LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford is leaning into his personal story as he hits the campaign trail in Nevada, hoping to challenge Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo in November.
A youth in poverty, eating stale candy bars (Skor was a favorite, he recalls, and he still keeps them around his home and office as a reminder).
Becoming a single dad, and relying on public assistance for help. Some run-ins with the law, and then an academic journey that led to five degrees, including a law degree from The Ohio State University.
WATCH | Ford charts course to Carson City
Ford has worked as a teacher, a lawyer, a state senator and even state Senate majority leader before he mounted a successful campaign for attorney general in 2018 and another in 2022.
But now, Ford faces his toughest election yet, taking on a popular Republican governor in a closely divided purple state. He made it clear from the very first answer in a sit-down interview that he's running not just against Lombardo, but against President Donald Trump as well.
"Right now, we are living in an affordability crisis that this Lombardo-Trump economy has created," said Ford. "We need someone who's going to be focused on Nevadans, and not on the billionaire class that continues to donate to Joe Lombardo and to these corporations that are not being held accountable. We need someone who's going to focus on this affordability crisis and that's me."
In a wide-ranging interview, Ford discussed the campaign hits against him for extensive out-of-state travel, ballot initiatives headed for a decision in November and some key differences between him and Lombardo.
"Our top priority is clear: It's to lower the prices in this state, to make our state more affordable and that's going to be all-encompassing," Ford said. "I'm going to direct our state agencies to help in that regard, to come up with plans to help us lower costs for Nevadans. I'm going to work on our Legislature to send me bills that I can sign that are actually going to address the affordability crisis that the Lombardo-Trump economy has created, and that's one thing that I would love to have done in my tenure as governor."
Travel woes
The Lombardo campaign — and PACs associated with the governor — have mercilessly attacked Ford over extensive travel he took as attorney general, including to overseas destinations.
But Ford defends those trips, saying they were relevant to his job.
"My job as the top law enforcement officer in the state is to keep Nevadans safe, and as attorney general, it's incumbent that I understand that doesn't stop at state borders," Ford said. "Cyber crime, sex trafficking, fentanyl trafficking, opioid issues, social media — these are all things that we have to contend with."
He said the trips resulted in new legislation and new prosecutions that helped Nevadans, including a recent settlement with game platform Roblox over alleged failure to protect children.
Asked if he had any regrets about taking the trips that are now central to political attacks against him, Ford said no.
"Absolutely not. And let's be clear: I disclosed every single one of those trips pursuant to a law that I advocated for when I was in the state Legislature," he said. "Every single one has been detailed, and the reason for taking those convenings was detailed, and it's not something that we are at all concerned about."
Ford also noted that Lombardo skipped the first news conference held by state officials after the cyberattack shut down state systems for weeks in order to attend previously scheduled events in the state.
Lombardo campaign spokeswoman Halee Dobbins said Ford is trying to shift the blame for the economy from fellow Democrats.
"Aaron Ford wants to blame President Trump and Governor Lombardo for everything, but Nevadans remember Ford was one of [former President Joe] Biden and [former Vice President Kamala] Harris's most ardent supporters while inflation crushed working families," she said in a statement. "He's also been [California Gov.] Gavin Newsom's biggest cheerleader while California's extreme energy policies drive up fuel costs for Nevada families.
"And while Governor Lombardo has been fighting to grow our state's economy and lower costs, Ford spent more than 420 days out of state instead of showing up to do his job. Governor Lombardo has focused on results: Nevada has led the nation in job growth for nine straight months, leads the country in small business and wage growth, and wages are now rising faster than rent," the statement adds.
Initiatives
Ford isn't shy about coming out squarely against a voter ID initiative that has proven popular with voters; 73% of Nevadans supported it in 2024, and if it passes again in November, it will amend the constitution to require all voters to show an ID before casting a ballot.
But Ford said it wasn't needed, because Nevada's elections are well-run, a fact underscored by a recent ranking from MIT.
