2026 Nevada gubernatorial election
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November 3, 2026
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The 2026 Nevada gubernatorial election will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of Nevada. Incumbent Republican governor Joe Lombardo is running for re-election to a second term in office. Primary elections will take place on June 9, 2026.[1]
Nevada is considered to be a purple to slightly blue state at the federal and state levels, with neither party having control of all three branches of government. Apart from the governor, Nevada's lieutenant governor and state controller are Republicans. Nevada's attorney general, treasurer, and state secretary of state are Democrats.[citation needed] Donald Trump won the state in 2024, becoming the first Republican presidential nominee to win the state since 2004.[2]
The Nevada Legislature is controlled by members of the Democratic Party, with a majority in both the state assembly and senate. The lieutenant governor, a Republican, serves as the president of the state senate but only votes in the case of a tie. At the federal level, both United States Senators and three out of four members of the United States House of Representatives from Nevada are Democrats.[3][4]
With the exception of 2018, Republicans have won every gubernatorial election in the state since 1998.[5]
Republican primary
Candidates
Declared
- Donald J. Beaudry Jr., AI executive[6]
- Irina Hansen, salon owner and candidate for mayor of Las Vegas in 2024[7]
- M. Kameron Hawkins, candidate for lieutenant governor in 2022[8]
- Joe Lombardo, incumbent governor (2023–present)[9]
- Matthew Winterhawk, businessman[8]
- Jose M. Zalaya[6]
- Barak Zilberberg, candidate for governor in 2022[6]
Endorsements
- Executive branch officials
- Donald Trump, 45th and 47th president of the United States (2017–2021, 2025–present)[10]
- Labor unions
- Clark County Education Association[11]
- Organizations
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Irina Hansen |
Joe Lombardo |
Matthew Winterhawk |
Jose Zalaya |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noble Predictive Insights[13] | March 10–13, 2026 | 306 (V) | ± 5.6% | 4% | 60% | 7% | 4% | 24% |
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Sunshine Arterburn[8]
- Miqehl Bayfield[6]
- Emile Bouari, businessman[6]
- James Cooper[8]
- Aaron Ford, Nevada attorney general (2019–present)[14]
- Alexis Hill, Washoe County commission chair (2023–present) from the 1st district (2021–present)[15]
Declined
- Sandra Jauregui, majority leader of the Nevada Assembly (2023–present) from the 41st district (2016–present)[16] (running for lieutenant governor; endorsed Ford)[17]
- Steve Yeager, speaker of the Nevada Assembly (2022–present) from the 9th district (2016–present)[16]
Endorsements
- U.S. senators
- Catherine Cortez Masto, Nevada (2017–present)[18]
- Jacky Rosen, Nevada (2019–present)[19]
- U.S. representatives
- Steven Horsford, NV-04 (2013–2015, 2019–present)[20]
- Susie Lee, NV-03 (2019–present)[21]
- Dina Titus, NV-01 (2009–2011, 2013–present)[20]
- State legislators
- Reuben D'Silva, state assemblymember from the 28th district (2022–present)[22]
- Cecelia González, state assemblymember from the 16th district (2020–present)[20]
- Sandra Jauregui, majority leader of the Nevada Assembly from the 41st district (2016–present)[22]
- Daniele Monroe-Moreno, speaker pro tempore of the Nevada Assembly (2023–present) from the 1st district (2016–present) and chair of the Nevada Democratic Party (2023–present)[20]
- David Orentlicher, state assemblymember from the 20th district (2020–present) and former member of the Indiana House of Representatives from the 86th district (2002-2008)[22]
- Selena Torres, state assemblymember from the 3rd district (2019–present)[22]
- Fabian Doñate, state senator from the 10th district (2021–present)[23]
- Labor unions
- Nevada State Education Association[24]
- Washoe Education Association[25]
- Organizations
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Aaron Ford |
Alexis Hill |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Change Research (D)[29][A] | December 11–18, 2025 | 555 (LV) | ± 4.3% | 48% | 13% | 1%[b] | 39% |
Independent candidates
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[32] | Tossup | September 11, 2025 |
| Inside Elections[33] | Tilt R | August 28, 2025 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[34] | Lean R | September 4, 2025 |
| Race to the WH[35] | Tilt R | April 21, 2026 |
Polling
Joe Lombardo vs. Aaron Ford
Aggregate polls
| Source of poll aggregation |
Dates administered |
Dates updated |
Joe Lombardo (R) |
Aaron Ford (D) |
Other/ |
Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race to the WH[36] | through March 31, 2026 | April 1, 2026 | 42.1% | 39.5% | 18.4% | Lombardo +2.6% |
| RealClearPolitics[37] | November 16, 2025 – March 13, 2026 | March 27, 2026 | 40.0% | 39.5% | 20.5% | Lombardo +0.5% |
| Average | 41.0% | 39.5% | 19.5% | Lombardo +1.5% | ||
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Joe Lombardo (R) |
Aaron Ford (D) |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noble Predictive Insights[13] | March 10–13, 2026 | 845 (RV) | ± 3.4% | 39% | 38% | 6%[d] | 17% |
| Hart Research (D)[38][B] | February 11–17, 2026 | 800 (LV) | – | 46% | 43% | – | 11% |
| Emerson College[39] | November 16–18, 2025 | 800 (RV) | ± 3.4% | 41% | 41% | – | 18% |
| Noble Predictive Insights[40] | October 7–13, 2025 | 766 (RV) | ± 3.5% | 40% | 37% | – | 23% |
| Vote TXT[41][C] | May 15–19, 2023 | 412 (RV) | ± 4.7% | 51% | 30% | 7%[e] | 12% |
Irina Hansen vs. Aaron Ford
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Irina Hansen (R) |
Aaron Ford (D) |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noble Predictive Insights[13] | March 10–13, 2026 | 845 (RV) | ± 3.4% | 32% | 37% | 8%[f] | 23% |
Matthew Winterhawk vs. Aaron Ford
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Matthew Winterhawk (R) |
Aaron Ford (D) |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noble Predictive Insights[13] | March 10–13, 2026 | 845 (RV) | ± 3.4% | 31% | 37% | 8%[f] | 24% |
Jose Zalaya vs. Aaron Ford
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Jose Zalaya (R) |
Aaron Ford (D) |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noble Predictive Insights[13] | March 10–13, 2026 | 845 (RV) | ± 3.4% | 30% | 36% | 9%[g] | 25% |