Las Vegas – Nevada Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro took to the media this week to denounce a wave of campaign signs that call her “soft on crime.” The signs, which appear across the state, feature bold blue lettering and a white slogan that the former chief deputy district attorney says mischaracterizes her long‑standing record as a prosecutor.
Prosecutorial experience and legislative achievements
Cannizzaro, a graduate of the William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV, began her career in the Clark County district attorney’s office, where she served as a gang prosecutor handling some of the most violent offenses in Nevada. She later was elected to the state Senate and now serves as majority leader.
In the Legislature, she has championed bills aimed at curbing fentanyl trafficking, protecting children from exploitation, and strengthening law‑enforcement resources. She also helped pass legislation to increase the threshold for felony theft, a reform intended to focus resources on serious offenders while still addressing organized retail theft. Her work on that issue earned an endorsement from the Retail Association of Nevada.
Response to the “soft on crime” narrative
“It is absurd to me to be called soft on crime,” Cannizzaro said. “I am a longtime career prosecutor. I am a former gang prosecutor, so I’ve handled some of the most heinous crimes you can imagine here in our state, to protect our community, and that’s something I am very proud of.”
She emphasized that the retail theft problem is a nationwide challenge, not a product of any single Nevada law, and noted that other states are grappling with similar spikes in shoplifting.
Immigration enforcement stance
When asked about immigration policy, Cannizzaro aligned herself with the current administration’s firm approach. “President Trump’s administration continues to crack down on illegal immigration with an aggressive deportation agenda,” she said. “We have seen rogue, lawless immigration and customs enforcement agents terrorizing communities. It is crucial that anyone operating in Nevada does so under Nevada law and is not above the law because they entered under a broken federal system.”
She added that individuals who are in the country illegally and are charged with crimes must still receive due process, including defense counsel and a fair trial, before any removal proceedings occur.
Break with party leadership on pardon request
Cannizzaro also distanced herself from Attorney General Aaron Ford’s recent request to the state pardons board to modify the sentence of Norman Smith, a convicted robber and voluntary manslaughter defendant. While Ford said he would have voted no on the modification, he presented the case for board consideration. Cannizzaro said she would not have made the request herself, stressing her commitment to taking such violent cases seriously.
“Our attorney general made very clear that he would not have voted for that, right? He did his job as attorney general, putting forward a case for consideration, but he and I are on the same position on this: He said he would not have voted for it and I would not have, either,” she explained.
Endorsements and campaign outlook
Cannizzaro’s law‑enforcement credentials have earned her endorsements from police groups across Nevada. Governor Joe Lombardo, who is seeking a second term, also backs her candidacy, citing her dedication to public safety.
The campaign has not yet released official signage from Cannizzaro’s team, and she noted that the “soft on crime” signs are not her own. As the primary race intensifies, she promises to continue fighting for strong crime‑deterrent policies and to uphold the rule of law for all Nevadans.
Original reporting: KTNV 13 Action News Las Vegas (local) — read the source article.
