But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. How we check

Aaron Ford

Democrat · Governor, Nevada
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Ford took a 2023 sponsored trip to Poland and Israel to study antisemitism and Palestinian issues. In August 2026 he signed a brief backing Harvard over research funds frozen amid a campus-antisemitism dispute. We found no statement from him on U.S. weapons or money for the government of Israel.

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Deep Dive

Ford, Nevada's attorney general since 2019, is the Democratic nominee for governor against incumbent Joe Lombardo and independent Danielle Ford.

His state disclosure shows a 2023 sponsored trip to Poland and Israel to "study antisemitism" and "Palestinian issues", as the Nevada Independent reported in February 2024; it reported that the Attorney General Alliance, a nonprofit group of state attorneys general, paid for his trips that year. In June 2025, when he joined 20 other attorneys general in a brief for Harvard against the federal funding cut, he called the attack on its funding “a glimpse at how the Trump administration will handle dissent”. In August 2026 he signed a brief backing Harvard in its appeal over research funding the federal government froze amid a dispute over campus antisemitism; 20 states and the District of Columbia filed it. JNS reported that the brief argues funding freezes threaten jobs, science and state economies, and "does not mention antisemitism on campus". Lombardo's communications director told JNS that "the governor’s office was not consulted before Attorney General Ford joined the brief."

On safety at home, his office launched a statewide hate-crime hotline in January 2025, and in February 2026 he announced the first meeting of a new hate crimes task force. A January 2022 opinion column in the Nevada Independent noted that after the Colleyville synagogue hostage crisis he was among three statewide officials who offered comments and support to Nevada's Jewish community.

The Jewish Democratic Council of America, which describes its mission as being "the political home and voice of Jewish voters" and supporting Democrats, lists him among its endorsed candidates. Its entry describes his record as attorney general and in the State Senate, and says nothing about Israel or Gaza.

He has not said what the United States should send, fund, or withhold in this conflict. If you want that answer, you are better placed to get it than we are: ask Ford directly and send us the reply.

The record

Notable actions

• As Nevada Attorney General, Ford announced (Nov. 6, 2023) that his office's investigators had accumulated tactical gear to be sent to the Israel Defense Forces for assistance, and said his office had received U.S. Department of Justice approval to establish a hate-crime hotline citing rising antisemitism. Republican National Committeewoman Sigal Chattah publicly praised the IDF-gear announcement. (Sourced to a single partisan outlet, The Nevada Globe; the IDF-gear pledge is not confirmed until another source backs it up.)

How this mark works

We track key votes on sending U.S. weapons and money to the government of Israel. A check means every tracked vote they cast came down against sending more, on the side of peace and de-escalation. A question mark means a mixed record: they sided with sending up to half of the time. An X means they voted to send more weapons and money in over half of their tracked votes, even as the way those weapons and dollars were being used became more and more obvious. At exactly half, money this election cycle from a lobbying group we track, or an endorsement from a group that backs sending weapons, makes it an X. Only votes actually cast are counted. Where a candidate has no recorded votes on these bills, the mark comes instead from a reviewed reading of their public record (money from the lobbying groups we track, endorsements, and their own words since January 26, 2024). There an X also covers fully backing the conduct of the war by the government of Israel without significant reservations, and a question mark also covers speaking about Israel without saying clearly where they stand on U.S. weapons and funding. A dash means No Position Found: we found nothing in their own words about Israel, Gaza or the war.

See a dash? Ask the candidate where they stand, then send us their answer and we'll review it and update the mark. Or volunteer to help review candidates.

No recorded votes on the bills we track. We found nothing in their own words about Israel, Gaza or the war.

In their words

Endorsements

Jewish Democratic Council of America (2026)

Research log

The notes behind this card: what we looked at, what we found, and where each item came from.

Every page cited below was opened and read on 2026-09-28 unless marked otherwise. Bands: Position (2024-01-26 onward), Reaction window (2023-10-07 to 2024-01-25), Earlier record (before 2023-10-07), Undated.

U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel

  • Nothing located from him, at any date, on U.S. military aid or weapons for the government of Israel: no statement, platform line or questionnaire answer. The September 2026 research covered his attorney general's office releases (2023 to September 2026), his campaign site and news posts, Ballotpedia, the Nevada Independent's candidate guides and news coverage through September 25, 2026.
  • [Reaction window, 2023-11-06] At an event marking 30 days of mourning and support for Israel, the Nevada Globe reported that he said: "In fact, my investigators have already accumulated tactical gear that we will be sending to the IDF for assistance." The same page embeds a video of the remarks posted on X by Sigal Chattah, then a Republican National Committeewoman, who wrote of "using the office of Nevada Attorney General to send tactical gear to the @IDF soldiers" (her post). This is a state office sending equipment, not a position on U.S. federal aid. No later report says whether the gear was sent. Not on the card summary.

