Nevada — Governor

D Democratic Aaron Ford

Criticizes Lombardo-Trump economy and tariffs

Ford criticizes what he terms the Lombardo-Trump economy for high unemployment, falling Las Vegas tourism, and increased household costs driven by federal tariffs. He campaigns on a worker-first economic agenda that includes repealing Nevada's right-to-work law.

• Pledges to repeal Nevada's right-to-work law legislatively to support organized labor.
• Sued over federal tariffs that he argues cost Nevada families $2,053 and hurt tourism.
• Focuses on bringing down everyday living costs and expanding middle-class economic opportunities.

“No more failed leadership in Carson City that lets jobs disappear while prices are soaring … no more to a governor who bends the knee to a president he seeks to please instead of the people he’s sworn to protect.”

“Nevada families have paid $2,053 in the failing Lombardo-Trump economy because of Trump's tariffs. Lombardo said Nevadans should “feel a little pain” from them. I disagree. Which is why I sued — and I'll keep fighting to bring your costs down.”

“It can be done legislatively. They can send me a bill. And if they send it to me, I'm signing it.”

R Republican Joe Lombardo

Touts job growth and business deregulation

Lombardo emphasizes his administration's economic record, citing sustained job growth, over $6 billion in private investment, regulatory streamlining, and tax cuts. He campaigns on maintaining a business-friendly environment and protecting state savings.

• Oversaw a 4.3% employment increase since 2022, adding nearly 100,000 jobs and attracting over $6 billion in private investment.
• Lowered the Modified Business Tax rate by 15% and cut or streamlined over 900 state regulations.
• Secured record state reserves in Nevada's Rainy Day Fund.

“Under Governor Lombardo’s leadership, Nevada has led the nation in job growth for 11 consecutive months, employment has grown 1.8% year-over-year, we’ve reached a record 1.6 million jobs, generated over $6 billion in new investment, and created nearly 100,000 jobs.”

D Democratic Aaron Ford

Supports regulations on Wall Street landlords

Ford approaches the housing affordability crisis by targeting institutional Wall Street buyers, standing up to tariffs on building materials, and easing municipal land permitting for home construction.

• Cracking down on Wall Street investment firms purchasing Nevada residential real estate.
• Opposing tariffs that inflate building material costs for new home construction.
• Partnering with municipalities to streamline permitting and utilize vacant land.

“stand up to tariffs that threaten to drive up housing costs ... crack down on Wall Street firms coming into Nevada ... and encourage new construction by working with municipalities to ease the permitting process and use vacant land.”

R Republican Joe Lombardo

Touted housing access acts and bonding

Lombardo highlights signing the Nevada Housing Access and Attainability Act and authorizing state bonding programs to increase housing inventory for middle-income families and essential workers while cutting construction red tape.

• Signed the Nevada Housing Access and Attainability Act, committing $183 million for middle-income housing.
• Authorized $1.9 billion in combined bonding authority for rental housing preservation and new homeownership support.
• Added 6,500 rental units to the housing pipeline and streamlined development regulations.

“Championed and signed the Nevada Housing Access and Attainability Act, investing $183 million to create new housing for middle-income families and essential workers.”

D Democratic Aaron Ford

Opposes school cuts and federal rollbacks

Drawing on his background as a former public school math teacher, Ford opposes cuts to public education. As Attorney General, he sued the federal government to protect federal school funding and won relief for student loan borrowers.

• Sued the federal government to protect $1 billion in annual funding for Nevada public schools.
• Won settlements providing student loan relief from deceptive loan servicers.
• Advocates for expanding educational opportunities based on his experience as a public school teacher.

“As Nevada’s Attorney General, Ford sued the Trump administration for attempting to eliminate the Department of Education and with it the $1 billion Nevada receives each year.”

R Republican Joe Lombardo

Supports school choice and historic funding

Lombardo champions expanding school choice, charter school funding, and early literacy programs, while highlighting his signing of a record $2 billion investment in state K-12 education.

• Secured $2 billion in new state education funding and permanent teacher pay raises.
• Passed school choice legislation, expanded Opportunity Scholarships, and allocated $100 million for charter school expansion.
• Restored Read by Grade 3 literacy funding and passed school accountability and discipline laws.

“Passed the most significant school choice legislation in Nevada history, giving more families more options for their children’s future.”

