Workers First Agenda

Aaron Ford grew up in a working-class family where his parents struggled to make ends meet — and through grit and determination he overcame early adversity, earning five college degrees. He became a teacher, built a family with his wife Berna, and brought his family to Nevada. Ford’s story is the Nevada story: coming to the Silver State in search of a better life.

But Ford's path to achieving his version of the American Dream is slipping further and further out of reach for working Nevadans in the Lombardo-Trump economy. Nevada has one of the highest unemployment rates of any state in the country. Tourism has cratered thanks to the Trump tariffs that Lombardo supports, with Las Vegas losing 3.1 million tourists in just 2025 alone. 

Lombardo endorsed Trump’s tariffs, going so far as to say Nevadans “need to feel a little pain.” And to make matters worse, Joe Lombardo endorsed Trump’s health care cuts that have sent premiums skyrocketing for hundreds of thousands of Nevadans — and his war with Iran has caused gas prices to explode. Under Joe Lombardo and Donald Trump prices are up, unemployment is high, and working families are stretched to the brink of financial disaster. 

A better future is possible. To achieve it, Nevada needs to build an economy that gives Nevadans a pathway to achieving their own unique version of the American dream right here at home — building on our world-class hospitality industry with new innovation, start-ups, small business expansion, and investments in workers. 

As Governor, Aaron Ford will fight to open the doors of the American Dream to every Nevadan, no matter where in our state they live or how much money they make. He'll make Nevadans’ wages go farther by lowering costs for families, bringing Nevada’s economy into the 21st century, and empowering our small business owners and workers. 

Section 1: Support Workers and Unions

While Joe Lombardo has failed to pay state workers on time on multiple occasions, Aaron Ford has stood with workers throughout his time in public service, from fighting to raise the minimum wage to laying the groundwork to expand collective bargaining rights to 20,000 public sector workers. As he futurizes Nevada’s economy, Ford will ensure that workers reap the benefits of increased economic activity, are protected in the workplace, and have the opportunity to work and retire with dignity. Ford will never cut deals with billionaire CEOs to help them avoid accountability when workers are harmed. 

• Protect Collective Bargaining Rights: Ford knows that when workers can exercise their right to collectively bargain, wages go up for everyone. Workers in states without “right to work” laws are paid $1,600 more per year than similar workers in states like Nevada that have “right to work” laws in place. “Right to work” laws also lower the likelihood that employers will offer health insurance and other benefits to their employees. Many of Nevada’s largest employers are able to operate profitably in states without right to work laws. Ford thinks Nevada workers deserve more. As Governor, he will repeal Nevada’s “right to work for less” law and support policies that grow and protect wages like project labor agreements and prevailing wage laws.
  
  

• Protect Worker Safety: Every worker deserves to wake up knowing they’ll come home safe and sound at the end of their work day. Ford will ensure Nevada’s state regulators are fully funded, staffed, and have the legal authority to crack down on employers that put workers in danger.  
  
  

• Expand Union Apprenticeship Opportunities: Union apprenticeship programs are some of the best educational programs available to Nevadans—providing specialized and in-demand job training and integrating classroom instruction with hands-on experience. As Governor, Ford will partner with labor unions to enroll 50% more new union apprentices in registered apprenticeship programs and promote project labor agreements that give apprentices a foot in the door. Ford will also encourage new projects to give priority to hiring Registered Apprentices, so that Nevada’s workforce of tomorrow has the opportunity to learn the skills they need today.
  
  

• Ensure Workers Are Driving Nevada’s Future: Artificial Intelligence must benefit Nevada workers, not threaten their jobs or working conditions. As Governor, Ford will fight to protect and expand workers’ jobs across the board and support collective bargaining so that workers have a seat at the table in determining the course of their places of employment.
  
  

Section 2: Diversify Our Economy And Build For The Future

Attorney General Ford shares Nevadans’ pride in our world-class tourism industry and our historic mining industry. At the same time, he knows that if we don’t diversify our economy, we’re more vulnerable to a potential recession that’ll hit working Nevada’s families hardest. As Governor, Aaron Ford will make Nevada a global leader in innovative clean energy technologies, invest in advanced manufacturing, bring our economy into the 21st century, and with the help of union labor — we’ll build, build, build.

• Make Nevada a Global Leader In Innovative Energy Technologies: Nevada has clear, voter-approved, and bipartisan clean energy requirements. As Governor, Aaron Ford will make Nevada a global leader in clean energy and next generation battery manufacturing, innovation, recycling, and adoption. By building, developing, installing, and using next generation technologies, Nevada can take full advantage of our abundant natural resources—creating jobs, reducing utility costs and making Nevada less reliant on other states and countries for our energy needs in the process.
  
