Nevada Gubernatorial: Aaron Ford Wins AP Call Over Incumbent

Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford defeated Republican Governor Joe Lombardo on Tuesday, according to an Associated Press race call.

The result makes Ford the first Black governor of a state west of the Mississippi River. He served as the state's first Black Senate majority leader before taking office as attorney general.

Ford first won a seat in the state legislature in 2012. Prior to public service, he worked as a private attorney and a math teacher.

During his tenure as attorney general, Ford joined lawsuits against the Trump administration. Those legal actions aimed to uphold birthright citizenship, halt federal election interference, and restore education funding.

Lombardo won his initial term in 2022 after serving as a sheriff. President Donald Trump endorsed the incumbent for the 2026 race.

Ford criticized the state's economy during the campaign. He pointed to gas prices exceeding $5 per gallon and a decline in tourism caused by tariffs and immigration enforcement.

Nevada faces an estimated $1.2 billion loss in federal funding. This cut stems from changes to Medicaid, food assistance, and Affordable Care Act insurance subsidies.

Ford promised to revive bills that Lombardo vetoed. These measures include limiting corporate home purchases and allowing the state to adopt Medicaid negotiated drug prices.

Lombardo highlighted his first-term actions. He raised salaries for teachers and state employees and allocated $133 million for middle-income housing development.

Both candidates supported tax incentives for data centers. They differed on their future stance regarding those financial breaks.