Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford has secured the Democratic nomination for governor, advancing to a general election matchup against Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo in what is likely to be one of the country’s most closely watched gubernatorial races.

Ford, who became Nevada’s first Black statewide officer when he took office as attorney general in 2019, won Nevada’s June 9 primary election and is now one step closer to another historic milestone.

As the attorney general campaigns across the Silver State, Ford says the lessons that have shaped his leadership began long before he entered public office and are rooted in the values he learned growing up in a working-class family.

“My time as Nevada’s attorney general has reinforced a lesson I learned long before I entered public service: leadership is about showing up, solving problems, and fighting for people when it matters most,” Ford told Blavity in an exclusive interview.

Ford said his parents instilled in him the importance of hard work, personal responsibility and community, principles that have guided him throughout his career as an educator, state senator and attorney general.

“My parents taught me the value of hard work, personal responsibility, and looking out for your neighbors,” Ford said. “Those lessons guided me as a teacher, a state senator, and as Attorney General, and they continue to shape the leader I am today.”

A notable rise in Nevada politics

Before becoming Nevada’s top law enforcement official, Ford served in the Nevada Senate and worked as an educator. His historic election as attorney general marked a milestone in Nevada politics, but he’s been intentional about making sure his gubernatorial campaign centers on the issues affecting families’ everyday lives.

According to The Nevada Independent, Ford has made affordability and cost-of-living concerns central themes of his campaign, heavily criticizing current Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo’s handling of economic issues and emphasizing that rising costs remain one of the state’s most pressing challenges.

The Cook Political Report has rated the contest a “toss-up,” while NBC News recently identified Lombardo as one of the country’s most vulnerable incumbent governors.

A leadership philosophy rooted in service

As he seeks the governorship, Ford has continued to push for economic opportunity and support for working families. He argued that many Nevadans are struggling with housing costs, health care expenses and other financial pressures.

“Today, Nevadans are suffering under the Lombardo-Trump economy,” Ford said. “Working families are struggling to make their mortgage and their car payments. Homelessness and housing costs hit record highs under Lombardo. Grocery and gas prices are through the roof.”

Ford said his experiences in public service have prepared him to lead Nevada through its next chapter, pointing to the challenges he has navigated as attorney general and the lessons he learned long before entering politics.

“My upbringing taught me to work hard and never quit, and my experience as Attorney General has shown me how to lead through challenges while delivering results,” Ford emphasized. “As governor, I’ll bring that same commitment to building an economy that works for working families, strengthening our schools, expanding opportunity, and ensuring every Nevadan has a fair shot at success.”

For Ford, the path from educator and state legislator to Nevada’s attorney general has been shaped by a belief in service, perseverance and problem-solving. As he looks toward the Nov. 3 general election, he says those same principles remain at the center of his vision for the future of his beloved state.