By Salma El-Sakka
Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford has won the state's gubernatorial election on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2026, NBC News projects, defeating Republican incumbent Gov. Joe Lombardo and becoming the state's first Black governor.
Economic messaging drives campaign
Democrats framed the race as a referendum on the economy under Lombardo and President Donald Trump, attacking the 2025 tax cuts and spending bill as harmful to low-income Nevadans and highlighting Trump's tariffs in a tourism-dependent state.
Lombardo's balancing act falls short
Lombardo attempted to distance himself from some Trump policies while embracing others, such as tax cuts on tips, and emphasized his law enforcement background to portray Democrats as weak on crime, but the strategy failed to overcome voter concerns over rising costs.
Political implications
The flip gives Democrats a boost two years before the next presidential election and marks the third consecutive Nevada governor to lose a re-election bid.
