Aaron Ford ousts incumbent Republican Joe Lombardo for Nevada governor

Democrat Aaron Ford has defeated incumbent Republican Joe Lombardo in the 2026 Nevada governor’s race.

CNN and AP called the race early Wednesday, Nov. 4, with Ford taking just under 52% of the votes to Lombardo's 44%.

Also on the ballot was Danielle Ford, no relation to Aaron, with 2.7%.

Lombardo had sought his second term as governor while Ford termed out after serving two terms as Nevada’s attorney general.

From the start, Lombardo had a big money advantage that hammered Ford for months over accusations of too much out-of-state travel and participating in votes on the state Board of Pardons.

Ford has sought to counter criticisms by linking Lombardo to President Donald Trump, gas prices and inflation. That argument worked in races across the nation as Democrats swept both the U.S. House and Senate in a stunning "blue tsunami."

Mark Robison is the politics & government reporter for the Reno Gazette Journal. Email comments to [email protected] or comment on Mark’s Greater Reno Facebook page.