Overview: The "System Operator"
Aaron Ford is Nevada's 34th Attorney General and the Democratic frontrunner for the 2026 gubernatorial race.[6]Polling data, Emerson College His rise "from food stamps to five degrees" represents a compelling personal narrative,[7]Ford biography and campaign materials but his governance is defined by a symbiotic relationship with the state's trial lawyer lobby—the same firms that fund his campaigns and receive millions in state legal contracts.[8]ATRA report, OpenSecrets CFJ filings
The Case FOR Ford
- Secured $1.1 billion in opioid settlements for Nevada
- Five degrees including Ph.D.—deeply credentialed
- Won injunction protecting Department of Education
- Fought Ticketmaster/Live Nation monopoly (populist appeal)
- Proven electoral survivor (0.4% win in 2018)
The Case AGAINST Ford
- Architect of AB 236—now a "soft on crime" liability
- $185K in IRS liens while buying $468K home
- Trial lawyer donors receive $165M+ in state legal fees
- $140K+ in corporate-sponsored foreign travel
- Complete reversal on sanctuary state position
Biography
The "Five Degrees" Narrative
Ford's biography centers on his journey from Texas working class to elite credentials—a story of "credentialism as armor" against socioeconomic barriers.
- 1. B.A. — Texas A&M University (1994)
- 2. M.A. International Education — George Washington University
- 3. M.A. Educational Administration — Ohio State University
- 4. Ph.D. Educational Administration — Ohio State University
- 5. J.D. (Law) — Ohio State University
Before law, Ford was a public school math teacher—a detail he leverages to bridge working-class and elite donor audiences.
1994
Graduates Texas A&M
First college graduate in family. Grew up on food stamps.
1994-2000s
Education Career
Math teacher, then pursued graduate degrees in education administration.
Post-Law School
Federal Clerkships
Clerked for Judge Denise Page Hood and 9th Circuit Judge Johnnie B. Rawlinson.
Early Career
"Big Law" — Corporate Defense
Bracewell LLP, then Weil Gotshal & Manges. Defended corporate interests in complex litigation. Note: This corporate defense background contrasts with his current "little guy champion" branding.
Nevada Move
Eglet Prince (Now Eglet Adams)
Pivots from corporate defense to plaintiffs' litigation. Eglet Adams is the nexus of Nevada's trial lawyer lobby—and a major political donor.
2013-2018
Nevada State Senate
Rises from freshman to Minority Leader (2014) to Majority Leader (2016-2018).
2018
Elected Attorney General
Defeats Republican Wesley Duncan by 0.4%—one of the closest statewide races in Nevada history.
2022
Re-elected Attorney General
Defeats Sigal Chattah. Consolidates position as leading Democrat.
2025
Announces Gubernatorial Run
Polling shows dead heat with Lombardo (41%-41%).
Policy Record
Attorney General Record (2019-Present)
The Opioid Settlements — $1.1 Billion
Ford's signature achievement. Broke away from national settlements to negotiate independently, securing disproportionately large payouts for Nevada.
$285M
Walgreens
$193M
Teva Pharmaceuticals
$152M
CVS
$45M
McKinsey & Co.
The Conflict: Outside counsel handling these cases (including his former firm Eglet Adams) received an estimated $165M+ in fees. These firms are also major donors to Citizens for Justice PAC, which funds Ford's campaigns.
Federal Litigation — "Partisan Warrior" or "Defender"?
Joined or led dozens of lawsuits against Trump administrations (both terms):
- • Sued to stop DOE dismantling — won preliminary injunction
- • DACA protections
- • ACA defense (Texas v. United States)
- • VOCA grants conditions
Trade-off: Solidifies base in Clark County but alienates rural Nevada. Lombardo calls it "serving the national resistance."
Antitrust — Live Nation/Ticketmaster
Joined DOJ lawsuit alleging monopolization of live entertainment. Populist appeal in Las Vegas, entertainment capital.
Housing — AB44 (Vetoed by Lombardo)
Pushed for Unfair Trade Practice Act expansion to target algorithmic rent price-fixing. Lombardo vetoed. Ford now campaigns on "corporate landlords" issue.
