Nevada’s primary election on June 9 set the stage for one of the nation’s most competitive governor’s races this fall, as Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo and Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford won their respective party nominations and will face off on November 3, 2026.
Lombardo, the former Clark County sheriff, easily secured his party’s nomination over several challengers as he seeks a second term. Ford defeated Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill in the Democratic contest, taking roughly two-thirds of the vote.
The matchup was long anticipated, but its significance became clear through the ratings of political forecasters. Of the five governor’s races rated as “toss-ups” by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, Nevada is the only one with an incumbent Republican running for re-election, according to NBC News. Lombardo won his first gubernatorial election in 2022 by less than two points, and Democrats have made him a top target for defeat in 2026.
Ford, who previously served as the top Democrat in the state Senate, is vying to become the first Black governor of Nevada. His primary victory came after he focused his campaign squarely on Lombardo, even declining to participate in a Democratic primary debate.
The general election campaign has already taken shape around competing economic narratives. Democrats have sought to tie Lombardo to President Donald Trump, arguing that his policies on tariffs, immigration, and other matters have harmed Nevada’s economy. In a statement after Ford’s primary win, Ford campaign manager Zoë Kleinfeld called Lombardo “Trump’s human doormat,” according to NBC News, and accused him of telling working Nevadans to “feel a little pain” while his biggest donors saw increased profits.
Lombardo and his allies, meanwhile, have cast him as a pragmatic Republican who has worked with a Democratic-controlled Legislature on jobs, education, and housing. After his primary victory, Lombardo acknowledged continued economic pressures. “Our work isn’t finished. There are still families feeling the pressure of rising costs, students who need greater opportunities, and communities that deserve even more economic growth and investment,” he said, according to NBC News.
The Democratic Governors Association has called Nevada a “top pickup opportunity” for Democrats this cycle. Political director Chris Sloan stated that “Joe Lombardo is the most vulnerable governor up for re-election in the country, thanks to his failed record and his support for Trump’s cost-raising agenda.” However, Lombardo enters the general election with significant fundraising advantages—his campaign and allied groups had spent about $8.5 million on ads through the primary, compared to $67,000 spent by the Ford campaign, according to ad-tracking firm AdImpact.
Nevada’s political history suggests how closely divided the state remains. Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak lost his re-election bid in 2022 by just over 15,000 votes, making him the only incumbent Democratic governor to lose re-election that year. That same year, Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto narrowly won re-election by 7,900 votes. In 2024, the state split again: Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris lost Nevada, while Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen defeated her Republican challenger.
The race will likely turn on how both candidates appeal to Latino voters, who make up about one in five Nevada voters. Latino voters shifted toward Trump in Nevada in 2024, helping power the first Republican presidential election win in the state in 20 years, according to NBC News.
Sources
- NBC News — Primary results, candidate profiles, campaign messaging, fundraising data, and expert analysis on the Nevada governor’s race
- Cook Political Report — Race ratings and classification of Nevada as a toss-up
- AP News — Confirmation of primary winners and general election setup