D Democratic Aaron Ford

Supports gun safety and police reform

Ford emphasizes gun violence prevention, closing gun show loopholes, banning ghost guns and bump stocks, reforming no-knock warrants, and authorizing pattern-or-practice investigations of law enforcement agencies.

• Supported legislation to expand background checks to private gun sales and ban ghost guns, bump stocks, and silencers.
• Passed criminal justice reforms altering no-knock warrants and authorizing investigations into police department conduct.
• Prioritizes combating transnational human trafficking syndicates and illegal drug operations.

“Throughout his career, Attorney General Aaron Ford has been undeterred in his fight to keep Nevada’s families safe from gun violence.”

R Republican Joe Lombardo

Opposes soft-on-crime bills and defunding

Lombardo draws on his 26 years in law enforcement and tenure as Clark County Sheriff to advocate for stricter penalties on fentanyl dealers and violent criminals, increased police funding, and executive vetoes against soft-on-crime bills.

• Delivered double-digit pay increases for state law enforcement officers.
• Increased penalties for fentanyl trafficking and restricted early probation discharge for gun violations and home invasions.
• Vetoed legislation he characterized as soft on crime while opposing police defunding.

“Protected Nevadans from partisan legislation that would have made our streets less safe.”

D Democratic Aaron Ford

Protects rate-payers and conditions data centers

Ford opposes utility demand charges and pledges to halt state tax subsidies for data centers unless they supply their own clean energy, electrical grid infrastructure, and water resources.

• Fought utility demand charges and supports residential solar incentives to keep ratepayer costs down.
• Pledges to stop tax breaks for data centers until they bring their own clean energy, grid infrastructure, and water.
• Sued federal agencies to preserve environmental impact assessment requirements under NEPA.

“As the make-stuff-cost-less Governor, Aaron Ford will not allow data centers to raise costs on Nevadans by one penny. Ford will stop awarding tax breaks for data centers until they prove that they’re holding up their end of the bargain.”

R Republican Joe Lombardo

Supports data centers and water defense

Lombardo supports data centers as economic drivers, led regional Colorado River water conservation efforts, and opposed California energy policies that affect Nevada.

• Supports data center developments to attract investment and technology jobs to Nevada.
• Led Colorado River conservation initiatives to safeguard Nevada's water supply.
• Opposed California energy policies affecting Nevada utility consumers.

“Led Colorado River conservation efforts to help protect Nevada’s water supply and stood up for Nevadans against California’s extreme energy policies.”

D Democratic Aaron Ford

Curbs PBM profits and relieves debt

Ford highlights securing over $1.2 billion in opioid settlements as Attorney General and advocates for regulating Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), creating state medical debt relief programs, and cracking down on medical price gouging.

• Secured over $1.2 billion in settlements from opioid manufacturers and distributors.
• Proposes regulating PBM practices to pass drug rebates directly to healthcare consumers.
• Advocates establishing medical debt relief programs and curbing fraudulent medical billing.

“As Attorney General, Ford has held big drug companies accountable for poisoning our communities, winning more than $1.2 billion in opioid settlements.”

R Republican Joe Lombardo

Established Nevada Health Authority and facilities

Lombardo established the Nevada Health Authority to leverage state purchasing power for lower care costs, supported Nevada's first standalone children's hospital, and increased mental health service reimbursement rates.

• Created the Nevada Health Authority to streamline state healthcare programs and reduce costs.
• Supported construction of Nevada's first standalone children's hospital.
• Expanded community behavioral health clinics and increased reimbursement rates for acute mental health needs.

“Established the Nevada Health Authority to ensure access to affordable, reliable care through streamlined health care programs, innovation, and leveraging the state's buying power.”

D Democratic Aaron Ford

Criticizes executive veto overuse

Ford criticizes Lombardo's record-setting use of executive vetoes against the legislature and promises to work collaboratively with lawmakers to pass pro-worker and pro-consumer legislation.

• Criticizes Lombardo for using vetoes to block legislative proposals and align with national Republican positions.
• Pledges to sign legislation sent by lawmakers, including right-to-work repeal and consumer protection bills.

“no more to a governor who bends the knee to a president he seeks to please instead of the people he’s sworn to protect.”

R Republican Joe Lombardo

Uses vetoes to check supermajority

Lombardo frames his record-setting 160+ vetoes as an essential check against single-party Democratic legislative control, positioning himself as the final line of defense against irresponsible policy.