  

• Capitalize On Nevada’s Best-In-The-Nation Solar Potential: Nevada leads the nation in solar power potential, yet the state consumes more energy than it produces. As Governor, Aaron Ford will work with our federal delegation to build utility-scale solar using union labor, appoint a GOED Director that will unleash the state’s home-grown energy potential, and stand up to Trump who has attacked solar in the state.
  
  

• Support Small Businesses: Small businesses are vital to Nevada’s economy. In 2017 Ford passed legislation to create a loan program for small and minority owned businesses. Nevada small businesses have been hit hard by illegal tariffs, and as Attorney General, Aaron Ford fought and won to stop the tariffs. As Governor, Ford will continue his fight to refund businesses and families that have been illegally taxed by the federal government for every cent they are owed. As Governor, Ford’s administration will expand support for small businesses to help them innovate and compete in today’s fast moving, global economy. 
  
  

• A New Financial District: Having a financial district is a key way for Las Vegas to attract more high-tax businesses, reducing the tax burden on working families. Since his time as a state senator, Ford has been having conversations with stakeholders to bring a financial district to Las Vegas. As Governor, Ford will move the ball forward and work with businesses and the City of Las Vegas to bring a financial district to the Silver State. 
  
  

• Public Infrastructure: As Attorney General, Ford has sued the Trump administration to protect Nevada’s share of federal highway dollars and has sued to stop tariffs that are driving up the costs of construction materials needed to finish projects. As Governor, Ford will treat infrastructure like the economic emergency it is – cutting red tape that stalls projects, holding contractors accountable for delays and cost overruns, and working to get stalled projects back on track. 
  
  

• Reevaluate Tax Abatements for Data Centers: With dozens of data centers being built in Nevada, it’s crucial for data centers  to give back to Nevada communities, not harm them. General Ford has spent a decade holding corporations accountable to their promises and ensuring they serve the people of this state, and that’s the approach he’ll take as Governor. He will revaluate the efficacy of current and future tax abatements to data centers and require strong economic justification for any tax dollar spent. He'll never allow data centers to use our state's resources without contributing to the betterment of Nevada families. Accordingly, Ford will require data centers to earn tax abatements by creating good-paying jobs each year, paying for the energy they use and the electrical grid updates required to deliver it, and use modern cooling systems that don’t use fresh water.
  
  

• Support Nevada’s Veterans: Throughout his career, Attorney General Ford has always stood with Nevada’s veterans. As Governor, Ford will expedite the occupational licensing process and waive licensing fees for veterans that worked in equivalent fields while serving and increase the hiring preference for veterans applying for state jobs. For veterans seeking to start their own small business, Ford will create state programs to help veteran owned small businesses with start up financing. 
  
  

• Strengthen Rural and Tribal Economies: As Governor, Ford will work with rural and tribal partners to expand rural housing supply, expand access to small business financing, and expand state support and marketing promoting Nevada’s outdoor recreation economy in our rural counties without damaging our natural treasures.
  
  

Section 3: Prepare the Next Generation for the Work Force

Aaron Ford knows we must give Nevada’s young people a pathway to achieving their versions of the American dream right here at home by expanding access to paid internships and other work-based learning opportunities. Nevada’s colleges, universities, and training centers are critical to our future economic growth as well as the development of future generations of educators. Even though Nevada is at the bottom of rankings for the number of adults with post-secondary degrees, students will still face 12% tuition hikes to make up for inadequate state funding and federal funding cuts. AG Ford will work to broaden the range of educational opportunities available to Nevadans, including by investing in union Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs) that build up Nevada’s workforce and give students the opportunity to earn while they learn a skilled trade. Ford will also support efforts to bring down the cost of tuition and encourage NHSE to refrain from approving increases during his term as governor. 

• Incentivize Nevada’s best and brightest to remain in-state: As a father to sons he wants to come home after finishing college, Ford knows all too well that Nevada’s best and brightest young people are being forced to leave home in search of educational opportunity because they can’t afford it here. Once they’re gone, it’s hard to get them to bring their talents back to Nevada. As state senate majority leader, Ford sponsored the bill to create the Silver State Opportunity Grant to help provide college funding for bright, low-income students, but they are limited to community colleges. As Governor, Ford will expand the Nevada Promise and Silver State Opportunity Grant scholarships to Nevada’s four-year universities. Ford will also create a dedicated scholarship tier for Nevada’s rural students so that the rural households benefit from the skills and knowledge of young Nevadans.
  
  

• Invest in post-secondary education: Nevada’s state funding for post-secondary institutions never recovered from the 2008 recession. Ford will fight to increase state investment in Nevada's colleges and universities to bring funding in line with peer states — so that tuition hikes like the one just approved are not the only tool on the table when budgets get tight.
  
