Ford wins Nevada governor's race in first Black governorship west of Mississippi

Aaron Ford won the race for Nevada governor on Tuesday, becoming the state's first Black governor and the first elected Black governor west of the Mississippi River. The attorney general's victory marked a complete takeover of Nevada's constitutional offices by the Democratic Party. Democrats held the three offices they already controlled and flipped the three seats previously held by Republicans.

It is the first time a single party has secured all six statewide offices since the Republican Party did so in 2014. Democrats last held every constitutional office in 1962. Ford is the second Democrat to serve as governor in this century. The win capped a night in which Democrats also secured a two-thirds supermajority in the state Assembly and came within one seat of a similar majority in the Senate.

Ford defeated incumbent Governor Joe Lombardo despite Lombardo's substantial advertising spending. Campaign data and voter interviews indicated that anti-Republican sentiment drove much of the Democratic turnout. Voters in Northern and Southern Nevada cited frustration with President Donald Trump as a primary motivation for voting down the ballot.

Ford campaigned on a platform that linked Lombardo to the national Republican leadership. He criticized Lombardo for issuing a high number of vetoes during his term, arguing that those actions limited the state's ability to address economic challenges. Lombardo defended his record on healthcare, education, housing, and the economy, telling voters he needed four more years to complete his agenda.

Chris Myers, 47, told reporters that he voted to check the power of the current administration. Myers specifically cited viral video footage of Lombardo receiving leniency on a traffic violation as a reason for his decision. The governor's office released statements during the campaign asserting that Lombardo was addressing systemic issues, but the message did not overcome the negative perception among key voter groups.

In the race for attorney general, Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro defeated Adriana Guzmán Fralick. Cannizzaro's victory will require Clark County officials to appoint a replacement to the state Senate seat she held. The Democratic caucus in the Senate will select a new leader for the upcoming legislative session. Cannizzaro centered her campaign on opposing the Trump administration and the rapid expansion of data centers in the state.

Her opponent, Guzmán Fralick, had received an endorsement from Trump during the primary election. Democrats frequently referred to her as a supporter of the current administration, citing her earlier comments that the state should accept the pace of data center construction. The contrast in their positions on these issues appeared to resonate with voters in the final weeks of the campaign.

Cisco Aguilar won re-election as secretary of state, defeating former Assembly member Jim Marchant. Aguilar's victory maintained the current structure of Nevada's election administration. Marchant had proposed ending electronic voting and unregistering all voters if elected. Aguilar focused his campaign on completing the new statewide election management system and a business registration platform, while proposing modest reforms such as allowing mail ballot scans at polling locations.

Andy Matthews retained his seat as state controller, a role that oversees the state's accounting system and debt collection. Matthews emphasized his office's release of a new website that provides real-time data on state spending. His opponent, Michael MacDougall, criticized the controller's office for delays in publishing its annual financial report. Matthews' victory extended the Democratic control of the state's fiscal oversight positions.

Tya Mathis-Coleman won the race for state treasurer, defeating Drew Johnson. Mathis-Coleman, a former staffer in Treasurer Zach Conine's office, received endorsements from the Southern Nevada Building Trades Union and Teamsters Nevada. The office she now leads oversees state investments and administers the Millennium Scholarship program, which has assisted approximately 200,000 students. Sandra Jauregui also won the lieutenant governor's race, defeating incumbent Stavros Anthony. Jauregui, a former Assembly majority leader, attracted national attention with endorsements from former Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Senator Mark Kelly.