Aaron D. Ford, a Democrat first elected in 2018 and reelected in 2022, is the current Nevada Attorney General, serving as the state’s top law enforcement officer and chief legal adviser to the executive branch. Ford is term-limited and cannot run again, so the office will be open after the November 3, 2026 general election between Democratic nominee Nicole Cannizzaro and Republican nominee Adriana Guzmán Fralick.
What the Nevada Attorney General Does
The office is established under the Nevada Constitution and governed by Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 228. The Attorney General is the primary legal adviser to the executive department and has broad authority to prosecute criminal cases, supervise district attorneys, and appear before grand juries anywhere in the state.1Nevada Legislature. NRS Chapter 228
To hold the job, a candidate must be at least 30 years old, a citizen resident of Nevada for the three years preceding the election, and a State Bar member in good standing. Private law practice is prohibited while in office. The Attorney General is elected to a four-year term and must submit a biennial report to the governor and legislature on office affairs and recommendations for improving state law.
About 400 people work in the office, including roughly 155 attorneys and 62 investigators.2Nevada Current. Cannizzaro, Conine Clash in Democratic AG Primary It is organized into four bureaus:3Nevada Attorney General. Office Organization
- The Bureau of Consumer Protection, which enforces antitrust and deceptive trade practice laws.
- The Bureau of Criminal Justice, which houses units focused on fraud, public integrity, crimes against older persons, crimes against children, Medicaid fraud, and post-conviction matters.
- The Bureau of Governmental Affairs, which advises on gaming, taxation, health and human services, and natural resources.
- The Bureau of Litigation, which handles appellate work and public safety matters.
Specialized units handle whistleblower protection, victim support, military legal assistance, and oversight of the state’s open meeting and public records laws.4Nevada Attorney General. Office of the Attorney General Homepage
Aaron Ford’s Record in Office
Ford took office on January 7, 2019, becoming the first African American to hold statewide constitutional office in Nevada.5Nevada Attorney General. About AG Aaron Ford A former state senator who served as both majority and minority leader, he organized his agenda around five priorities he calls the “Five Cs”: constitutional rights, criminal justice reform, consumer protection, client service, and community engagement.
Consumer Protection and Opioids
By the end of 2024, the Bureau of Consumer Protection had secured more than $118.5 million in recoveries for Nevada consumers under Ford.5Nevada Attorney General. About AG Aaron Ford The office also obtained over $1.1 billion from pharmaceutical companies through opioid-related litigation, and in May 2026 confirmed that the $7.4 billion Purdue/Sackler opioid settlement had taken effect.6Nevada Attorney General. Press Releases
Recent enforcement actions include a June 2026 settlement requiring tax-relief scammers to surrender nearly $10 million in assets, a May 2026 action compelling defendants in the “IM Mastery” scam to surrender close to $90 million for victim compensation, and a March 2026 lawsuit against OneMain Financial over an alleged bait-and-switch lending scheme.6Nevada Attorney General. Press Releases In April 2026, the office and Nevada Consumer Affairs voided more than 700 predatory real estate agreements entered into by MV Realty, which had locked Nevada homeowners into exclusive listing commitments lasting up to 40 years.7Nevada Attorney General. Settlement Voiding MV Realty Agreements
Antitrust Against Big Tech
Nevada joined a Texas-led multistate lawsuit against Google over its online display advertising business in 20218Texas Attorney General. Bipartisan Antitrust Lawsuit Against Google and signed on to the FTC-coordinated antitrust suit against Amazon in September 2023.9Nevada Current. Nevada Among States Joining FTC in Anti-Trust Suit Against Amazon In June 2026, Ford joined 28 other attorneys general in an amicus brief supporting the FTC’s appeal in its antitrust case against Meta.10Nevada Attorney General. Attorney General Ford Files Brief in Meta Antitrust Case
The most consequential result came in April 2026, when a federal jury in the Southern District of New York found Live Nation and Ticketmaster liable on all antitrust counts brought by 33 states and the District of Columbia, including Nevada, for monopolizing the primary ticketing market for major concert venues. The states are seeking a full breakup of the company, and the case remains in post-trial briefing with final resolution not expected before 2028.11National Association of Attorneys General. United States and Plaintiff States v. Live Nation Entertainment
Children and Social Media
Ford has sued a series of social media companies over alleged harms to minors. In February 2026, the Nevada Supreme Court denied Snap Inc.’s writ petition and cleared the state’s case against Snapchat to proceed to trial, rejecting the company’s Section 230 defense.12Nevada Attorney General. Nevada Supreme Court Clears Path for Snapchat Trial The office settled with Roblox for $12 million in April 2026.13The Nevada Independent. Nevada Sues Discord In May 2026, it sued Discord in Nevada state court under the Deceptive Trade Practices Act, alleging the platform relied on self-reported birthdates rather than real age verification and maintained inadequate content moderation.14Nevada Attorney General. Attorney General Ford Sues Discord Similar suits are pending against TikTok, Meta, YouTube, and Kik.