  

• Tackle student loan debt: As a State Senator Ford introduced legislation to allow Nevada student loan borrowers to refinance their student loans at a more affordable rate, and as Attorney General, he held predatory loan servicers accountable, delivering millions of dollars in student loan relief to Nevadans harmed by their deceptive practices. As Governor, Ford will support efforts to cut costs for student loan borrowers like refinancing options and will work to limit tuition increases at Nevada’s colleges and universities.
  
  

• Support graduate student workers: As a former Graduate Assistant (GA), Ford knows exactly how hard GAs work and how it feels when that hard work isn’t enough to pay the bills at the end of the month. GAs contribute to Nevada's academic excellence and university research status by conducting innovative research, securing research funding, and educating thousands of undergraduates in the NSHE system. Ford will support graduate student workers’ right to organize and collectively bargain as Governor. 
  
  

• Ban predatory lending practices: Ford will support legislation that stops student loan servicers and educational institutions from using predatory lending language to lure students into taking out predatory high-interest loans and ban misleading lending practices that lock students into neverending debt. 
  
  

• Guarantee school breakfast and lunch: As Governor, Aaron Ford will guarantee school breakfast and lunch to all Nevada children. Kids can’t learn on an empty stomach and are less likely to come to school if they’re hungry or facing the shame of not having money for meals. Guaranteeing school meals puts nearly $1,000 per student back into parents’ pockets and ensures kids are receiving the nutrition they need and deserve. 
  
  

• Improve Nevada’s health care system: As Governor, Ford will grow Nevada’s health care workforce, sign legislation to cap prescription drug costs that Joe Lombardo vetoed, protect Medicaid both from cuts from Washington D.C. and fraudsters trying to take advantage of the system, and sign legislation to prohibit health insurance companies from using AI to reject prior authorization requests. 
  
  

• Expand Access to Early Childhood Education and Childcare: Early childhood education is one of the best ways to improve literacy rates and expand a child’s horizon. As Governor, Ford will expand access to early childhood education and care by establishing a Department of Early Childhood , streamlining licensure, accountability, and funding mechanisms, and ensuring equitable funding so Nevada parents can access child care and early childhood options that work best for their children.
  
  

Section 4: Cut Costs For Nevada Workers

Nevada families are being squeezed from every direction: rent they can't afford, utility bills that keep rising, prescription drugs they ration, and medical debt that follows them for years. This stops under the Ford administration. 

• Stand up to big utilities, halt mandatory demand charges: NV Energy recently became the only investor-owned utility in the country to impose a mandatory demand charge on residential customers — a new, confusing fee that consumer advocates warn could add more than $30 a month to some families' bills and penalizes Nevadans for using energy-efficient appliances and rooftop solar. This practice will raise costs on Nevadans and disincentivize residential solar installation. As Governor, Ford will fight to reverse it, fight for legislation that bans future unlawful price hikes, and prevent utilities from saddling customers with inappropriate charges, and appoint Public Utility Commissioners who work for ratepayers and consumers.
  
  

• Stop Wall Street hedge funds from buying up our homes: Investors own about 15 percent of all the single-family homes in Clark County and more than 25 percent in North Las Vegas. These aren't neighbors — they're financial firms using Nevada housing as a profit center, and they are driving up costs for everyone trying to buy or rent a home. As Governor, Ford will work with the legislature to cap the number of homes corporate investors can purchase each year and create a corporate landlord registry so Nevadans can see exactly who owns their neighborhoods.
  
  

• Crack down on corporations using AI to unlawfully price fix: As Attorney General, Ford pushed to ban corporations from jacking up the price of basic essentials that working families can’t get by without well past the market rate. As Governor, Ford will continue to crack down on corporate price fixing, including companies using AI to unlawfully set the cost of rent and gas.
  
  

• Cap security deposits at one month's rent: With average rent at nearly $2,000, Nevada law currently allows landlords to charge up to three times that amount – nearly $6,000 upfront. That’s untenable for working families.  As Governor, Ford will cap security deposits at the equivalent of 1 month’s rent, bringing Nevada on par with states like Alabama and Kansas.
  
  

• Lower prescription drug costs: Prescription drug costs have risen faster in Nevada than any other state. As Governor, Ford will cap the cost of many prescription drugs at the Medicare-negotiated rate, fight to protect Medicaid, and make sure Nevadans can get the medicine they need without cutting pills in half or skipping refills. That means lowering the cost of critical medications used to treat heart disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and other serious conditions families face every day. 
  
  

• Cancel Medical Debt: As Governor, Ford will work with medical debt nonprofits to relieve debt for Nevadans whose annual income is at or below 400% of the federal poverty level or the medical debt owed is 5% or more of their annual income. With every $1 erasing $100 in medical debt on average, this partnership will relieve the burden of debt that’s crushing thousands of Nevadans across the state.