Nevada’s primary election on June 9 delivered clear front-runners in the governor’s race: Republican Joe Lombardo dominated the GOP primary with 91.3% of votes, while Democrat Aaron Ford led his party’s field with 59.7%, setting up a November general election between the incumbent governor and the state’s attorney general.
Lombardo, who assumed office on January 2, 2023, is seeking a second term as governor. He faced seven Republican challengers in the primary but secured a decisive victory, capturing 36,011 votes compared to 1,038 for “None of These Candidates” and 845 for Irina Hansen, according to results tabulated by the Associated Press.
Ford, Nevada’s Attorney General since 2019, emerged from a crowded Democratic field in his first run for statewide executive office. He received 15,661 votes, nearly double the 7,678 votes for his closest rival, Alexis Hill, a Democratic activist. Ford is the first African American to hold statewide constitutional office in Nevada, according to the Nevada Attorney General’s Office.
Ford previously served in the Nevada State Senate from 2012 to 2018, including a term as State Senate Majority Leader. He is term-limited as attorney general and cannot seek reelection to that position, which prompted his entry into the gubernatorial race. According to the Cook Political Report, Ford officially launched his campaign against Lombardo in July 2025, with endorsements from Nevada’s two U.S. senators boosting his profile as the Democratic frontrunner.
The general election on November 3, 2026, will pit the Republican incumbent against a Democrat seeking to flip the governorship. Political analysts have rated the race as competitive, with the Cook Political Report listing it as a toss-up and Sabato’s Crystal Ball leaning Republican.
Sources
- MS NOW — Live Nevada gubernatorial primary results with vote totals and percentages for both Republican and Democratic primaries
- Ballotpedia — Biographical information on Joe Lombardo, including his inauguration date and current term end date
- Nevada Attorney General’s Office — Official confirmation that Aaron Ford is the first African American to hold statewide constitutional office in Nevada
- Democratic Attorneys General Association — Biographical details on Aaron Ford as the 34th Attorney General of Nevada
- Cook Political Report — Information on Aaron Ford’s campaign launch and endorsements from Nevada’s U.S. senators
- The Nevada Independent — Coverage of Ford’s term-limited status as attorney general and his transition to the gubernatorial race
