Nevada GOP Gov. Lombardo projected to face Democrat Ford in highly competitive race

Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, a Democrat, and Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo won their parties’ primaries in this year’s Nevada gubernatorial race, CBS News projects, setting up the November ballot in one of the races Democrats are targeting. 

Ford, who is from Clark County, defeated several primary opponents on Tuesday, with his most formidable challenge coming from progressive Alexis Hill. According to University of Nevada-Las Vegas political science professor Rebecca Gill, Ford had entered the race with name recognition and a structural advantage as the highest-ranking Democrat elected statewide. 

Lombardo also defeated multiple primary opponents on Tuesday. 

Democrats in the state have already begun zeroing in on Lombardo, and the Democratic Governors’ Association has identified Nevada as one of its top targets. 

The Cook Political Report has rated the Nevada gubernatorial race as a toss up.

The November election is expected to be largely a referendum on President Trump, as the state has been hit hard by some of Mr. Trump’s signature policies, including immigration and tariffs. Canadians account for half of Las Vegas’ foreign tourism, which has dropped by 17% in 2025. 

Tourism, which accounts for 30% of the region’s jobs, in 2025 declined 7.5% overall, the largest visitor drop outside of the pandemic since 1970, when the city started tracking data. 

As attorney general, Ford signed onto more than 40 lawsuits in 2025 against the Trump administration, something that will figure prominently in his effort to unseat Lombardo. 

Lombardo told Politico earlier this year that he is “concerned” about reelection. 

 “Not only because of my re-elect but because of Nevada, right?” Lombardo said. “What’s the proverbial line — all politics are local? It’s no longer that way. What’s happening worldwide, nationally, either we embrace it or we don’t.”

Gill, the political scientist, said Lombardo will have an “uphill battle” in November. 

Nevada had voted for Democrats in most presidential elections since 2008, and the state has two Democratic senators. But the state’s economy is heavily dependent on tourism, which was decimated by the COVID-19 pandemic and its lockdowns, leading Nevadans to vote Lombardo into office as governor in 2022. Two years later, Mr. Trump won the state by three points.