U.S. aid to Palestinians

  • Nothing located.

Characterization of the conflict

  • [Reaction window, 2023-10-10] Joined 13 other attorneys general in a joint statement on Hamas's attacks: "We are aghast and outraged at the wanton, calculated attacks on civilians going about their daily lives. The carnage, perpetrated by Hamas and its supporters, has directly led to the loss of hundreds of innocent lives and horrific kidnappings. We grieve with our Israeli siblings, and with the loved ones of all those innocent lives lost in Israel and Gaza because of this surprise attack. The targeting of civilians by Hamas as well as the thousands of rockets it has fired indiscriminately at civilian targets are acts that cannot be tolerated or rationalized." Not on the card summary; signed jointly with others.
  • [Position, 2024-02-18] State disclosure: a 2023 trip to Poland and Israel to "study antisemitism" and "Palestinian issues" (Nevada Independent). The Nevada Independent reports that his 2023 trips to South Africa, Poland, Israel and South Korea were paid for by the Attorney General Alliance, "a nonprofit group of state attorneys general who work together to tackle legal and policy issues". The trip itself was in 2023, month not given; the disclosure is the dated record of it. The disclosure form itself could not be opened (see below).
  • [Earlier record, 2019, reported] A Review-Journal opinion column (Victor Joecks, 2025-10-17) says that in 2019, his first year as attorney general, he visited Israel on a trip paid for by an outside organization, citing his disclosure reports. A columnist's account; the disclosure it links could not be opened.

Related rhetoric and lobbying

  • [Position, 2025-06-09] His office's release on joining a coalition of 21 attorneys general in a district-court brief for Harvard: "The attack on Harvard University’s funding stream is both a destructive attempt to hobble one of our nation’s premier learning institutions and a glimpse at how the Trump administration will handle dissent," and "For the sake of higher education around the country and right here in Nevada, I cannot sit idly by while this attack continues." The release does not mention antisemitism.
  • [Position, 2026-08-11] He signed the amicus brief of 20 states and the District of Columbia backing Harvard's appeal over research funding frozen amid a dispute over campus antisemitism. JNS lists him as a signatory (JNS, August 11) and reports that the brief "does not mention antisemitism on campus" (JNS, August 10). Lombardo's communications director, Drew Galang, told JNS that "the governor’s office was not consulted before Attorney General Ford joined the brief." Mark Goldfeder, director of the National Jewish Advocacy Center, told JNS that Nevada law did not require Ford to "ask the governor’s permission" and criticized the filing.
  • [Position, read 2026-09-28] The Jewish Democratic Council of America lists him among its endorsed candidates, under the heading "Aaron Ford (NV-Gov)" (endorsement page). Its entry describes his record as attorney general and in the State Senate and closes "JDCA is proud to endorse Ford in his bid for governor of Nevada." It says nothing about Israel or Gaza, and the page does not date the endorsement. The council describes its mission as being "the political home and voice of Jewish voters, advocating for policies, and supporting Democrats who share our core values" (about page).
  • [Position, 2026-02-17] The Las Vegas Sun reported that a Nevada Commission on Ethics panel advanced a complaint over trips he accepted from the Attorney General Alliance, and that his disclosures for 2023 list travel to South Africa, Poland, Israel and South Korea. Context for the trip; the complaint does not concern Israel.

The war with Iran (context; not what the United States sends the government of Israel)

  • [Position, 2026-09-05] His campaign statement (release): "Hardworking Nevadans who should be enjoying a stress-free holiday are instead suffering the highest-ever Labor Day Weekend gas prices thanks to Donald Trump’s senseless Iran War that Joe Lombardo wants to waste even more billions of taxpayer dollars on." His other campaign statements on the war (March 2026) are about gas prices and costs. None mentions Israel.

