- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
New poll finds Nevada governor's race tightening
Incumbent Republican Joe Lombardo holds narrow lead over Democratic challenger Aaron Ford
Mar. 31, 2026 at 3:04am
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
The tight race for Nevada governor reflects the state's status as a political battleground, with economic issues like inflation and cost of living set to be key factors.A new poll by Noble Predictive Insights shows the race for Nevada governor tightening, with incumbent Republican Joe Lombardo leading his Democratic challenger, Attorney General Aaron Ford, by just 39% to 38% with 17% undecided. The poll indicates the race will be a close contest, with economic issues like inflation and cost of living likely to be key factors.
Why it matters
Nevada's gubernatorial races are historically close, and this election is expected to be one of the most competitive in the country. The outcome could have significant implications for the state's policies on issues like taxes, regulation, and the economy. Additionally, the race is seen as a potential bellwether for the national political landscape ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
The details
The Noble Predictive Insights poll found Lombardo leading Ford 39% to 38%, with 17% undecided and 6% supporting third-party candidates. This represents a tightening of the race since the firm's previous poll in October, when Lombardo led Ford 40% to 37% with 23% undecided. Pollster Mike Noble said governor's races in Nevada are typically very close, with margins ranging from 4 percentage points to over 46 points in the past. Lombardo's victory over Democrat Steve Sisolak in 2022 was the narrowest, at just 1.51 percentage points. The poll also found Lombardo with a 48% favorability rating compared to 40% for Ford, giving the incumbent an opportunity to define his opponent. However, Ford has criticized Lombardo's record, including vetoing bills that Ford claims would have reduced costs for Nevadans.
- The Noble Predictive Insights poll was conducted in March 2026.
- Lombardo defeated Democrat Steve Sisolak in the 2022 Nevada gubernatorial election.
The players
Joe Lombardo
The incumbent Republican governor of Nevada, first elected in 2022.
Aaron Ford
The Democratic Attorney General of Nevada and Lombardo's challenger in the 2026 gubernatorial election.
Mike Noble
The founder and CEO of Noble Predictive Insights, the firm that conducted the poll on the Nevada governor's race.
What they’re saying
“This is why Nevada's governor's race is ranked in the top five most competitive races. So it's not just our polling that shows it, but also historically and everybody else looking at that. It's going to be a tight contest. It's going to come down to some core folks in the middle, and which way are they persuaded, towards Ford or towards Lombardo?”
— Mike Noble, Founder and CEO, Noble Predictive Insights
“Voters know that under Joe Lombardo, Nevada is suffering from high costs, sky-high unemployment, and an economy lagging behind the rest of the nation in job growth — all while Lombardo puts cheerleading for Trump over serving working families. In contrast, Attorney General Aaron Ford has fought to lower costs and create new good-paying union jobs throughout his time in public service. Ford will continue to be laser-focused on making Nevada a place that Nevadans can afford to call home—and that's why he will win in November.”
— Prerna Jagadeesh, Spokeswoman, Aaron Ford campaign
What’s next
The next major event in the Nevada governor's race will be the primary election, scheduled for June 2026. Voters will choose the Republican and Democratic nominees who will face off in the general election in November.
The takeaway
The tight race for Nevada governor highlights the state's status as a political battleground, with economic issues like inflation and cost of living likely to be key factors in determining the outcome. Both Lombardo and Ford will need to effectively communicate their plans to address these concerns and persuade undecided voters in the final months of the campaign.
