If you thought Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford might try to moderate his message ahead of a likely run for governor, think again.
Instead of learning from the 2024 election—where voters across the country rejected far-left, woke politics—Ford is doubling down on the very agenda that helped sink Democrats like Kamala Harris and some of AOC’s allies last cycle.
Earlier this month, Ford appeared at Al Sharpton’s National Action Network convention, gave a standing ovation to New York Attorney General Letitia James (the same AG who went after Donald Trump), and cheered on companies clinging to divisive DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policies.
Then, he told the audience to “stay woke”—proudly embracing a label voters across the country are walking away from.
And now, there’s another twist:
Former Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak has announced he’s seriously considering running to reclaim the governor’s mansion in 2026. That sets up a potential Democratic primary fight—and helps explain why Ford is suddenly sprinting to the far left.
Facing a possible battle with Sisolak, who still has a loyal following in some corners of the state, Ford seems to be trying to shore up support from the progressive base.
That’s why he’s hugging the same “woke” playbook pushed by Kamala Harris, AOC, Jasmine Crockett, and the rest of the radical left.
Here’s what Ford told the crowd at the Sharpton event:
“They don’t want you asking what’s going on… They want you ignorant, they want you complacent. That’s why they’re changing history books right before your eyes… so it’s important that you stay woke.”
In Ford’s world, being “woke” is something to be proud of.
But for everyday Nevadans, that word now represents everything from forced pronoun policies in schools to race-based hiring practices and political correctness run wild.
It’s not just out of touch—it’s offensive to the values of fairness and individual merit.
And Ford didn’t stop there. He praised companies like Costco, Delta, and even the Cleveland Cavaliers for sticking with their DEI programs, despite the fact that many other corporations—like Target and Disney—have quietly begun backing away from them after public backlash and tanking profits.
Ford told the crowd:
“These places that adamantly and continue to support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, we should support because they support us.”
That sounds a lot like Kamala Harris’s defense of equity quotas. Or AOC’s push for social justice hiring standards. Or Jasmine Crockett’s crusade for race-based education reforms.
But it doesn’t sound anything like the commonsense Nevada values that helped elect Republican Governor Joe Lombardo in 2022 and put Trump back in the White House in 2024.
The contrast couldn’t be clearer. While Lombardo focuses on public safety, school performance, and helping Nevada families afford to live and work in the state, Ford is out chasing applause from Al Sharpton and Letitia James.
National polling reflects the shift away from this agenda.
A 2024 Pew Research study showed that less than 30% of Americans support using race as a factor in college admissions or corporate hiring. That number is even lower among independents—especially in battleground states like Nevada.
Critics of Ford’s message argue that DEI is simply about fairness.
But when it results in lower standards, reverse discrimination, and division, it’s no longer about equality—it’s about ideology. And voters are seeing through it.
As the 2026 race for governor heats up, Nevada Democrats could soon find themselves in a political identity crisis.
Will they back Ford, who’s racing to the left in hopes of winning over the woke base? Or will they return to Sisolak, who—despite his many flaws—at least tried to appear moderate?
Either way, the GOP has a strong case to make. Because when Ford says “stay woke,” Nevada voters are likely to say, “No thanks.”
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