Safety and antisemitism (context)

  • [Earlier record, 2019-06-19] Multi-state coalition against non-unanimous jury verdicts, citing laws enacted to disenfranchise minorities and a commitment to erasing "vestiges of Jim Crow and anti-Semitism" (AG release).
  • [Earlier record, 2022-01-29] After the Colleyville synagogue hostage crisis, an opinion column named him among three statewide officials who "offered comments and support", and noted that law enforcement offered additional patrols around Jewish institutions (Nevada Independent).
  • [Reaction window, 2023-11-06] "I will do everything in my power to ensure that the Jewish community feels safe in Nevada"; announced Department of Justice approval for a state hate-crime hotline (Nevada Globe above). Not on the card summary.
  • [Position, 2025-01-23] His office launched a statewide hate-crime reporting hotline, funded by a federal grant he announced in April 2024. His words: "This hotline is a vital resource that will help ensure that hate crimes do not go unreported in our communities". The release does not mention antisemitism.
  • [Position, 2026-02-11] He announced the first meeting of the Nevada Hate Crimes Task Force, set for February 17, 2026: "I am proud to announce the first meeting of this task force, which will be a useful tool or ensuring Nevada is and remains a safe and welcoming place for all of its residents". The release does not mention antisemitism.

What the campaign site and own pages say

  • [Position, read 2026-09-28] His campaign site (home, about, issues, endorsements, facts, media, news) carries nothing on Israel, Gaza, Palestinians, foreign aid, antisemitism or Jewish Nevadans. Its issues page covers housing, health care, energy, economic development and education. Its news page, listed through September 23, 2026, carries statements on gas prices and the war with Iran (above) and nothing on Israel.
  • [Read 2026-09-28] His attorney general's office release lists for 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 were read by title; the items on this subject are the October 2023 joint statement, the 2025 hotline, the June 2025 Harvard brief and the 2026 task force, all above.
  • [Read 2026-09-28] Ballotpedia: he has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

The race

  • Incumbent Republican Joe Lombardo and independent Danielle Ford are also on the November 3, 2026 ballot.
  • [Position, 2026-08-06] The Nevada Independent's guide to where the candidates stand put ten questions to both major candidates (right to work, data centers, school funding, third-grade retention, property tax, voter ID, abortion, corporate home buying, the felony theft threshold and the death penalty). None concerns Israel, Gaza or foreign policy.
  • [Position, 2026-08-28] The Nevada Independent's report on his IndyTalks interview (August 27) covers data centers, his travel and opioid litigation; it reports nothing on Israel or Gaza.
  • [Position, 2026-09-25] No debate between Ford and Lombardo had taken place. The Review-Journal reported that Ford had accepted debates set for October 8 and October 13, and that Lombardo's campaign said Lombardo would not take part in those two.
  • [Position, 2026-07-28] Race context: his first ads on the air (Nevada Independent).

Places that could not be read, so nothing is claimed from them

  • His 2023 disclosure report on the Nevada Secretary of State's site, https://www.nvsos.gov/SOSCandidateServices/AnonymousAccess/ViewCCEReport.aspx?syn=IBizoRplLl9iGbx2uI84dQ%253d%253d: the page could not be opened on 2026-09-28. It would show when in 2023 the Poland and Israel trip took place.
  • The video of his November 2023 remarks, embedded in Sigal Chattah's post (https://x.com/Chattah4Nevada/status/1721536707789742167): the post's text was read; the video itself was not watched.
  • His X account, https://x.com/AaronDFordNV: could not be read on 2026-09-28.
  • Video interviews his campaign posted in September 2026 (Pod Save America, MS Now): not watched; the campaign's summaries of them mention nothing on Israel.

Not on the card, and why

  • His November 2023 remarks on tactical gear and the hotline, and the October 2023 joint statement: dated inside October 2023 to January 2024, research page only.
  • The Jewish Democratic Council of America's entry on him: the council's account, not his words; in the deep dive as an endorsement, not on the front.
  • The Colleyville opinion column, the Review-Journal opinion column on his travel and the National Jewish Advocacy Center director's criticism: third parties speaking about him; attributed where used, never on the front.
  • His statements on the war with Iran: about Iran, not about U.S. weapons or money for the government of Israel; research page only.
  • The ethics complaint: about who paid for his travel, not about this subject; research page only.

