Lombardo, Ford projected to set up competitive Nevada governor race

Joe Lombardo and Aaron Ford are projected to win Nevada’s gubernatorial primaries, setting up a toss-up race Democrats hope to flip in November.

Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo and Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford are projected to win their primaries in Nevada’s governor’s race, CBS News reported, setting up a November contest expected to be one of the most competitive gubernatorial races of the year.

The matchup gives Democrats a clear target in a state where the Cook Political Report rates the governor’s race as a toss-up. The Democratic Governors’ Association has already identified Nevada as one of its top pickup opportunities as the party seeks to unseat Lombardo.

Ford, who is from Clark County, defeated several Democratic primary opponents Tuesday, including progressive Alexis Hill, described in the CBS report as his most formidable challenger. Lombardo also defeated multiple Republican primary opponents.

Ford entered the race with significant advantages inside Nevada Democratic politics, according to University of Nevada-Las Vegas political science professor Rebecca Gill, who told CBS News that his name recognition and status as the highest-ranking Democrat elected statewide gave him a structural edge.

The general election is likely to be shaped by national politics and Nevada’s tourism-heavy economy. CBS reported that the race is expected to serve largely as a referendum on President Trump, whose immigration and tariff policies have affected a state deeply tied to travel and hospitality.

Canadians account for half of Las Vegas’ foreign tourism, which dropped 17% in 2025, according to the report. Overall tourism declined 7.5% in 2025, the largest visitor drop outside the pandemic since Las Vegas began tracking the data in 1970. Tourism accounts for about 30% of the region’s jobs.

Ford’s record as attorney general is also expected to become a central part of the campaign. He joined more than 40 lawsuits in 2025 against the Trump administration, a record that could help define his argument against Lombardo and the broader Republican agenda.

Lombardo has acknowledged the difficult environment. In an interview with Politico earlier this year, cited by CBS, he said he was “concerned” about reelection, adding, “Not only because of my re-elect but because of Nevada, right?”

Republicans are signaling they will defend the seat aggressively. Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters said Wednesday that Nevadans would turn out for Lombardo, calling him a “fighter for public safety, lower costs, and kitchen table issues.”

Nevada has backed Democrats in most presidential elections since 2008 and has two Democratic U.S. senators, but the state has remained fiercely competitive. Lombardo won the governorship in 2022 after the pandemic battered Nevada’s economy, and Trump carried the state by three points two years later. The November race will test which political current proves stronger in 2026.