Nevada Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony has an unusual plan to rev up the Silver State’s entertainment business: space tourism; and with Elon Musk having significant business interests in the state, he won’t have to look far to find the man to do it.

Anthony’s background has been anything but boring: he had a nearly three-decade career in law enforcement, was a regent in the state’s higher education system, and served as a longtime Las Vegas city councilman. 

He ran a spirited campaign for mayor of Las Vegas, and since 2022 has served alongside Governor Joe Lombardo, leading the Silver State. The Lombardo/Anthony ticket was the only one in America in which Republicans defeated an incumbent Democratic governor and lieutenant governor.

Recently, Anthony sat down with Fox News Digital at FreedomFest in Las Vegas to discuss his career, the Nevada economy, and electoral prospects in 2026, in what is shaping up to be one of the tightest gubernatorial races in the country.

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Anthony promotes the state as a mecca for the entertainment business, touting a light regulatory touch and a thriving climate for entrepreneurship. He’s particularly bullish on professional sports, and the nascent space tourism industry.

«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. 

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«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.»

Elon Musk speaks at the Viva Technology conference focused on innovation and startups at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris on June 16, 2023. (Chesnot/Getty Images)

Anthony credits his lengthy career with Las Vegas Metro Police for giving him the problem-solving foundation to launch a successful political career:

«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.»

Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo speaks onstage after a parade for Bruno Mars honoring his impact on Las Vegas entertainment at Toshiba Plaza on April 10, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for MGM Resorts)

President Trump has endorsed the Lombardo/Anthony ticket, and he believes that the new no tax on tips policy will prove to be a major electoral boost come November.

«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.»

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«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.»

President Donald Trump speaks about the economy during an event at the Circa Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025.  (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Finally, Anthony notes that his political philosophy is heavily shaped by his immigrant parents from Cyprus who instilled the values of hard work, self-reliance, and fiscal responsibility.

«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… number one: you work hard. 

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«Number two: 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.»

El subsecretario Michael Kozak afirmó ante el Senado de Estados Unidos que el statu quo en Nicaragua “debe” cambiar “pronto”, al definir al régimen de Daniel Ortega y Rosario Murillo como una “brutal y cleptocrática dinastía dictatorial” y ubicar al país entre las principales preocupaciones de seguridad de Washington en el hemisferio occidental.

En la misma comparecencia, el funcionario sostuvo que la política exterior de la administración de Donald Trump hacia América Latina tuvo entre sus resultados una caída del 92% en los encuentros diarios de inmigrantes ilegales en la frontera suroeste estadounidense durante los primeros 17 meses de gestión, un dato que presentó como parte del endurecimiento de la agenda regional.

Kozak declaró ante el Subcomité para el Hemisferio Occidental del Comité de Relaciones Exteriores del Senado que Nicaragua “sufre bajo una dinastía dictatorial brutal y cleptocrática que reprime todas las facetas de la Iglesia Católica, así como a sus ciudadanos comunes, y alberga a adversarios de seguridad de los Estados Unidos”, indican medios regionales.

“El statu quo en Nicaragua es intolerable para los Estados Unidos y sus vecinos, así como para el pueblo nicaragüense. Debe cambiar, y pronto”, declaró según medios como 100% Noticias.

La audiencia estuvo centrada en la Estrategia de Seguridad Nacional y en la política de Estados Unidos hacia América Latina. Citado por Centroamérica360, el subsecretario remarcó que la preocupación de su gobierno no se limita a un solo país. “Nos preocupa la inestabilidad y los actores malignos en Cuba, Nicaragua y Venezuela”, dijo durante su testimonio.

Ese señalamiento elevó el tono de las críticas de la administración Trump contra el régimen nicaragüense. De acuerdo con el medio centroamericano, se trató de una de las declaraciones públicas emitidas hasta ese momento por un funcionario de esa administración sobre la situación política del país.

Durante su intervención, Kozak también evaluó la política exterior de Washington en la región y colocó el combate a la inmigración ilegal como “primer objetivo” de la administración Trump. En ese punto, sostuvo que el enfoque de seguridad fronteriza aplicado con socios regionales “resultados sin precedentes”.

La cita textual que presentó fue la siguiente: “Nuestro primer objetivo ha sido eliminar la inmigración ilegal. El enfoque integral del presidente Trump hacia la seguridad fronteriza, trabajando con socios en toda la región, ha logrado resultados sin precedentes: los encuentros diarios de inmigrantes ilegales en la frontera suroeste de Estados Unidos han disminuido un 92%”.

El subsecretario aseguró además que su gobierno facilitó el mayor número de deportaciones de su historia para retirar a extranjeros sin derecho a permanecer en Estados Unidos. También dijo que ese liderazgo permitió a países socios mejorar el control de sus propias fronteras.

