2026 Nevada gubernatorial election
Nevada will elect its next governor in 2026, with the primary scheduled for June 9 and the general election on November 3. The race is expected to be competitive in a closely divided swing state, and the governor will shape policy on housing affordability, taxes, education, public safety, and reproductive rights. Incumbent Republican Joe Lombardo is seeking reelection, while Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford is a leading challenger; Washoe County Commission Chair Alexis Hill is also running. Early polling has shown a close contest between Lombardo and Ford, including an Emerson College Polling survey conducted November 16-18, 2025 that found them tied at 41% each.
Joe Lombardo R Incumbent 
Aaron Ford D 
Matthew Winterhawk R 
Alexis Hill D 
Sunshine Arterburn D Christopher Battenberg N Miqehl Bayfield D Donald J. Beaudry Jr. R 
Max Beck N Emile Bouari D James Cooper D 
Danielle Ford N 
M. Kameron Hawkins R Jordan Koteras N 
Allen Rheinhart N Emilio R. Rodriguez N John T. Scott N Jose M. Zelaya R 
Barak Zilberberg R Candidates
Joe Lombardo
Joe Lombardo is the Republican governor of Nevada and a former Clark County sheriff. He was elected governor in 2022 and is seeking reelection in 2026, with his public profile centered on public safety, education, housing, and economic development.
Aaron Ford is Nevada’s attorney general and a Democratic candidate for governor in 2026. He has said he earned five degrees from The Ohio State University, including a law degree and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration, and previously served in the Nevada State Senate and as a public school math teacher.
Matthew Winterhawk is a Republican candidate for governor of Nevada in 2026. His campaign describes him as a father of two, husband, business operator, nonprofit founder, and civic reformer, and Ballotpedia identifies him as a candidate in the Republican primary on June 9, 2026.
Irina Hansen is a Republican candidate for Nevada governor in 2026. Her campaign says she is a longtime real estate agent, salon and spa owner, and mother of three, and that she is running to restore government accountability, strengthen the economy, improve public safety, and expand school choice. Her campaign website also says it has not published a detailed public platform beyond its issue pages and priorities page.
Alexis Hill is the chair of the Washoe County Commission and a Democratic candidate for Nevada governor in 2026. Her background includes more than a decade in municipal public service, and her campaign emphasizes tax reform, housing affordability, schools, infrastructure, and public services.
Sunshine Arterburn is a Democratic candidate for governor of Nevada in the 2026 election. Publicly available biographical information and a detailed campaign platform were limited in the sources reviewed, and no prior elected office or campaign website was identified.
Christopher Battenberg is a Nevada gubernatorial candidate running without a party affiliation in the 2026 election. Publicly available biographical information and campaign policy details are limited in the sources reviewed, and no campaign website or detailed platform was identified in the materials checked.
Miqehl Bayfield is a Nevada Democrat running for governor in 2026. Her campaign describes her as a Nevada-born working parent and college student focused on fiscal discipline, housing stability, education, childcare, mental health, and government transparency.
Donald J. Beaudry Jr. is a Republican candidate for governor of Nevada in 2026 who says he is based in Las Vegas. His campaign describes him as the founder and CEO of BlkEdgeAi and says he is running on a plan to replace Nevada state taxes with revenue generated through a state-owned financial exchange called NGEX.
Max Beck
Max Beck is a Nevada gubernatorial candidate running without a party affiliation. Public reporting identifies him as a Lyon County deputy sheriff who was sworn in in October 2025 and assigned to the county detention facility; no detailed public campaign platform was found in the sources reviewed.
Emile Bouari is a Democratic candidate for governor of Nevada in 2026. Publicly available sources identify him as a filed candidate, but they do not provide a detailed campaign platform or much biographical information as of the search date.
James Cooper is a Democratic candidate for governor of Nevada in the 2026 election. Public reporting and candidate listings identify him as a declared candidate, but publicly available sources reviewed for this profile did not provide a campaign website, detailed biography, or public policy platform as of the search date.
Danielle Ford is a Las Vegas-based marketing strategist and elected member of Nevada’s State Board of Education. She filed to run for governor of Nevada in 2026 as a nonpartisan candidate, and her public campaign materials do not appear to include a detailed policy platform beyond her education-focused background.
M. Kameron Hawkins is a Republican candidate for governor of Nevada in 2026. His campaign website describes him as a Nevada business and nonprofit leader and a U.S. Navy veteran, and says he announced his gubernatorial bid on February 23, 2023.
Jordan Koteras is a Nevada gubernatorial candidate running without a party affiliation in the 2026 election. Publicly available biographical information is limited, and no campaign website or detailed public policy platform was readily found in the sources reviewed as of 2026-04-07.
Allen Rheinhart is a Nevada gubernatorial candidate running as a nonpartisan candidate in the 2026 race. His campaign website is live, but the public issues page currently appears to be a placeholder and does not provide detailed policy positions.
Emilio R. Rodriguez is a 2026 candidate for governor of Nevada. Publicly available information on his background and platform remains limited, and his campaign has not published detailed policy positions in the sources reviewed as of 2026-04-07.
John T. Scott is a Nevada 2026 gubernatorial candidate listed in state and local election coverage. Publicly available reporting reviewed for this profile does not identify a campaign website, prior elected office, or a detailed biography beyond his filing in the race, and no public campaign platform was found in the sources checked.
Jose M. Zelaya is a Republican candidate for governor of Nevada in 2026. His campaign website says he is running on lowering the cost of living, expanding housing supply, supporting small businesses, improving education, making healthcare more affordable, securing Nevada’s water future, and investing in clean energy and new industries.
Barak Zilberberg is a Las Vegas-based real estate investor and entrepreneur running as a Republican for governor of Nevada in 2026. His campaign website describes him as a self-made entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist, husband, and father, and says he previously ran for governor in 2022.
Polling
Data Analysis Information
Data compiled from public sources and analyzed using AI. Last updated 4/7/2026. Visit candidate websites for the most current information.