Sources retrieved for this card (address; opened or could not open; date)

  • https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/ag-ford-speaker-yeager-are-top-nevada-recipients-of-trips-paid-for-by-outside-groups (opened 2026-09-28)
  • https://www.jns.org/news/u-s-news/scoop-nevada-governor-tells-jns-he-wasnt-asked-before-state-added-to-friend-of-court-brief-defending-harvard-against-federal-charges-of-being-lax-on-jew-hatred (opened 2026-09-28)
  • https://www.jns.org/news/u-s-news/democratic-attorneys-general-back-harvard-in-federal-funding-appeal (opened 2026-09-28)
  • https://ag.nv.gov/News/PR/2025/Attorney_General_Ford_Supports_Harvard_University%E2%80%99s_Challenge_to_the_Trump_Administration%E2%80%99s_Retaliatory_Federal_Funding_Freeze/ (opened 2026-09-28)
  • https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/your-jewish-neighbors-hear-you-your-silence-is-deafening (opened 2026-09-28)
  • https://jewishdems.org/endorsements/ (opened 2026-09-28)
  • https://jewishdems.org/about/ (opened 2026-09-28)
  • https://ag.nv.gov/News/PR/2025/Attorney_General_Ford_Announces_Launch_of_Statewide_Hate_Crime_Reporting_Hotline/ (opened 2026-09-28)
  • https://ag.nv.gov/News/PR/2026/Attorney_General_Ford%C2%A0Announces_Inaugural%C2%A0Meeting%C2%A0of_Nevada%C2%A0Hate%C2%A0Crimes_Task_Force/ (opened 2026-09-28)
  • https://thenevadaglobe.com/articles/ag-ford-announces-aid-to-the-israel-defense-force/ (opened 2026-09-28)
  • https://x.com/Chattah4Nevada/status/1721536707789742167 (post text read 2026-09-28; video not watched)
  • https://ag.nv.gov/News/PR/2023/Attorney_General_Ford_and_Bipartisan_Coalition_of_13_Attorneys_General_Release_Statement_on_the_Attacks_on_Israel/ (opened 2026-09-28)
  • https://ag.nv.gov/News/PR/2019/Attorney_General_Ford_Joins_Coalition_Rejecting_Jury-Trial_Verdict_Requirements_Historically_Rooted_in_Racism_and_Anti-Semitism/ (opened 2026-09-28)
  • https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/ford-hits-nevada-airwaves-for-first-time-in-governors-race-with-seven-figure-ad-campaign (opened 2026-09-28)
  • https://lasvegassun.com/news/2026/feb/17/nevada-ethics-panel-advances-complaints-against-ag/ (opened 2026-09-28)
  • https://www.reviewjournal.com/opinion/opinion-columns/victor-joecks/victor-joecks-fords-vacation-tab-tops-140k-3508938/ (opened 2026-09-28)
  • https://www.nvsos.gov/SOSCandidateServices/AnonymousAccess/ViewCCEReport.aspx?syn=IBizoRplLl9iGbx2uI84dQ%253d%253d (could not open; 2026-09-28)
  • https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/indytalks-ford-defends-record-on-data-centers-touts-success-on-opioid-litigation (opened 2026-09-28)
  • https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/from-abortion-to-taxes-where-nevadas-2026-governor-candidates-stand-on-the-issues (opened 2026-09-28)
  • https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/politics-and-government/nevada/will-nevadans-see-a-lombardo-ford-debate-3891178/ (opened 2026-09-28)
  • https://ballotpedia.org/Aaron_Ford_(Nevada) (opened 2026-09-28)
  • https://www.fordfornevada.com/ and https://www.fordfornevada.com/about, https://www.fordfornevada.com/issues, https://www.fordfornevada.com/endorsements, https://www.fordfornevada.com/facts, https://www.fordfornevada.com/media, https://www.fordfornevada.com/news (opened 2026-09-28)
  • https://www.fordfornevada.com/news/aaron-ford-blasts-lombardo-for-supporting-trump-war-causing-record-high-gas-prices-on-labor-day (opened 2026-09-28)
  • https://www.fordfornevada.com/news/amid-skyrocketing-gas-prices-aaron-ford-slams-joe-lombardo-for-supporting-trumps-iran-war (opened 2026-09-28)
  • https://ag.nv.gov/News/Press_Releases/ and the 2023, 2024 and 2025 release lists (opened 2026-09-28)
  • https://x.com/AaronDFordNV (could not open, 2026-09-28)
  • Opened for the 2026-09-25 review and not re-read: https://royalexaminer.com/attorney-general-miyares-returns-from-israel-and-poland-urges-virginia-state-police-to-require-antisemitism-training/

Also in this race

  1. ? Joe Lombardo (Republican)
  2. – Danielle Ford (Other)

All Nevada candidates.

But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. Every claim on this page goes through at least two verification steps. Open Find Your Candidates for votes, funding and contact details.