Lombardo Raises the Stakes in Nevada Governor’s Race, Spotlights Ford’s Travel and Progressive Record

Gov. Joe Lombardo is escalating the temperature in Nevada’s 2026 gubernatorial contest, directly challenging Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford on his refusal to answer whether he supports defunding the police while repeatedly being absent from the state. 

In a Monday social media post, the Republican governor wrote: “Aaron Ford refuses to answer a single reporter’s question about whether he supports defunding the police. Simple question. Out of town again?”

Aaron Ford refuses to answer a single reporter’s question about whether he supports defunding the police.

Simple question.

Out of town again?

— Joe Lombardo (@JoeLombardoNV) June 29, 2026

The pointed jab comes as the race between the incumbent former Clark County sheriff and the two-term AG heats up ahead of the November general election. Lombardo is positioning himself as the steady hand committed to public safety and keeping Nevada from sliding into the high-tax, high-regulation, and increasingly crime-plagued model of neighboring California. Ford, by contrast, is facing renewed scrutiny over his extensive out-of-state travel and a record that includes progressive criminal justice reforms.

Ford’s travel as attorney general has become a major line of attack. Records show he has spent hundreds of days outside Nevada since taking office in 2019, with reports citing over 400 days total and more than 130 days in 2024 alone. Many of these trips involved international destinations and were funded or supported by the Attorney General Alliance (AGA), a nonprofit group backed in part by corporations that fall under the regulatory or litigation purview of Ford’s office. Ford has also held numerous fundraising events out of state, with in-state events featuring California Governor Gavin Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris.

The Nevada Commission on Ethics advanced a complaint against Ford earlier this year, alleging he accepted luxury trips valued at tens of thousands of dollars and potentially violated ethics rules regarding gifts, leveraging his position for personal gain, and using government resources improperly. Critics, including Lombardo allies, have branded him “Frequent Flyer Ford,” arguing the absences left Nevadans without their top law enforcement official on the job while he globe-trotted on the taxpayers’ or special interests’ dime. 

Ford’s defenders describe the travel as necessary for professional development, multi-state collaboration, and countering federal Trump administration policies.

Lombardo’s critique of Ford’s silence on “defunding the police” taps into broader concerns about the AG’s progressive bona fides. As attorney general and previously as a state senator, Ford advanced criminal justice reforms in the wake of 2020 unrest, including restrictions on no-knock warrants and measures allowing his office to investigate patterns of police misconduct. He has also been involved in discussions around police accountability that aligned with national progressive pushes following high-profile incidents, offering 73 policy options for police “reform” to the Democratic-controlled legislature.

While Ford’s campaign emphasizes public safety alongside affordability and corporate accountability, his record includes lawsuits and positions critical of certain Trump-era policies and support for stronger gun control measures. Republicans argue this reflects a worldview more aligned with national Democratic priorities than the tough-on-crime approach favored by a majority of Nevadans.

Lombardo, a career law enforcement officer with 34 years of experience including as Clark County Sheriff, has leaned heavily into his background. He has vetoed legislation seen as soft on crime, prioritized public safety reforms, and worked to differentiate Nevada’s economic and regulatory environment from California’s. This includes efforts to diversify fuel supplies and resist policies that could import higher costs or stricter rules from across the state line,  a recurring theme in his messaging about preserving Nevada’s competitive edge and quality of life.

“Preventing Nevada from becoming California” has become a signature Lombardo talking point, resonating with voters concerned about rising housing costs, crime trends, taxes, and government overreach.

With Ford having secured the Democratic nomination and Lombardo cruising through his primary, the general election matchup is shaping up as one of the more competitive gubernatorial races in the country. Lombardo’s latest broadside underscores his strategy: hammer Ford on transparency, presence, and ideology while offering a clear contrast rooted in law enforcement experience and Nevada-first governance.

Whether the “out of town again” line and questions about defunding the police stick with voters remains to be seen. But Lombardo is making clear he intends to keep the pressure on Ford’s record as the campaign intensifies.