Legislative Record (2013-2018)
AB 236 — Criminal Justice Reform
Ford's most consequential—and now most controversial—legislative achievement. Champion of "Justice Reinvestment" reforms modeled on national initiatives.
Key Provisions
- • Raised felony theft threshold from $650 to $1,200 — Critics argue this emboldens retail crime
- • Drug penalty restructuring — Reduced penalties for certain possession charges, including initially lenient fentanyl categorization
- • Burglary statute changes — Required proof of intent, complicating prosecution
The Defense
Prison population dropped from 13,611 (2018) to 10,759 (2024). Costs avoided. Focus on rehabilitation over incarceration.
The Attack
Lombardo and RGA brand Ford as "Soft on Crime." Rising retail theft perception. Ford must defend raising threshold during theft crisis.
SB94 (2015) — Film Tax Credits
Revised transferable tax credits for film productions. "Hollywood 2.0" strategy.
SB555 (2017) — Scholarship Tax Credits
Co-sponsored tax credits for scholarship donations—typically a Republican priority. Reveals willingness to transact on school choice for political expedience.
The Immigration Reversal
2017 Position
Co-sponsored legislation that would have limited local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Effectively a "Sanctuary State" bill.
2025 Position
"Let me be clear: I do not support sanctuary policies. Period." Fights federal designation, claims "model policies" are non-binding guidelines.
Analysis: This is a calculated pivot for a general election in purple Nevada. The "sanctuary" label is toxic outside Clark County. Ford is attempting to reframe his record.
[IMM1]Immigration systems analysis emphasizes that Nevada's immigrant workforce (one in five residents, 9% undocumented labor) and the expanded 287(g) footprint mean enforcement posture now shapes every county's economic and public safety calculations.
Ford's 72-page Model Immigration Policies are his primary tool: setting nonbinding guidance for law enforcement, schools, and hospitals to resist unpaid ICE labor while also litigating to protect VOCA, DACA, and constitutional rights, reinforcing his federal-responsibility framing.[IMM2]Candidate immigration analysis
Environment & Energy Record
Legislative Record (2017): 100% NCL Score
Named "Senator of the Year" by Nevada Conservation League (2013). Perfect environmental voting record with 96% lifetime score.[E6]NCL Voting Record
Key Votes
- • AB 206 — More Renewable Energy ✓
- • AB 405 — Restoring Rooftop Solar ✓
- • SB 392 — Community Solar Gardens ✓
- • SB 512 — Lake Tahoe conservation ✓
Critical 2026 Campaign Gaps
Water Policy: Missing
No water policy articulated despite February 2026 Colorado River deadline. Significant omission given he chaired Senate Natural Resources Committee.
Lithium Mining: Silent
Complete silence on Thacker Pass, the Lithium Loop, and mining policy—a critical gap given ongoing tribal opposition.
Campaign Launch: Focused on housing, healthcare, education. Environmental issues not prominently featured. No comprehensive climate platform released.
Full analysis: Water, Energy & Environment Issue Page
Healthcare Record
$1.2 Billion+ in Opioid Settlements
Nevada's largest healthcare-related financial recovery in history:
Funds flow to Fund for a Resilient Nevada ($462.2M) and One Nevada Agreement ($370M for cities/counties)[HC5]AG Office settlement records
Medicaid Defense
Most aggressive legal defender of Medicaid in the race.
- • Joined 22-state coalition challenging Trump admin Planned Parenthood cuts[HC6]July 2025 coalition lawsuit
- • Filed lawsuits against HHS rules threatening 100,000+ Nevadans
- • Personal narrative: relied on Medicaid as single father in college
Fentanyl Policy Evolution
Shifted from reform to enforcement—will draw scrutiny from all sides.
- • 2019: Supported AB 236 raising trafficking threshold to 100g
- • 2023: Backed SB 35 lowering fentanyl threshold to 4-28g[HC7]SB 35 fentanyl bill
- • SB 35 removed fentanyl from Good Samaritan protections
Policy Tension
Ford acknowledged: "I've had dreams, and frankly nightmares, over ensuring that in pursuit of this bill that we don't re-create the war on drugs from the crack cocaine days."
