Aaron Ford becomes Nevada's first Black governor west of Mississippi
The Democrat will become the first Black governor west of the Mississippi, ending the Republican hold on the statehouse.
By Ivan Dvorak ·
Nevada voters chose Attorney General Aaron Ford over incumbent Governor Joe Lombardo on Tuesday, shifting the state’s executive office to Democratic control. The Associated Press called the race, marking a shift in leadership for a state that has seen frequent changes in political power in recent years.
Ford, a Democrat, will be the first Black governor of a state west of the Mississippi River. He has served as Nevada’s attorney general and previously held the role of Senate majority leader. His political career began in 2012 when he was first elected to the state legislature. Before entering public office, he practiced law privately and taught mathematics.
Lombardo, a Republican who took office in 2022, won a second term endorsement from President Trump. Before serving as governor, he worked as a sheriff. During the campaign, he highlighted his first-term achievements, including raising pay for teachers and state employees. He also pointed to a $133 million allocation set aside to develop housing for middle-income residents.
Ford campaigned on the economic impact of the current administration and Lombardo’s policies. He cited gas prices above $5 per gallon and a decline in tourism as key issues. He blamed tariffs and immigration crackdowns for hurting the tourism industry, which serves as a major revenue source for the state.
The race also hinged on federal funding and healthcare. Nevada faces the risk of losing an estimated $1.2 billion in federal money due to changes in Medicaid, food assistance, and Affordable Care Act insurance cuts. As attorney general, Ford joined lawsuits against the Trump administration to defend birthright citizenship, prevent federal election interference, and restore education funding.
Ford has pledged to revive legislative bills that Lombardo vetoed. These include measures to limit the number of homes large corporations can purchase and to allow the state to adopt negotiated prescription drug prices under Medicaid. Both candidates supported tax breaks for data centers, though they disagreed on how strictly to regulate the industry.
