Dem
47
GOP
53
Nevada AG Aaron Ford's (D) attempt to unseat Gov. Joe Lombardo (R-NV) could become a real test of whether Republicans in swing states can distance themselves enough from Donald Trump to win. If Lombardo hews too close to the Trump line, he will anger swingy voters. If he starts criticizing Trump, Trump will probably attack him as a RINO, which is also not good. Getting it right in a very diverse and heavily Latino state will take quite a bit of skill.
Lombardo has to deal with a nasty mix of problems. There is anger about inflation, unemployment, mass deportation programs, and the unpopular war in Iran, not to mention Trump's own low approval rating. Nevada is an interesting test case because it combines a tourism-heavy economy, a large bloc of working-class Latino voters, and many independents.
Ford, as AG, has done many things that are useful in a broader sense, but not something voters feel directly. He has sued Trump 40 times (including over tariffs), battled fentanyl being trafficked over the border, and gone after fraudulent landlords. Lombardo has attacked him for being out of state for 322 days, but Ford has said he often met with other attorneys general to plan strategy—for example, when suing Trump.
Given the foul mood of the electorate, the demographic mix of the state, and Trump's approval rating, Lombardo has one tough race ahead of him. (V)