• Issued over 160 vetoes across his term to block Democratic legislative bills.
• Campaigns actively to prevent Democrats from gaining a veto-proof legislative supermajority.
• Frames executive veto power as necessary to maintain balanced, nonpartisan governance.

“160 vetoes are nothing to celebrate, because what that means is bad government. I won’t hesitate for a second to say no again, though, or to be the last line of defense between you and irresponsible politicians.”

D Democratic Aaron Ford

Defends state abortion protections

Ford treats abortion access as essential healthcare, pledging to uphold Nevada's statutory abortion protections and defend the state against potential federal abortion restrictions.

• Defends state statutory protections guaranteeing access to abortion services.
• Pledges to block federal or out-of-state efforts to restrict reproductive healthcare access in Nevada.

“Abortion is health care – and Americans have gone from the freedom to choose to government-mandated pregnancies. Now, Attorneys General like Aaron Ford in purple states like Nevada have become one of the last lines of defense in protecting abortion access.”

R Republican Joe Lombardo

Identifies as pro-life

Lombardo states a pro-life stance on abortion.

• Maintains a pro-life position.

“Joe is pro-life.”

D Democratic Aaron Ford

Supports stricter gun control measures

Ford advocates closing gun show loopholes, banning ghost guns, bump stocks, and silencers, expanding background checks for private sales, and funding research into gun violence root causes.

• Enacted background check expansion to private party gun sales.
• Supported state prohibitions on ghost guns, bump stocks, and silencers.
• Supports state funding for gun violence impact research.

“He has also led the fight to keep unserialized, untraceable ghost guns off the street and to enact bans on bump stocks and silencers like the ones used in the 2017 mass shooting at the Route 91 Music Festival in Las Vegas.”

R Republican Joe Lombardo

Protects Second Amendment rights

Lombardo highlights his career carrying a firearm in law enforcement, his elimination of Clark County's gun registry, opposition to ghost gun bans and magazine limits, and support for streamlined background checks while opposing red flag laws.

• Eliminated Clark County's Blue Card gun registry in 2015.
• Opposes bans on personal firearm creation (ghost guns) and manufacturer magazine capacity limits.
• Opposes Nevada's Red Flag law while supporting efficient background checks that protect due process.

“Joe Lombardo is the only candidate in the race for Governor who has carried a gun every day for the past three decades.”

D Democratic Aaron Ford

Supports DREAMers and opposes overreach

Ford supports Nevada's DACA recipients and DREAMers, opposing federal actions targeting immigrant communities.

• Defended 13,000 DACA recipients and DREAMers residing in Nevada.
• Opposes federal overreach targeting vulnerable immigrant populations.

“I’ll also fight for vulnerable communities who are being targeted by the federal government, including the 13,000 DACA recipients living and working in Nevada.”

R Republican Joe Lombardo

Opposes sanctuary cities and cooperates with ICE

Lombardo opposes sanctuary cities, supports border security, and worked as sheriff to dedicate law enforcement resources to cooperate with ICE in identifying and deporting violent undocumented felons.

• Opposes sanctuary city policies and supports border security.
• Dedicated police personnel to work with ICE following ACLU legal challenges to ensure deportation of violent criminals.
• Advocates for legal immigration enforcement.

“Joe is opposed to sanctuary cities and will continue to do everything possible to keep us safe, and he isn’t afraid to take on the left-wing advocates constantly trying to make that more difficult.”

D Democratic Aaron Ford

Supported Voters Rights Amendment

Ford supported Question 4 in 2020 to establish constitutional protections for voters in Nevada.

• Supported Nevada Question 4 (State Constitutional Rights of Voters Amendment) in 2020.

R Republican Joe Lombardo

Supports voter ID and ending mail ballots

Lombardo supports Question 7 requiring voter photo ID, proposes ending universal mail-in ballots and ballot harvesting, and calls for a bipartisan election oversight panel.

• Endorses Nevada Question 7 to require photo voter ID at the polls.
• Proposes eliminating universal mail-in ballots and banning ballot harvesting.
• Calls for establishing a bipartisan election oversight panel.

“Joe will Introduce an election reform package that protects the integrity of our elections. Reforms that eliminate ballot harvesting, end universal mail ballots, require an ID to vote, and creates a bipartisan panel to oversee the elections”