Aaron Ford makes his case against Gov. Joe Lombardo as he seeks to become Nevada's first Black governor

What happened

Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, a Democrat, is trying to unseat Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo in the November election, the Nevada Current reported Thursday. Ford is the state's first Black attorney general and would be its first Black governor. Lombardo, a former two-term Clark County sheriff, declined to be interviewed for the Current's story.

On Wednesday, Ford used a fundraising pitch to highlight prediction platform Kalshi, which the Current said shows the race as a virtual tie. The Current noted that this was unusual for Ford, who has sued to keep prediction markets out of states that regulate sports betting.

Crime becomes a central campaign theme

Ford's arrest record

According to the Current, Ford grew up poor in Dallas and was arrested four times on misdemeanor charges as a young man. One arrest was for public intoxication, one for stealing a tire, and two for failing to appear in court. He was never convicted, and the tire charge was dismissed after he paid $100 restitution. He was also investigated, but not charged, over being in an ex-girlfriend's home without permission.

Lombardo's campaign has made that history a prominent focus. In a statement, campaign spokeswoman Halee Dobbins said Nevadans "deserve to know their top cop wants a promotion with an arrest record." Lombardo has also criticized Ford for placing a clemency request on the state Pardons Board agenda. The request came from an inmate convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of a pregnant woman and her baby.

The Wolfson ad and Ford's response

In a new ad for Lombardo, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson says, "Aaron Ford cares more about criminals than victims." Ford told the Current the attack is "a Willie Horton redo" and said he is being criticized "for putting an item on the agenda." He called it hypocritical for Lombardo to back President Donald Trump, who pardoned January 6 defendants.

Ford also raised the Hope for Prisoners case. The Current reported in August that in 2020, Wolfson and now-Sheriff Kevin McMahill, then serving as board members, ignored a recommendation to fire founder Jon Ponder. Ponder has since been charged with sexual assault and indicted on two dozen counts. Ford said whether others knew about the conduct is "for an investigation to uncover."

Energy bills, data centers and taxes

Power bills

The Current noted that a Democrat has not defeated an incumbent Republican governor in Nevada since 1982. That year, then-Attorney General Richard Bryan campaigned against high energy costs and beat Gov. Robert List. Ford is challenging a ruling by the Lombardo-appointed Public Service Commission that is set to change how electricity bills are calculated beginning in January.

Data center incentives

Ford has criticized Lombardo's support for data centers, pointing to their potential to raise energy costs and their water use in a state facing drought. Last month, Lombardo reaffirmed his commitment to the industry but issued an executive order curtailing some tax incentives. His campaign says the move was not a response to a Trump pollster's warning about data centers that Axios reported days earlier. The issue has also drawn attention from Nevada labor unions.

Ford, who cosponsored the 2015 data center tax breaks as a state senator, said, "We're going to pause those tax incentives." He added that this does not mean they will never resume. On cost of living, he told the Current that Nevadans "can't afford gas, groceries or rent." Ford has made similar points in his criticism of Lombardo's policies.

Money and the road to November

Lombardo has never lost an election. He beat incumbent Steve Sisolak in 2022 by one and a half percentage points. With help from the Republican Governors Association, the Better Nevada PAC and the Nevada Way PAC, his campaign raised more than $16 million in the second quarter alone, the Current reported. Ford had about $2.6 million on hand as of July.

Ford said he entered the race mainly because he believed Lombardo would not stand up to Trump. He also cited racist messages he has received, including one after he won the primary. The Current reported that critics contend members of Lombardo's campaign staff have engaged in race-baiting. Ford said Lombardo is "stooping to this level." Voters can review key early voting dates ahead of the election.

What to watch next

• Third-quarter campaign contribution and expense reports, which the Nevada Current said are due Wednesday.
• Ford's challenge to the Public Service Commission ruling that is slated to change how electricity bills are calculated beginning in January.
• The November general election between Ford and Lombardo.
• The pending case against Hope for Prisoners founder Jon Ponder, who has been indicted on two dozen counts.