The governor’s race in Nevada is expected to be among the most competitive in the nation as Democrats seek to reclaim the seat. Republican incumbent Gov. Joe Lombardo will face Attorney General Aaron Ford in November.
Team Lombardo has already spent over $33 million on campaign ads — whereas Ford has spent less than $200,000.
Ford’s campaign is linking Lombardo with President Donald Trump, whose approval ratings are souring due to the war in Iran and a struggling economy. Ford, who’s running on affordability, has dubbed the economic climate as the “Lombardo-Trump economy.”
Team Lombardo has taken a step back from running on affordability, and has instead attacked Ford for his time out of office, which Ford rebutted the claim, saying he was traveling for work.
Here’s where each candidate stands on key issues, from affordability to foreign policy.
Affordability
Ford: The Democratic nominee has promised to implement numerous measures to help save Nevadans money. That includes:
- Universal free school meals
- Repealing the state’s right-to-work law
- Capping insulin at $35
- Expanding paid family leave
- Waived college fees for unhoused youth
- Repealing NV Energy’s demand charge
Lombardo: The Republican governor vetoed every single measure Ford is proposing. At Trump’s rally on Aug. 5, Lombardo said his vetoes “protected Nevada” despite critics contending the rejected bills would’ve helped lower income families. In a recently leaked audio, Lombardo said he does not control affordability issues, and passed blame to the Trump administration. “When you talk about kitchen table issues such as affordability, groceries and all that, that is a driver of the federal government,” Lombardo said.
Data centers
Ford: He pledged to pause all new tax breaks for data centers if elected. Since Ford announced how he plans to tackle data centers, progressives have rallied around the Democrat as the topic is starting to become a single-voter issue. It’s a stark difference from Lombardo, who’s openly supported data centers building in Nevada.
To keep energy and water bills from spiking for everyday Nevadans, Ford’s platform would:
- Force data centers to pay for their own power infrastructure so costs don’t shift to consumers.
- Ban evaporative cooling statewide to conserve water resources.
- Block data center developments on federal public lands.
Lombardo: The Republican governor has defended data centers as an economic win and alleges the tech warehouses don’t strain state resources, such as energy and water. His affiliated PAC has taken in $2 million in major tech and data center donations, including $1 million from the family behind major Nevada
Reproductive rights
Ford: He’s joined numerous lawsuits against the Trump administration in an effort to protect reproductive freedom in Nevada. That includes opposing funding cuts for Planned Parenthood, sued to protect birth control under the Affordable Care Act, and suing the Biden administration to improve access to Mifepristone. Reproductive Freedom for All, the group backing Question 6, endorsed Ford last year.
Lombardo: The Republican incumbent identifies as Catholic and pro-life, but supports Nevadans voting on Question 6. During the 2025 legislative session, he signed measures to improve access to contraception and to breastfeed in public spaces. Lombardo, however, vetoed bills to expand paid family leave and mandate insurance coverage for in-vitro fertilization.
Immigration
Ford: While Ford said he does not “support sanctuary policies,” he’s spearheaded efforts to support the immigrant community in Nevada. That includes: supporting driver authorization cards for undocumented immigrants, voting for immigration reform with a path to citizenship and sued Trump over his executive order on birthright citizenship.
Lombardo: Lombardo, the former Clark County sheriff, has supported Trump’s aggressive immigration policies. He has, however, he has reportedly leveraged his relationship with the president to keep Immigration and Customs Enforcement at bay in Nevada. He also urged Congress to give $70 billion to the federal immigration agency in June.
Voter ID
Ford: Ford previously said he will not support implementing voter ID, calling it an “unconstitutional act.” He added there isn’t enough evidence to prove voter fraud is occurring widespread in Nevada, a stance supported by Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar, who maintains Nevada’s elections are safe and secure.
Lombardo: The Republican governor has repeatedly pushed for stricter voter ID laws. In 2023, he attempted to pass a voter ID law before the state legislature killed the effort. Lombardo then supported the ballot initiative in 2024, which voters approved. More recently, he signed a letter to Trump and Congress to pass the Save America Act, a measure critics warn could disenfranchise millions of voters.
Iran war
Ford: The Democratic nominee openly criticized Lombardo for supporting the war in Iran, doubling down on costs rising under the “Lombardo-Trump economy.” Ford said “After all the pain at the pump Nevadans have already suffered thanks to Trump’s Iran War, Joe Lombardo is doubling down on his support and seeking to funnel billions more taxpayer dollars towards it.”
Lombardo: Lombardo has openly supported the war in Iran. When Trump greenlit military action, he posted “Iran has long been a threat to the United States, Israel and any hope of peace in the Middle East.” He also sent a letter to Trump on July 29, urging the president to allocate more funding for the war overseas.
