In Nevada, Trump's policies are making things tough for Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo

Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford, left, will face Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, right, in Nevada's race for governor this November. Charles Krupa/AP, Ethan Miller/Getty Images hide caption

RENO, Nev. — The stage is set for what could be one of the most closely watched gubernatorial elections in the country. According to a race call by The Associated Press, Democratic voters in Nevada have selected two-time state Attorney General Aaron Ford as their party's nominee to challenge incumbent Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo.

Ford, who was elected as the state's AG in 2018, defeated five other Democrats to claim the nomination. He focused his primary campaign on Lombardo, pointing to the rising cost of groceries, gas, housing and healthcare as failures of the one-term governor.

He's also done everything he can to tie Lombardo to President Trump, who endorsed Lombardo and who has seen his popularity decline since winning the state by 3 points two years ago. That's setting up a tough race for Lombardo. The Cook Political Report, which tracks elections, rates the race a toss-up.

Lombardo faced six primary challengers of his own, but sailed to victory Tuesday night. That was thanks in part to his relative success in the state legislature, despite Democratic majorities in both chambers. Among his top accomplishments are a bipartisan bill that looked to hold school districts more accountable, tightening criminal justice reforms enacted after George Floyd's killing in 2020, and efforts to make housing more attainable. He also helped secure a public financing deal for a new stadium for Major League Baseball's A's, formerly of Oakland.

The governor has secured a sizeable war chest heading into the general election, but money alone isn't enough to carry an election in the Silver State. Messaging and voter contact matter, and that's where Ford may have an advantage. The state's incredibly powerful Culinary Union, which represents hospitality workers across Nevada, officially endorsed Ford last month. The union, which claims as many as 60,000 members in Nevada alone, has become a voter turnout machine. It has integrated polling sites into casinos and resorts dedicated to hospitality workers.