Nevada Democrats sweep statewide races

Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford defeated Republican Governor Joe Lombardo in Tuesday's midterm elections, securing the top executive position in Nevada. The Associated Press called the race early Wednesday morning, marking a decisive shift in state power. The Associated Press also projected that Democrats would win all six constitutional offices on the ballot.

Down the ballot, Democrats captured the remaining five statewide positions. Assembly Majority Leader Sandra Jauregui defeated incumbent Lieutenant Governor Stavros Anthony. State Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro won the attorney general race against Adriana Guzmán Fralick. Cisco Aguilar retained the secretary of state seat, and Tya Mathis-Coleman won the open treasurer race over Drew Johnson.

Michael MacDougall, a Clark County high school teacher, unseated state controller Andy Matthews in the final statewide contest. This complete sweep of constitutional offices gives the Democratic Party unified control of the executive branch starting next year. Results remain unofficial until formal canvassing concludes later this month.

In the U.S. House, Democrats won all four of Nevada's congressional districts. Teresa Benitez-Thompson is expected to defeat Republican David Flippo in the 2nd Congressional District. With 86% of precincts reporting, she leads by more than 6 percentage points. If she wins, she becomes the first Democrat to hold that seat since its creation after the 1980 census.

Benitez-Thompson said in a statement that Northern Nevada has placed its trust in her to represent the region. She stated, "In Congress, I will fight every single day to protect our wallets, our water, and our way of life." Retiring Representative Mark Amodei had declined to endorse Flippo, who won the Republican primary with President Donald Trump's support.

Democratic candidates are on track to expand their majorities in the state legislature. In the 42-seat Assembly, Democrats led nine of the ten races shown in early returns. They are poised to secure a two-thirds supermajority. Jovan Jackson and Cameron Miller posted the widest margins, each topping 80% against third-party opponents. Kamilah Bywaters and Eileen Eady hold narrow leads in Districts 2 and 4, respectively.

In the state Senate, Democrats led six of the nine races displayed. They need one more seat to reach a supermajority. Republican Lisa Krasner leads Democrat Chrystal Roll in District 16 by 4,375 votes. If Democrats win both chambers' supermajorities, they will have unified control over the legislative and budget process for the 2027 session. Ford has pledged to revive legislation that Lombardo vetoed, including measures on corporate home buying and prescription drug prices.