Critical Gaps
No rural healthcare platform despite Nevada's significant challenges. No comprehensive mental health policy—no positions on 988 implementation or mental health parity. No specific Medicaid reform proposals for gubernatorial campaign despite defense actions.
Full analysis: Healthcare Issue Page
Cost of Living Record
Active AG Intervention on Utilities
- • October 2025: Bureau of Consumer Protection called NV Energy's mandatory demand charge "unlawful"—filed petition to reverse PUCN decision[COL6]AG filing vs. NV Energy
- • Demanded NV Energy "account for every cent it has overcharged ratepayers from 2001 to 2025" related to customer misclassification
- • Joined 22 other AGs suing EPA to recover $155.7 million in federal Solar For All grants
"I believe parents shouldn't have to choose between keeping the lights on and putting food on the table."
Childcare: 2017 Champion
As Senate Majority Leader, Ford championed the "Nevada Blueprint" agenda including employer childcare tax credits.[COL7]2017 Nevada Blueprint
- • Framed childcare alongside "women's pay equality" as economic priority
- • 2026 campaign has not articulated detailed childcare platform
Minimum Wage: Legislative Leader
Clearest documented wage record among all candidates.
- • Lead sponsor of SB 106 (2017): Would have raised minimum to $12/hour[COL8]SB 106 legislative record
- • Pursued constitutional amendment approach (SJR 6) leading to current $12 rate
Key Quote (2017)
"Gradually increasing the minimum wage will put hundreds of millions into the pockets of Nevadans who then will spend money on basic necessities... If Nevada Republicans won't consider giving working families a raise, then Nevada voters will."
Current Gaps
Has not explicitly addressed whether $12/hour is sufficient or supports further minimum wage increases. 2026 campaign lacks detailed childcare policy specifics despite 2017 leadership on the issue.
Full analysis: Cost of Living Issue Page
Gun Control Record
Attorney General Actions (2019-Present)
- • Red flag law implementation: Promoted ERPO training for law enforcement statewide[GUN4]AG Office training programs
- • Ghost gun defense: Successfully defended AB 286 in Sisolak v. Polymer80 (NV Supreme Court, April 2024)
- • Multi-state coalitions: Joined litigation efforts supporting gun safety measures
- • Background check enforcement: Oversaw implementation of universal background checks
Legislative Record (2017-2019)
- • As Senate Majority Leader, oversaw passage of 2019 gun safety reforms
- • Supported universal background check implementation
- • Aligned with gun safety advocacy organizations
Implied Gubernatorial Position
Ford's AG record strongly suggests he would sign the measures Lombardo vetoed: raising semi-automatic purchase age to 21, prohibiting firearms at polling places, barring hate crime convicts from possessing firearms.
Historical Context
Ford's predecessor, AG Adam Laxalt (R), issued a 2016 opinion declaring Question 1 (voter-approved background checks) "unenforceable"—delaying implementation until 2020. Ford's office reversed this posture and actively enforces the law.
Full analysis: Gun Control & Safety Issue Page
Campaign Finance: The Trial Lawyer Machine
The Citizens for Justice Nexus
The Nevada Justice Association (trial lawyers' lobby) operates Citizens for Justice (CFJ) PAC—the financial engine of Nevada Democratic politics and Ford's primary backer.
The Closed-Loop System
- Trial lawyers donate to CFJ ($4.7M+ total)
- CFJ distributes to Ford and Democratic legislators
- Ford (as AG) and legislature block tort reform, damage caps
- Ford (as AG) hires outside counsel (often donors like Eglet Adams) for state litigation
- Firms receive millions in fees, reinvest in PACs
Top Donor Clusters
Source: American Tort Reform Association
Corporate-Sponsored Travel
Ford accepted $140,000+ in travel from the Attorney General Alliance (AGA), funded by corporations including Amazon, Meta, and TikTok.
Destinations
South Africa, Poland, Israel, South Korea, Spain, Qatar
The Conflict
As AG, Ford investigates these same corporations for privacy violations and antitrust.
