Nevada Governor Election 2026
Joe Lombardo (R) is running. Rating: Toss-up.
Status: upcoming. Election day is November 3, 2026.
Candidates
| Candidate | Party | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Aaron Ford | Democratic | Attorney general |
| Joe Lombardo (incumbent) | Republican | Governor since 2023 |
Polls
| Date | Pollster | Aaron Ford | Joe Lombardo |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 26, 2026 | Noble Predictive | 40% | 42% |
| September 8, 2026 | Emerson | 44% | 42% |
| July 29, 2026 | Public Opinion Strategies (R) | 42% | 51% |
| July 29, 2026 | Tarrance (R) | 43% | 50% |
| July 16, 2026 | Grassroots Targeting (R) | 40% | 52% |
| July 16, 2026 | PPP (D) | 44% | 44% |
| June 29, 2026 | Public Opinion Strategies (R) | 42% | 51% |
| May 11, 2026 | Global Strategy (D) | 42% | 45% |
| March 13, 2026 | Noble Predictive | 38% | 39% |
Average of the 2 most recent polls: Aaron Ford 42%, Joe Lombardo 42%. Polls are snapshots, not predictions.
Where the candidates stand
Aaron Ford (D)
- Has sued to defend access to abortion medication and Planned Parenthood funding. (2026-10) source
- Supports expanded background checks and Nevada's ghost-gun law. (2024) source
- Prioritizes clean energy and rooftop solar; sued to keep federal solar funds. (2026) source
- Supports a low-cost state public insurance option and capping drug prices. (2025) source
- Opposes diverting public school money to private-school vouchers. (2017) source
- Would repeal Nevada's right-to-work law. (2026-10) source
- Has sued over federal immigration enforcement conditions and joined the birthright citizenship case. (2025) source
- Wants data centers to use alternative water or cooling and to earn tax breaks through jobs. (2026-10) source
Joe Lombardo (R)
- Calls himself pro-life with exceptions but signed a law protecting out-of-state abortion patients and providers. (2023) source
- Says he backs the Second Amendment; vetoed a ban on some purchases and a higher age for semi-automatic rifles. (2026-10) source
- Says Nevada will never be a sanctuary state and urged funding for ICE. (2026) source
- Opted Nevada into federal tax-credit scholarships and has proposed expanding vouchers. (2026-10) source
- Supports right-to-work and vetoed collective bargaining for higher-education staff. (2026-10) source
- Pledges no new taxes on families and cut the Modified Business Tax. (2026-10) source
- Withdrew Nevada from the U.S. Climate Alliance. (2026-10) source
- Opposes transgender athletes in girls' and women's sports. (2026-10) source
- Vetoed an expansion of paid family and medical leave. (2025) source
Sources
- 2026 United States gubernatorial elections (Wikipedia)
- 2026 Gubernatorial Race Overview (Brownstein, Sept. 23, 2026)
- Latest governor polls (RealClearPolling)
- 2026 election polls (Political.org)
- Cook Political Report governor ratings
- The Green Papers: 2026 candidates by state
- Amid Ad Uproar, Ohio Governor’s Race Moves From Toss Up to Lean Democrat (Cook Political Report, Oct. 23, 2026)
- Midterm Elections in Ohio, October 2026 (Marist Poll)
- Midterm Elections in Michigan, October 2026 (Marist Poll)
Ratings, candidates and polls last updated October 24, 2026. Ratings are expert forecasts, not results.