LAS VEGAS — Five days after returning to the White House, President Donald Trump made a campaign appearance in downtown Las Vegas, joining Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo at a rally to energize Republican supporters. Trump reiterated his pledge to combat inflation, claiming he had directed his Cabinet to use all available resources to reduce the cost of living. However, critics note that inflation remains a significant issue, which has contributed to challenges facing Lombardo as he seeks re-election in a highly contested gubernatorial race.
Nevada’s governor, who assumed office in 2022 following a political shift during the pandemic, faces strong opposition from Democratic candidate Aaron Ford. With over 335,000 early ballots already cast, the race remains highly competitive ahead of the Nov. 3 election. Democrats have targeted Lombardo as their top gubernatorial prize, while Republicans work to preserve their leadership in a key swing state central to the national political landscape.
Lombardo, a former Clark County sheriff with a professional background in law enforcement, has focused his tenure on crime reduction, education improvements, job creation, and economic development. Steering clear of cultural flashpoints and the more combative elements of the MAGA movement, he has generally maintained a measured profile. Still, Trump’s presence and influence continue to weigh heavily on Lombardo’s campaign, a vulnerability that Aaron Ford has leveraged extensively.
Ford, who is aiming to become Nevada’s first Black governor, highlights record-high gas prices and their ripple effects on tourism, groceries, and other everyday expenses as evidence of the economic strain under the current administration. He attributes these pressures in part to Trump’s foreign policy decisions, including the ongoing conflict with Iran. Ford has directly criticized Lombardo for his alignment with Trump, painting the governor as ineffective and subservient to the former president.
Ford’s personal narrative resonates with many voters. Raised in Dallas in a struggling family, he supported himself through law school and earned a PhD in education before relocating to Nevada. He served in the state Senate for six years and has held the office of attorney general since 2018. Central to his campaign is a focus on affordability, exemplified by his call for a “pain-at-the-pump” rebate to offset soaring fuel costs.
At a campaign event later the same day, Lombardo highlighted his administration’s achievements, citing job growth, improved teacher salaries, and declines in both violent and property crime rates. He emphasized these accomplishments without mentioning Trump by name. Although he has occasionally distanced himself from some Trump administration policies—opposing Medicaid cuts and renewable energy project shutdowns—Lombardo has also publicly praised the former president, including defending Trump’s relationships with wealthy business associates.
The governor’s alignment with Trump became a focal point after his August appearance at a Trump rally in Las Vegas, where he praised the president’s wealthy supporters for job creation, comments subsequently featured in a Democratic campaign advertisement branding Lombardo as “For Trump, Not Nevada.”
Lombardo has sought to undermine Ford by highlighting his frequent out-of-state travel as attorney general and accusing him of being lenient on crime. He pointed to a high-profile case involving a convicted manslaughter inmate for which Ford was reportedly involved in the clemency process, a charge Ford denies, citing a family emergency that prevented his attendance at the pardon board meeting.
Despite facing a challenging political climate and Trump’s mixed influence, Lombardo has maintained a well-funded campaign and a competitive edge. Ultimately, the outcome in Nevada will depend heavily on voter turnout and the broader national political dynamics at play in this pivotal battleground state.