Ford reported highest aggregate value of trips among Nevada officials. Source
The Contradictions
"Champion of the Little Guy" vs. Trial Lawyer Dependency
Says: Fights for everyday Nevadans against corporate interests.
Reality: Primary funders are multimillionaire trial lawyers who receive $165M+ in state
contract fees.
The "little guy" rhetoric masks an elite donor ecosystem.
$185K IRS Liens While Buying $468K Home
The Facts: Between 2010-2014, IRS filed liens totaling ~$185,000 for unpaid taxes.
His Explanation: "Financial difficulties" during recession and law firm partnership
transition.
The Problem: In 2013, while owing IRS six figures, he purchased a new home for $468,138.
Liens paid by 2016. But the juxtaposition is politically toxic: "tax-dodging politician who votes to raise taxes on businesses."
Sanctuary State → "I Do Not Support Sanctuary Policies"
2017: Co-sponsored legislation limiting ICE cooperation.
2025: "Let me be clear: I do not support sanctuary policies. Period."
Complete reversal for general election viability. Relies on complexity of "model policies" vs. "statutes" to confuse the issue.
Criminal Justice Reformer → "Supporting Law Enforcement"
2019-2020: Champion of AB 236, raised theft threshold, reduced drug penalties.
2025: Touts "supporting law enforcement," distances from "Defund" narrative.
Attempting to thread the needle: maintain Black voter enthusiasm while reassuring suburban whites.
Corporate Defense Attorney → Anti-Corporate Litigator
Early Career: Weil Gotshal & Manges—defending corporate interests in complex
litigation.
Current Brand: Suing Google, fighting Ticketmaster, targeting "corporate greed."
Professional evolution or ideological flexibility? The pivot aligns with funding shift from corporate defense bar to plaintiffs' bar.
Bodycam Transparency Questions
The Issue: 2017 traffic stop bodycam footage remains confidential after Nevada Supreme
Court ruling.
The Problem: For an AG who champions transparency, the sealed footage allows speculation
about his conduct.
Influence Network
Key Allies
Robert Eglet — Eglet Adams
Former employer. Top donor. Recipient of state outside counsel contracts. The most important figure in Ford's financial network.
Citizens for Justice (NJA)
Trial lawyers' PAC. Financial clearinghouse. $4.7M+ to Democratic causes.
Harry Reid Machine (Legacy)
Ford inherited Reid's turnout infrastructure. Relies on the machine for ground game.
Culinary Union 226
Vital for Las Vegas turnout. Door-knocking army. Ford consistently supports their picket lines.
Berna Rhodes-Ford
Wife, attorney. Active in campaign. "College sweethearts" narrative deployed for suburban appeal.
Key Adversaries
Joe Lombardo
Incumbent opponent. Frames Ford as "partisan activist" and "soft on crime."
Republican Governors Association
Calls Ford "Soft on Crime, Corrupt Politician." Will spend heavily against him.
American Tort Reform Association
Highlights CFJ "pay-to-play" appearance. Opposes trial lawyer influence.
Alexis Hill
Primary challenger. Running to Ford's left on taxes. Could force him to defend centrist positions.
2026 Electoral Assessment
Path to Victory
- 1. Maximize Clark County turnout — Obama-level numbers among Black and Latino voters
- 2. Win the suburbs — Henderson, Summerlin. Frame Lombardo as extreme on housing
- 3. The "Consumer Champion" narrative — Ticketmaster, opioids, rent-fixing fights
- 4. Survive the primary — Defeat Hill without moving too far left
Key Vulnerabilities
- • AB 236: "Soft on crime" attacks if retail theft stays visible
- • IRS liens: "Tax dodger" hypocrisy attacks
- • CFJ loop: "Pay-to-play" corruption framing
- • Sanctuary reversal: Flip-flopper attacks from both sides
X-Factors
- • Trump Factor: If Trump administration unpopular, Ford's federal lawsuits become asset
- • Crime Stats: If crime drops, reform narrative survives. If viral theft videos continue, devastating
- • Housing Crisis: If rents spike, Ford's anti-landlord message gains traction