Nevada Dems coalescing around Ford for governor

Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford speaks during an event held to announce his campaign for Nevada governor, Monday, July 28, 2025, in Las Vegas. Photo by: Wade Vandervort

Nevada Democrats continue to throw their support behind Attorney General Aaron Ford’s run for governor in a primary race against Washoe County Commission Chair Alexis Hill. 

Ford’s campaign this morning touted endorsements from over half of the 63-member state legislature, 40 of whom are Democrats. The backing came from lawmakers representing Clark County, where Ford is based.

Assembly Majority Leader Sandra Jauregui as well as Assemblymembers Reuben D’Silva, David Orentlicher and Selena Torres-Fosset recently gave endorsements, Ford’s campaign said. Ford also has the support of Nevada’s Congressional Democrats.

In a statement, Ford drew on the state legislature’s combative relationship with Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, who vetoed a state-record 87 bills from the Democratic-controlled legislature in 2025. That broke his record of 75 vetoes in 2023.

“Democrats passed bills that would have expanded paid sick leave and cracked down on big corporations that are price-fixing essential goods and driving up costs for Nevadans,” Ford wrote. “Joe Lombardo vetoed critical family-first legislation, opting to instead align himself with big corporations.”

The attorney general wrote that, as governor, he’d “prioritize signing legislation that puts families above firms.” 

Hill officially announced her campaign earlier this month, taking swings at Ford and Lombardo in her opening campaign advertisement. She has yet to tout endorsements.

“Elon Musk swindled Nevada. Carson City politicians, like my opponents, gave him over $1 billion in tax incentives,” Hill says in the spot. “Then what happened? Elon got rich enough to buy the White House while we get unaffordable childcare, underfunded schools and traffic.”

Ford has quickly filled his war chest, raising $460,000 since formally announcing in late July, his campaign said. Between his campaign and affiliated PAC, Ford raised $1.1 million over July and August.

Announcing that milestone, Zoë Kleinfeld, Ford’s campaign manager, said the campaign is about creating a “strong, more inclusive economy.”

“Nevadans are looking for a governor who understands the economic pressures people are facing and who has the experience to deliver real solutions,” Kleinfeld wrote. “They’re finding that in Aaron Ford.”