Steve Sisolak facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Steve Sisolak
30th Governor of Nevada
In office January 7, 2019 – January 2, 2023
Lieutenant	Kate Marshall Lisa Cano Burkhead
Preceded by	Brian Sandoval
Succeeded by	Joe Lombardo
Chair of the Clark County Commission
In office January 7, 2013 – January 7, 2019
Preceded by	Susan Brager
Succeeded by	Marilyn Kirkpatrick
Vice Chair of the Clark County Commission
In office January 3, 2011 – January 6, 2013
Preceded by	Susan Brager
Succeeded by	Larry Brown
Member of the Clark County Commission from District A
In office January 5, 2009 – January 7, 2019
Preceded by	Bruce Woodbury
Succeeded by	Michael Naft
Member of the Nevada Board of Regents from the 2nd district
In office January 1, 1999 – December 31, 2008
Preceded by	Maddy Graves
Succeeded by	Theresa Malone
Constituency	Subdistrict G
Personal details
Born	(1953-12-26) December 26, 1953 (age 71) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouses	Dallas Garland ​ ​ (m. 1987; div. 2000)​ Kathy Ong ​ (m. 2018)​
Children	2
Education	University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee (BS) University of Nevada, Las Vegas (MBA)

Stephen F. Sisolak (born December 26, 1953) is an American businessman and politician. He served as the 30th governor of Nevada from 2019 to 2023. As a member of the Democratic Party, he was the first Democrat to be governor of Nevada in 20 years.

Before becoming governor, Sisolak had a long career in public service. He was a member of the Clark County Commission from 2009 to 2019. He also served on the Nevada Board of Regents, which oversees the state's public colleges and universities, from 1999 to 2008.

Early Life and Education

Steve Sisolak was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on December 26, 1953. His father, Edward, was a design engineer, and his mother, Mary, worked at a convenience store. His family has Slovak and Czech roots.

Sisolak grew up in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. When he was 13, he got his first job as a caddie at a local country club. In high school, he was active in student government and played basketball.

He went to college at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and earned a degree in business in 1974. Soon after, he moved to Nevada. He continued his education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in 1978.

Early Career

Before entering politics, Sisolak was a successful businessman. He was a partner in a company that sold promotional items like coffee cups and pens to other businesses.

Sisolak became involved in government projects and helping his community. This led him to run for public office. In 1998, he was elected to the Nevada Board of Regents. During his ten years on the board, he worked to help students. For example, he helped get money back for thousands of students who were charged the wrong tuition price. He also voted against raising tuition and student fees.

Clark County Commission

In 2008, Sisolak was elected to the Clark County Commission, which is the local government for the area that includes Las Vegas. He was reelected in 2012 and 2016. From 2013 to 2019, he served as the commission's chairman, or leader.

During his time as a commissioner, Sisolak focused on several key issues:

• Taxes: He was strongly against raising property taxes.
• Public Safety: He supported a plan to hire 720 new police officers for the Las Vegas area. This helped lower the crime rate.
• Community Projects: He helped open The Harbor, a center that helps young people stay out of trouble.
• Professional Sports: He was a key figure in bringing two major sports teams, the Vegas Golden Knights (hockey) and the Las Vegas Raiders (football), to Las Vegas.

He was known for trying to prevent wasteful spending of taxpayer money. He also worked to cut the pay for county commissioners.

Governor of Nevada

Sisolak speaking to the media in 2020.

In 2017, Sisolak announced he would run for governor of Nevada. He won the Democratic Party's nomination and faced Republican Adam Laxalt in the general election. Sisolak's campaign focused on improving education, healthcare, and the economy.

He was endorsed by many well-known figures, including former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Joe Biden. On November 6, 2018, Sisolak won the election, becoming the first Democratic governor of Nevada since 1999.

Time in Office

Sisolak with U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh in 2021.

Sisolak was sworn in as governor on January 7, 2019. During his term, he worked on many issues. He supported the expansion of solar energy projects in the state. He also appointed Lisa Cano Burkhead to serve as lieutenant governor in 2021 after the previous one resigned.

One of the biggest challenges of his term was the COVID-19 pandemic. He worked with state and national leaders, including Vice President Kamala Harris, to manage the state's response and set up vaccination sites.

Over the years, Sisolak's political views have been described as moderately liberal.

2022 Reelection Campaign

Sisolak ran for a second term as governor in 2022. He faced Republican Joe Lombardo, who was the sheriff of Clark County. The race was very close. In the end, Lombardo won the election. Sisolak was the only sitting governor in the United States to lose a reelection race that year. His term ended on January 2, 2023.

Personal Life

In 1987, Sisolak married Lori Ann "Dallas" Garland. They had two daughters together. The couple later divorced, and Sisolak raised his daughters as a single father. Both of his daughters attended public schools in Las Vegas and graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

In 2018, just after being elected governor, Sisolak married Kathy Ong.

Sisolak has been involved in many community and charitable groups, including the American Red Cross, the Boys & Girls Club, and the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth.

Electoral History

2018

2022

See also

In Spanish: Steve Sisolak para niños