Immigration and Federal Pushback
In February 2025, Ford published a 72-page set of model immigration policies required by a 2021 state law, AB376. The nonbinding guidelines recommend that law enforcement, courthouses, schools, and health care facilities limit their involvement in federal immigration enforcement.15Nevada Attorney General. Model Immigration Policies Governor Joe Lombardo’s office pushed back, saying the Attorney General lacked authority to make Nevada a “sanctuary state”; Ford denied the policies did so, noting they did not limit compliance with state law, federal law, or valid court orders.16The Nevada Independent. How Nevada’s Attempt to Clarify Immigration Enforcement Rules Turned Political
Ford also joined an 18-state coalition in January 2025 challenging President Trump’s executive order restricting birthright citizenship; the Ninth Circuit ruled the order unconstitutional in July 2025.17Nevada Current. Ford Joins AGs From 17 States in Suing Trump Over Birthright Citizenship He co-led multistate lawsuits that blocked two Trump executive orders on election administration, including documentary proof-of-citizenship requirements for voter registration and new restrictions on mail ballot counting.18Las Vegas Sun. Nevada Helps Stop Trump’s Election Power Grab
Criminal Prosecutions
Under Ford, the office completed testing of nearly 8,000 previously untested sexual assault kits, recovered 61 missing children, and revived a cold case involving a murder from more than 40 years ago.19Nevada Attorney General. Biennial Report to State Legislature The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit secured over $13.4 million in criminal and civil judgments during the 2022–2024 biennium.20Nevada Attorney General. Most Recent Biennial Report In April 2026, prosecutors announced 69 felony charges in a scheme involving Medicaid fraud and identity theft of seniors.6Nevada Attorney General. Press Releases
The 2026 Race to Replace Ford
Ford is termed out and running for governor, leaving the Attorney General’s office open for the first time since 2018.21The Nevada Independent. Aaron Ford Says He Intends to Run for Governor The June 9, 2026 primaries produced two nominees who will meet in the November 3 general election.22Multistate. Nevada Statewide Elections
Nicole Cannizzaro (Democrat)
Cannizzaro, the Nevada Senate Majority Leader, won the Democratic primary with 60.8% of the vote, defeating State Treasurer Zach Conine, who took 34.9%.22Multistate. Nevada Statewide Elections A UNLV Boyd School of Law graduate, she spent more than a decade as a criminal prosecutor at the Clark County District Attorney’s Office and has tried approximately 40 jury cases. She has served 10 years in the state senate.2Nevada Current. Cannizzaro, Conine Clash in Democratic AG Primary Her platform centers on consumer protection, fighting federal overreach, and economic issues like housing stability and the cost of living.23KOLO-TV. Candidates Say Nevada’s Attorney General Is the People’s Attorney She received dual endorsements from the Culinary Union and the AFL-CIO during the primary.
Adriana Guzmán Fralick (Republican)
Fralick, a Reno-based attorney, won the Republican primary with roughly 60% of the vote, defeating Douglas County Commissioner Danny Tarkanian.24Reno Gazette Journal. Cannizzaro, Guzman Fralick Notch Big Leads in Attorney General Races She was endorsed by both President Donald Trump and Governor Joe Lombardo.25Adriana for Nevada. Adriana for Nevada Campaign Site
Fralick immigrated from Mexico to Nevada at age nine, earned her bachelor’s at the University of Nevada, Reno, and her law degree at UNLV’s Boyd School of Law in 2003.26UNLV Boyd School of Law. Alumni Spotlight: Adriana Guzmán Fralick Her government résumé is long: general counsel to Governor Jim Gibbons, chief deputy district attorney for Carson City, deputy city manager for Carson City, assistant general counsel to the Public Utilities Commission, legal counsel to the Nevada Commission on Ethics, executive secretary of the Nevada Gaming Control Board and Gaming Commission, and most recently chairwoman of the Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board.27Adriana for Nevada. Adriana Guzmán Fralick Biography She also founded AGF Law in Reno. Her campaign platform centers on four pillars: protecting families, backing law enforcement, getting tough on crime, and increasing government transparency.25Adriana for Nevada. Adriana for Nevada Campaign Site
What the Race Is About
The general election is expected to turn on public safety and criminal justice, consumer protection enforcement, the office’s posture toward the Trump administration on immigration and election law, reproductive rights, children’s online safety, and the role of state attorneys general in antitrust litigation against major technology companies.28Sierra Nevada Ally. Nevada Attorney General Race 2026: Who’s Running Ford has positioned the office as a frequent challenger to federal policy and an aggressive enforcer of consumer and antitrust law, and the November vote will decide whether that trajectory continues.
Nevada Attorneys General Before Ford
Thirty-three people have held the office of Nevada Attorney General, making Ford the 34th.29National Association of Attorneys General. Nevada Former Attorneys General Several recent holders went on to higher office. Catherine Cortez Masto, who served from 2007 to 2015, became a U.S. Senator. Brian Sandoval, who held the office from 2003 to 2005, later served as governor. Adam Paul Laxalt, Attorney General from 2015 to 2019, ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2018 and for Senate in 2022. Ford’s own run for governor fits that pattern.