Aaron Ford celebrates his win over Gov. Joe Lombardo and lays out an affordability agenda backed by a Democratic Legislature

What happened

Democratic Gov.-elect Aaron Ford gave his victory speech on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, at an election celebration at Teamsters Local 631, the Las Vegas Sun reported. Ford defeated incumbent Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, who conceded early Wednesday with Ford comfortably ahead. Our earlier coverage explains how Ford was projected to unseat Lombardo.

Ford became emotional when he departed from his prepared remarks and turned to his son, who stood behind him. According to the Sun, Ford raised his son as a single father while in college. The two lived in Section 8 housing and relied on food stamps and Medicaid, and his son now has a medical degree, which the Sun attributed to that government support.

Ford also thanked Lombardo for his leadership and his willingness to work across party lines. "We don't build a great Nevada by tearing each other down," Ford said, according to the Sun.

Ford's stated priorities

In the speech, Ford named his goals as governor: more homes, lower health care costs, lower energy costs, investment in children and repeal of Nevada's right-to-work law. The Sun reported that these were all part of his campaign and are spelled out in his "Workers First Agenda," released in June.

"I intend to be the most pro-worker, pro-union governor this state has ever seen," Ford said. He also said, "We're going to tackle affordability starting on Day One."

Bills Lombardo vetoed

During the last legislative session, Lombardo set a record with 87 vetoes while working with a Democratic Legislature, the Sun reported. Ford pledged during his campaign to sign several of those bills, including measures on safe hospital staffing, school lunches and extended sick leave. He has said he hopes the bills will help Nevada families dealing with rising costs.

A new balance of power in Carson City

Assembly supermajority

Democrats won a two-thirds supermajority in the Nevada Assembly by flipping District 35 in the southwest Las Vegas Valley, according to the Sun. Joe Spica, a Culinary Union member of 15 years, defeated Republican Rebecca Edgeworth, who held the seat, 58% to 42%. See our earlier report on early legislative results for more.

Senate majority

The Nevada Senate kept its Democratic majority but is still one seat short of a supermajority, the Sun reported.

What lawmakers expect

Speaker sees closer communication

Retiring Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager told the Sun that the bills Ford mentioned will remain priorities for the Democratic Legislature this year. Yeager said a Democratic governor will make communication between the two branches easier. He said some of Lombardo's vetoes came from miscommunication, because Lombardo sometimes waited until a bill reached his desk to decide instead of giving feedback while it was being drafted.

Yeager said there could be a push to pass some of those bills more quickly than usual.

Hearings and debate still required

Assemblymember Cecelia González, D-Las Vegas, said Ford's background as a former state senator with relationships among legislators will help. "He intimately knows how the Legislature operates," she told the Sun. She added that every bill still needs hearings and votes and that views differ among Democrats. "It doesn't just mean everything a Democrat proposes is gonna get passed," González said.

Republican concerns

Republicans have raised concerns about a Democratic Legislature without a check from the governor, the Sun reported. Lombardo saw his office as a way to force compromise. Before the election, Jill Dickman wrote on X that single-party control "never turns out well for anyone." Ford responded that lowering costs is not a partisan goal and said he will work with anyone serious about affordability. Find more coverage on our elections page.

What to watch next

• Whether the Legislature takes up the vetoed bills on safe hospital staffing, school lunches and extended sick leave, which Yeager said will remain priorities this year.
• Action on Ford's plan to repeal Nevada's right-to-work law and the rest of his Workers First Agenda.
• Whether lawmakers move some bills faster than usual, as Yeager suggested they might.