Democrat Aaron Ford wins 2026 Nevada governor’s race, defeating incumbent Gov. Joe Lombardo

Democrat Aaron Ford won the Nevada governor’s race, CBS News projects, defeating incumbent Gov. Joe Lombardo as the state struggled because of tariffs and a decline in tourism.

Ford, who has been elected statewide twice as attorney general, will be Nevada’s first Black governor and the first Black governor elected in a state west of the Mississippi.

Lombardo, a moderate Republican who was first elected in 2022, had a massive war chest, but was unable to overcome the challenges stemming from the state’s economic woes. Nevada’s largest city, Las Vegas, is driven by tourism and has seen a dropoff in international tourists under President Trump, particularly from Canada. Nevada has also been hit hard by tariffs. 

Mr. Trump won Nevada by three points in 2024, the first Republican presidential candidate to win the state since 2004.

Although Lombardo touted his successes with the Democratic-led state legislature, Ford successfully tied him to national Republicans and Mr. Trump. According to an October poll by Noble Predictive Insights, 58% of Nevada residents disapprove of Mr. Trump’s performance. 

Democrats racked up stunning wins across the country on Tuesday, including Nevada, where Democrats flipped the 2nd District that encompasses the northern part of the state.