Two Law Enforcement Groups Say Ford's New Campaign Ad Misleads Voters About Their Support.
Nevada's governor race just got a fresh jolt. Two law enforcement groups say Attorney General Aaron Ford used their name and badge in a campaign ad without permission. Now they want it pulled.
What Happened
According to a press release from Governor Joe Lombardo's campaign, Ford's newest ad recycles old footage.
That footage comes from his 2018 run for attorney general. The ad shows people wearing logos and badges from the Nevada Association of Public Safety Officers (NAPSO) and the Las Vegas Police Protective Association (LVPPA).
Neither group says it permitted that.
🚨BREAKING: Aaron Ford used old campaign footage to mislead Nevadans about his support from law enforcement.
Dave Kallas is setting the record straight: He and the LVPPA do NOT endorse Aaron Ford for Governor.
They proudly support Governor Joe Lombardo for re-election.
If… pic.twitter.com/NMv9nrhPor
— Team Lombardo (@teamlombardonv) August 9, 2026
The release says the old footage also carries old language. Language that applied to Ford's 2018 campaign for attorney general. Critics say stitching it into a 2026 governor's ad makes it look like these groups back Ford for governor today. They don't.
John Abel is Director of Governmental Affairs at the LVPPA. He didn't hold back, saying:
“The Las Vegas Police Protective Association did not authorize any individual to wear or display the LVPPA logo or badge in Aaron Ford's campaign advertisement, nor did we authorize our organization's name or likeness to be used to imply an endorsement in the 2026 race for Governor.”
He added that LVPPA has sent Ford's campaign a cease-and-desist letter.
The group's message on the governor's race is blunt.
“The Las Vegas Police Protective Association proudly supports Governor Joe Lombardo for reelection,” Abel said.
More lies from @AaronDFordNV who:
💵 Lied about recovering $40M in fraud
🚨 Was arrested 3x
📂 Had $185k of tax liens
✈️ Abandoned his taxpayer-funded job for 420+ days to travel the worldWhen people show you who they are, believe them the first time. pic.twitter.com/HntSOAi2za
— Elizabeth Ray (@elizabethrray) August 9, 2026
Halee Dobbins speaks for the Lombardo campaign. She didn't mince words either.
“It is despicable that Aaron Ford would mislead Nevada voters by falsely portraying support from Nevada's law enforcement community that he simply does not have,” Dobbins said.
She argued Lombardo built his law enforcement support the honest way.
“Governor Joe Lombardo is proud to have earned the endorsement of major law enforcement organizations in Nevada through decades of standing with the men and women who wear the badge and wearing the badge himself, not by misleading the public,” Dobbins said.
Why This Matters to Conservatives
Trust is the whole ballgame in politics. If a candidate borrows the badge of your local police union to look tough on crime, and that union never signed off, that's not a small thing. Conservatives care about honest elections.
Voters deserve straight answers about who really backs a candidate. Recycling old footage under new claims blurs that line. It also puts individual officers in a tough spot.
Ford's campaign has not yet responded publicly.
Lombardo's Law Enforcement Backing
The Lombardo campaign's release lists a long roster of support.
Organizations behind Lombardo include the Carson City Sheriff's Supervisory Association, Las Vegas Metro Police Managers and Supervisors Association, LVPPA, Peace Officer Research Association of Nevada, Police Officers Association of CCSD, Public Safety Alliance of Nevada, Washoe County Sheriff Deputies Association, Reno Police Protective Association, Sparks Police Protective Association, Douglas County Sheriff Protective Association, LVPOA, Washoe County School Police Officer's Association, and the Nevada Police Union.
Individual sheriffs backing Lombardo include Carson City's Kenneth Furlong, Churchill County's Lee Orozco, Clark County's Kevin McMahill, Douglas County's Daniel Coverley, Elko County's Aitor Narvaiza, and several more across the state, according to the release.
What Happens Next
Watch for whether Ford's campaign pulls the ad or pushes back. And if the ad continues to air, watch to see if law enforcement groups file a lawsuit to stop the political misrepresentation of their ogranizations.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