"And so the question becomes, what's your compelling reason for wanting voter ID? Well, they claim voter fraud, and I think to myself, OK, if in fact voter fraud is happening, we should certainly have voter ID," Ford said. "But three-judge panels all across the nation, including judgments coming out of our own state, have indicated there is insufficient evidence of voter fraud to require someone to have to take on a brand-new requirement to exercise the right to vote."
Ford said the Supreme Court's recent ruling on the Voting Rights Act and partisan gerrymandering taking place across the nation are imperiling voting rights, and that voter ID could further disenfranchise people. "I don't support it, and I am not afraid to say that I don't support it. I would not be voting for it and I encourage others not to vote for it, either."
Likewise, Ford said he's also opposed to a potential constitutional amendment backed by Lombardo that would ban biological men from playing in women's sports. He points to comments Lombardo made about the initiative being a way to turn out conservative voters who could help Republican candidates in November.
"I do not support the notion of biological men playing in women's sports, but I also don't support this ballot initiative," Ford said. "He's [Lombardo] beating up on one of the most vulnerable populations we have in our country, punching down on a group of individuals that don't deserve to be political pawns in an effort to increase his voter turnout."
Veto disagreements
Ford made a point to call out Lombardo for some of the record number of vetoes he's issued in his first term, including one that would have capped the number of homes that corporations could buy.
Ford says corporate buyers drive up prices, and that locals with mortgage financing can't compete with cash offers from corporate entities.
"Here's the deal: Under Joe Lombardo's and Trump's economy, 25% of the homes in North Las Vegas are owned by corporations out of Texas and New York," Ford said. "And that's pricing people out of the homes."
Lombardo said he vetoed the bill out of concern about its constitutionality, but Ford said he believes the bill is constitutional, adding "I do think it's worth the fight."
Ford also said he'd have signed other bills that Lombardo rejected, including bills to prohibit people convicted of committing hate crimes from possessing firearms, and another to prohibit firearms at polling places in Nevada where they are not already banned.
No new taxes
But if there's one area of agreement between Ford and Lombardo, it's this: both say they will not raise taxes in Nevada.
"We are in an affordability crisis that Joe Lombardo and Donald Trump have created. It is irresponsible to add an additional tax to individuals right now who are already paying an unlawful tax caused by the tariffs that Donald Trump passed and Joe Lombardo supported," Ford said.
Both Ford and Lombardo, however, allowed that there may be some circumstances that could cause them to reconsider that no-tax stance.
Ford declined to say specifically how he'd pay for his pledge to raise Nevada's per pupil spending to the national average, something that could cost the state billions. But he did say the schools budget should be prioritized, that uncollected taxes should be recouped and that waste, fraud and abuse should be cut so the money could be spent on schools.
"My budget will reflect education as a priority," Ford said. "Will we be able to get everything in one fell swoop? Absolutely not. But we're going to do it more than $2 at a time."
Friendly fire
Ford said he's occasionally had to take on his own supporters and members of his own party when pushing for policies in Carson City.
Although he has support from the Nevada State Education Association, he says he still supports school choice, which he defines as charter schools, open enrollment, career and technical schools and magnet schools, but all within the existing public school system. Ford says he opposes sending tax dollars outside the system to private schools.
He also says he faced pushback from fellow Democrats when fighting for tougher penalties for fentanyl traffickers. But he said his research showed the penalties were necessary to cut down on overdoses from the drug.
"I'm going to do what's right, irrespective of what party is objecting or supporting. I don't think anyone has a monopoly on good ideas, nor does anyone have a monopoly on bad ideas," he said. "Let's be clear: And the end of the day, it comes down to being open-minded, to working with folks, and I demonstrated my ability to do that. I've gotten some of the toughest bills passed in a bipartisan way, not just bipartisan, but unanimous."
Ford faces several challengers in the June 9 Democratic primary, including Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill.
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