En otro tramo de su comparecencia, afirmó que varios líderes extranjeros reconocieron los efectos sociales del tráfico de personas a través de sus territorios. Sostuvo además que la reducción de la inmigración ilegal afectó una fuente importante de ingresos de los cárteles, porque, según su explicación, una parte muy significativa de sus ingresos globales provenía del traslado de migrantes hacia Estados Unidos.

Según Centroamérica360, Kozak abordó además la situación venezolana y dijo que Estados Unidos considera necesario encontrar un equilibrio para convocar elecciones después de la emergencia generada por los terremotos que afectaron al país.

En ese contexto, indicó que no deberían celebrarse comicios demasiado pronto ni demasiado tarde. “Creo que algo así como el 40% de los votantes en Venezuela no están registrados en este momento. Tienen que arreglar el padrón electoral, renovar el Consejo Electoral”, afirmó.

También señaló que la Asamblea Nacional de 2015 y las autoridades interinas habían anunciado que empezarían a trabajar el primero de agosto para activar los elementos necesarios para organizar esas elecciones.

Andy Burnham, the former Greater Manchester mayor who has frequently criticized President Donald Trump, is poised to become the United Kingdom’s next prime minister after emerging as the only candidate to replace outgoing Labour leader Keir Starmer.

Burnham, 56, received nominations from 322 of Labour’s 403 Members of Parliament on the first day of the leadership process, far surpassing the 81 required to enter the contest and leaving potential rivals with virtually no path to qualify. 

He is expected to be formally confirmed as Labour leader Friday and appointed prime minister by King Charles III on Monday after Starmer’s resignation.

Britain’s parliamentary system allows the governing party to replace its leader — and therefore the prime minister — without holding a national election. The next nationwide election does not have to be held until 2029.

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Burnham’s rapid path to Downing Street is drawing criticism from political opponents and foreign policy analysts who say he has not faced the scrutiny that would normally accompany either a competitive party leadership race or a general election campaign.

«Andy Burnham is the least scrutinized incoming U.K. Prime Minister of recent times,» Alan Mendoza, executive director of the London-based Henry Jackson Society, told Fox News Digital.

«He has faced neither a general election nor an internal party leadership debate in order to establish his positions for wider consumption,» Mendoza said. «He wasn’t even a candidate at the last general election.»

Burnham did, however, win 54.8% of the vote in June’s Makerfield parliamentary by-election, defeating Reform UK’s candidate and returning to the House of Commons after nearly a decade away. Before returning to Parliament, he had been directly elected mayor of Greater Manchester three times.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage argued in a previous interview with Fox News Digital that Burnham should seek a new national mandate.

«The public are tired of the game of musical chairs that’s been taking place in 10 Downing Street over the last decade,» Farage said.

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Reform UK leader Nigel Farage speaks during a news conference in Westminster, United Kingdom, June 10, 2025. (Thomas Krych/Anadolu via Getty Images)

«Mr. Burnham will come in, he will have no mandate,» he added. «I don’t even know what his policies are. Literally, I don’t. So, I think for all of those reasons, there ought to be a general election and a fresh mandate.»

Farage made the comments before resigning his parliamentary seat this month to trigger an Aug. 13 by-election in Clacton, where he plans to run again. Farage said he wanted voters to judge him amid parliamentary scrutiny over allegations involving gifts from wealthy supporters. He has denied wrongdoing. Police are separately investigating donations made to Reform UK, but no arrests have been announced.

Who is Andy Burnham?

Burnham grew up in north-west England between Liverpool and Manchester. The son of a British Telecom engineer and a receptionist, he joined the Labour Party as a teenager, studied at Cambridge University and was first elected to Parliament in 2001, according to The Associated Press.

He rose through Labour’s ranks during the governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown and served in several senior positions, including as culture secretary and health secretary.

Burnham ran unsuccessfully for the Labour leadership in 2010 and again in 2015. He left Parliament in 2017 after winning election as mayor of Greater Manchester, a regional position he used to build a national political profile.

A British Union flag flies from a souvenir stall near the Houses of Parliament in London, U.K., Oct. 27, 2025. (Jason Alden/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

As mayor, Burnham promoted greater regional control over transportation and public services. His administration brought Greater Manchester’s fragmented bus system under public control as part of the Bee Network, a regional transportation project that became one of his signature achievements.

He also became closely associated with the campaign for accountability over the 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster, in which 97 Liverpool soccer fans were killed. Burnham supported victims’ families in their long-running effort to expose police failures and rebut false accusations originally directed at supporters.

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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announces the timeline for his resignation after Andy Burnham’s decisive victory last week in the Makerfield by-election outside 10 Downing Street, in London, Britain, June 22, 2026. (Reuters/Jack Taylor )

What has Andy Burnham said about President Trump?

