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Nevada's Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford has won the gubernatorial race, defeating Republican incumbent Joe Lombardo by about 70,000 votes. Ford's victory makes him the first Black governor of Nevada and the first Black governor of a state west of the Mississippi River. This win is part of a broader trend in the midterms, with Wisconsin, Florida, and Georgia also electing Black governors.
Ford's campaign focused on economic issues, linking Lombardo to President Donald Trump and criticizing their handling of the economy. According to NPR, Ford highlighted Nevada's high gas prices and declining tourism as key issues, attributing them to Trump's tariffs and policies. Ford also promised to revive bills that Lombardo had vetoed, such as those limiting corporate homeownership and adopting Medicaid-negotiated drug prices.
Lombardo, who was elected in 2022 and endorsed by Trump, campaigned on his record of increasing pay for teachers and state employees and developing housing for middle-income Nevadans. However, his ties to Trump and the economic challenges faced by the state proved to be significant hurdles in his re-election bid.
Ford's win is seen as a significant victory for Democrats, especially in a state where Trump allies previously attempted to overturn President Joe Biden's 2020 victory. As reported by NBC News, Ford's campaign received support from national Democrats, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Ford's background includes serving as Nevada's attorney general since 2019, where he joined lawsuits against the Trump administration on issues like birthright citizenship and federal election interference. His campaign emphasized his personal story of overcoming poverty and his commitment to affordability and economic justice for Nevadans.