Morning Digest: Democratic heavyweight steps up to challenge Nevada's GOP governor
The likely matchup sets up a major battle in this perennial swing state
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Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford all but announced that he would challenge Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo on Thursday, a move that marks an early start to what will be a closely watched contest to lead this perpetually swingy state.
"I do intend to seek higher office," the Democrat told the Nevada Independent's Tabitha Mueller. "I have been having informal conversations with people across the state to better understand what they believe Nevada needs in its next governor."
But Ford, who would be the Silver State's first Black governor, has been doing much more than chatting. Mueller notes that he's held fundraisers throughout the year even though term limits preclude him from seeking a third term in his current post.
Ford has been a prominent figure in local politics for some time. He was the state Senate's majority leader in 2018 when he campaigned to succeed Republican Attorney General Adam Laxalt, who gave up his post to run for governor. Ford became the first Black person to win a statewide office in Nevada history after he scored a tight 47.2-46.8 victory over Wes Duncan, who was one of Laxalt's top aides, as Laxalt was losing to Democrat Steve Sisolak.
Republicans had hoped to target Ford in 2022, but their plans went haywire after election conspiracy theorist Sigal Chattah won the GOP nod over their preferred candidate, Tisha Black. Ford's allies were more than happy with this matchup, as they ran radio ads during the primary slamming Black over a 2015 donation she made to Sisolak while calling Chattah a "MAGA conservative."
That meddling paid off in the general election, as Ford prevailed 52-44 despite the fact that Lombardo narrowly unseated Sisolak. Ford's showing made him the top vote-getter in any partisan race for statewide office that year, and political observers soon began talking about him as a likely opponent for the governor.
Ford is the first major Democrat to publicly express interest in this race, and it remains to be seen if anyone else will eye this contest. Lombardo, for his part, made it clear back in April that he'd run for a second term.