Burnham has repeatedly criticized President Donald Trump, accusing him of contributing to global instability while warning that Britain risks importing the polarization of American politics. In a 2025 interview with The London Economic, Burnham compared Trump’s return to office to the turmoil caused in Britain by former Prime Minister Liz Truss. 

«The instability that Liz Truss brought to Britain, I think Trump is bringing to the U.S. and the world,» Burnham said in the interview. He also described several of Trump’s decisions, including his approach to the Russia-Ukraine war, as «out of order.»

President Trump and King Charles shared a laugh outside the White House ahead of a state dinner. (Henry Nicholls/AFP via Getty Images)

Burnham’s criticism of Trump dates back to the president’s first election in 2016. After Trump’s victory, Burnham described some of his rhetoric as «deeply troubling» but argued that politicians on the left should examine why working-class voters had turned to him rather than simply blaming the electorate. 

«We have to look closer to home,» Burnham said, according to The Guardian.

His language became sharper following the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. As the attack unfolded, Burnham wrote on X that «any UK politician who gave Trump the time of day should be ashamed right now.»

More recently, during his Makerfield parliamentary campaign, Burnham warned that Britain was moving toward «the politics of the United States of America,» which he described as «a polarized, poisonous politics where people in communities don’t work together anymore.»

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Despite those attacks, Burnham has stopped short of advocating a rupture with Washington. According to Time, he supported Starmer’s effort to maintain a working relationship with Trump, while arguing that Britain must be prepared to disagree with the United States. 

«Obviously, the relationship is important to the U.K., but not to the point where we just go along with anything they say,» Burnham said. 

Trump has already responded dismissively to the likely incoming British leader. Asked in June what he knew about Burnham, Trump said, «I don’t know, I think I see that he was, I guess, the mayor of a town.» Trump added that he had heard Burnham was «extremely liberal» and suggested that he would oppose expanded North Sea oil drilling, before declaring that «the U.K. is dying,» according ton Reuters.

What are Andy Burnham’s political views?

Burnham is generally regarded as being to the left of Starmer. He has said he wants to take what he calls «Manchesterism» nationwide, describing an approach that places «people and place before party» and transfers greater attention and authority from London to regions that have historically received less investment.

He has emphasized infrastructure, housing, transportation and regional economic development, while arguing against what he calls «trickle-down economics.» The Associated Press reported that his priorities have also included vocational education, youth employment, lower energy bills and cheaper rail travel.

Mendoza said that Burnham’s past positions and recent statements suggest he would move the British government further to the left.

«What we can be certain of is that he will be looking to impose a fairly radical left-wing agenda for the country based on his past beliefs and recent pronouncements,» Mendoza said.

«In no particular order, these include introduction of wealth taxes, changes to the electoral system, a vast expansion of social housing and attacks on hitherto allies of the U.K. like Israel.»

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Pro-Palestinian protesters hold a banner and chant at at anti-Israel protest in London Dec. 9 2023., (Andy Soloman/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Burnham has sought to counter concerns about his limited recent national security experience. 

He has pledged continuity in Britain’s commitments to NATO, its nuclear deterrent, the United States and Ukraine, according to The Associated Press. 

He has also called for Britain to rebuild its military capabilities and domestic defense industry in response to what he described as an increasingly dangerous international environment.

On the war in Gaza, Burnham has criticized Labour’s earlier response and argued that the party was too slow to call for a ceasefire. The Associated Press reported that he has raised the possibility of additional sanctions and trade restrictions involving goods linked to Israeli settlements. Burnham has also condemned Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack against Israel.

Burnham has not served in Britain’s national government since 2010 and spent almost a decade outside Parliament, meaning his record is far more developed on domestic and regional policy than on current foreign policy and national security questions.

When could Britain hold a general election?

Burnham would not be required to call an immediate general election. Labour won a large parliamentary majority under Starmer in July 2024, allowing the party to remain in power until 2029 unless Burnham decides to seek an earlier mandate.

Mendoza predicted that Burnham could attempt to capitalize on the momentum surrounding his arrival at Downing Street.

«As he is never likelier to be more popular than on day one of his premiership, we should also be on the watch for his calling of an early general election in order to capitalize on this unique moment,» Mendoza said.

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Britain’s Labour Party candidate Andy Burnham speaks to supporters after the Makerfield by-election in Ashton in Makerfield, England, June 19, 2026. (Jon Super/AP)

Burnham would inherit an economy facing weak growth, pressure on public finances, strained health and welfare services and continuing concern over the cost of living.

He would also become Britain’s seventh prime minister in just over a decade, reflecting the rapid political turnover at Downing Street since the country’s 2016 vote to leave the European Union.