Before anyone gets to face off with Governor Joe Lombardo in 2026, two Democrats will first have to go head-to-head with each other.
And they aren’t exactly reading from the same script.
Attorney General Aaron Ford and Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill are both running in the Democrat primary for governor.
But while they belong to the same party, they seem to be offering voters two different versions of what the Democrat platform should look like in Nevada.
If nothing else, voters can look forward to a choice between tax credits and tax fairness, big business partnerships or government equity – depending on which side of the Democrat coin they find more polished.
Same Race, Very Different Campaigns
Ford, who’s already won statewide office as attorney general, is focused on positioning himself for the general election.
He’s making the case that most Nevadans want stable jobs, safe neighborhoods, and better schools.
It’s a message that’s designed to resonate broadly; no bold slogans, just dependable political comfort food.
It could fit nicely on a bumper sticker, or at least on a carefully worded campaign brochure.
Meanwhile, Hill is coming from a different direction.
A county commissioner from northern Nevada, she’s focusing on what she sees as long-term neglect in the state’s infrastructure, education system, and tax code.
Her campaign is built around the idea that what’s been done before isn’t working – and that Nevada needs a harder reset.
Hill feels like cries for help are going unanswered. She’s positioning herself as the candidate who hears them.
The Business Question
The biggest difference so far? Their views on tax incentives.
Ford says tax credits can help draw businesses to the state and create high-paying jobs – something Nevada has used in the past to attract companies like Tesla and the Raiders.
He’s not promising blank checks, but he does seem to think it’s better to have some jobs than none.
Hill isn’t buying it.
She’s made it clear she sees those kinds of deals as handouts for companies that can already afford to invest.
She refers to tax breaks as “giveaways to billionaires.”
In short: one Democrat sees business incentives as a tool. The other sees them as the problem.
Education: Some Agreement, Kind Of
Both candidates agree that Nevada’s education funding isn’t where it should be.
In fact, this may be the only issue where there’s a clear consensus.
But even here, the tone is different. Ford says he wants to listen to teachers and work with them to improve things.
Hill talks more about the need for structural reform and says the current system is still leaving too many students behind.
So while they agree on the problem, the paths they want to take to fix it are, like much of this race, not quite aligned.
So Far, So Civil – But the Race is Just Getting Started
So far, the two Democrats haven’t gone after each other directly. But it’s still early, and political weather tends to change.
Ford appears to be running a steady campaign aimed at the general election.
Hill seems to be running a campaign aimed at shaking up the primary.
It’s a bit like watching a job interview where one candidate brings a binder of qualifications, and the other brings a whiteboard and a vision.
And while they may eventually unite behind a shared mission to unseat the Republican governor, right now, they’re busy trying to convince voters they’re not like each other.
Whether the Democrat base wants continuity or change remains to be seen.
Either way, the first big contest of the 2026 race may not be red vs. blue – it might be blue vs. blue.
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.
