scores in the 2025 legislative session, raising questions about whether some GOP legislators are drifting away from limited government principles, according to Nevada Policy Research Institute’s newly released Legislative Scorecard.

Senator John C. Steinbeck scored lowest among all Republicans at 61.59 percent, followed by Assemblyman Gregory S. Koenig at 68.61 percent and Assemblyman Toby Yurek at 69.11 percent. All three scored well below the 80-90 percent range typical of conservative Republicans, though still above most Democrats.

The Bottom Three’s Voting Patterns

The scorecard tracked 66 key votes where the implications for individual freedom and limited government were clear. Bills that expand government spending, increase regulations, or grow bureaucratic power receive negative scores for lawmakers who support them.

While the specific votes aren’t all detailed publicly, the consistently low scores suggest these three Republicans supported multiple measures that expanded government reach — a pattern that conflicts with traditional conservative principles of limited government and fiscal restraint.

Senator John C. Steinbeck posted the lowest Republican score at 61.59 percent.

While the Nevada Policy Research Institute scorecard methodology doesn’t specify which individual votes contributed to his low rating, Nevada News & Views found that Steinbeck bucked his party more than any other lawmaker in either chamber — 51 times during the 2025 session.

On eight bills, he was the only Republican senator in support, including bills to expand harassment statutes for political candidates (AB123) and to allow other district courts besides Carson City to hear election cases (AB490, which was later vetoed).

He was also the only Republican to vote for SB217, requiring insurance coverage of in vitro fertilization, which was vetoed by Governor Lombardo.

Assemblyman Gregory S. Koenig came in second-lowest at 68.61 percent.

Nevada News & Views found that Koenig was the GOP assemblymember most likely to go against his party, doing so 28 times during the 2025 session.

Among his notable breaks with Republicans: he was the only Republican in either chamber to vote for AB278 (designating July as “Muslim American Heritage Month”), one of two GOP assemblymembers to vote for SB297 (“Menopause Awareness Month”), and one of three Republicans to support AB480 (a vetoed housing discrimination bill).

Assemblyman Toby Yurek rounded out the bottom three at 69.11 percent.

Nevada News & Views found he was the only Republican to vote for AB588, which changes “Assemblyman/Assemblywoman” to “Assemblymember” in state law.

He also sponsored AB195, giving unelected appointed school board members voting rights — a move that drew criticism from participants in his own town hall, with one saying “I can’t believe this is sponsored by a Republican.”

District Dynamics and the Government Employee Factor

All three represent different political landscapes, but one pattern stands out: Steinbeck’s career background as a government employee. After 34 years with the Clark County Fire Department, rising from firefighter to Fire Chief, Steinbeck transitioned directly from managing government budgets and employees to voting on expanding government power in the legislature.

This raises uncomfortable questions about whether career government employees bring inherent pro-government bias when they enter elected office. Steinbeck’s district has a narrow Republican registration advantage — 31 percent Republican, 27 percent Democrat, with the rest nonpartisan or minor party voters — but his voting record suggests something beyond just appealing to swing voters.

When asked about his voting approach, Steinbeck told reporters, “I’m not concerned with ideology” and described himself as a “middle conservative.” For someone elected as a Republican, dismissing conservative ideology while consistently supporting Democratic priorities raises red flags about whether he’s acting as an internal lobbyist for government expansion.

Steinbeck’s career trajectory — from managing government operations to legislating government growth — represents exactly the kind of “revolving door” problem that conservatives typically oppose. A fire chief who spent decades justifying bigger budgets and more government services might naturally favor policies that expand government reach, regardless of party affiliation.

This isn’t just about swing districts or moderate Republicans. It’s about whether voters should be concerned when career government employees seek elected office and then consistently vote against limited government principles they campaigned to support.

What’s Next

For voters who elected Republicans expecting limited government representation, the scorecard data provides concrete evidence of how their lawmakers actually voted when it mattered. The numbers don’t lie — and they suggest some Republicans may not be as conservative as their campaign promises indicated.

Nevada News & Views will provide detailed coverage of the scorecard findings in upcoming reports examining various aspects of legislative performance.

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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.