Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford projected to defeat Joe Lombardo

Democratic Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford has defeated Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, the Associated Press projects, in a result that would make Ford the state’s first Black governor. Fox News relayed the projection.

The projected win would return the governor’s office to Democrats after Lombardo defeated Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak in 2022. Ford has been Nevada’s attorney general since 2019.

Costs and campaign priorities

Ford campaigned on affordability, housing, education, healthcare and protecting abortion access. He said families faced high housing costs, energy bills and other expenses under Lombardo. Nevada has faced a shortage of affordable homes, particularly around Las Vegas and Reno, while rising rents and mortgage rates have placed pressure on working- and middle-class residents.

Lombardo defended his record on public safety, education, economic development and government spending, saying his administration increased education funding, expanded workforce development and worked to diversify the economy beyond tourism and gaming. He also accused Ford of proposing costly programs without explaining how to pay for them; his campaign estimated that fully implementing Ford’s platform could cost billions of dollars over four years.

Ford rejected that estimate, saying it included assumptions and spending mechanisms outside his proposals. He said his agenda could be carried out using existing state resources, federal funding and policy changes.

Legislative control

Democrats held majorities in both chambers of the Nevada Legislature going into the election. Whether the party will control both the legislature and the governor’s office depends on the legislative election results.