Who is Aaron Ford and what is Ford running on in the 2026 Nevada Governor race?

Aaron Ford is the Democratic candidate for Nevada governor. Nevada Attorney General since 2019; former state Senate majority leader. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

The race

• The seat: Incumbent Joe Lombardo (R) seeking a second term.
• Rating: Toss-up (Cook).
• Polling: Ford 44, Lombardo 42 (Emerson, Sept 5 to 8, 2026); aggregate Lombardo +1.2 as of Sept 10, 2026.

Why Ford is behind

• Lombardo is the incumbent with a large money edge: ~$15M across campaign and PACs vs ~$2M for Ford entering 2026.
• Polls are essentially tied (Emerson Sept: Ford +2; aggregate Lombardo +1.2) in a purple state Trump carried in 2024.
• Ford ties Lombardo to Trump, whose popularity has declined in Nevada, and runs on grocery, gas, housing and healthcare costs; the 60,000-member Culinary Union endorsed Ford.
• Lombardo has kept some distance from Trump and runs on vetoes, school accountability and tightened criminal-justice rules.

What Ford is running on

• Housing. Cap security deposits at one month’s rent, ban junk rental fees, limit corporate investors buying homes, use federal land for affordable housing.
• Cost of living. Runs on an ‘Affordable Nevada’ agenda attacking the ‘Lombardo-Trump economy’.
• Healthcare. Cap prescription drug prices and work with nonprofits to cancel medical debt.
• Education. ‘Student Success’ agenda including guaranteed school meals.
• Labor. Would repeal Nevada’s right-to-work law.
• Energy. Require data centers to pay for their energy use so household bills don’t rise.
• Trump/tariffs. Sued the Trump administration over tariffs as attorney general; says Lombardo won’t stand up to Trump.

The other candidates

• Joe Lombardo (R)

Every race

See every Senate and governor race on the ballot, with each candidate’s chance of winning: the 2026 midterms at a glance.