Democrat Ford running for District 11 Senate seat

CARSON CITY -- Las Vegas lawyer Aaron Ford announced Monday that he will be a Democratic candidate to replace term-limited Sen. Mike Schneider, D-Las Vegas, for the District 11 seat in southwest Clark County, west of Interstate 15.

The Senate Democratic Caucus already has endorsed Ford, 39, for the seat in a predominately Democratic area. Democrats outnumber Republicans by 10,000 registered voters in the district.

No Republicans have yet announced their candidacies, and the district is not one that the Republican Party has identified as vital to becoming the majority party. Democrats hold an 11-10 membership lead in the Senate.

Ford said there are three good reasons why he is running: his sons Avery, Alexander and Aaron Jr. He wants to create an environment for them to have opportunities to earn a good living .

One son, a college student in Colorado, told him recently he would have to think about returning to Nevada after he completes medical school. Another son, at the age of 17, asked Ford why he moved the family "to a state that ranked 50th in education."

"He was kind of joking," Ford said. "But how do you answer a question like that?"

Ford was soundly defeated two years ago when he ran for the Senate seat now held by Sen. Joe Hardy, R-Boulder City, and later moved into District 11.

Ford, a lawyer for the Snell & Wilmer firm, has a doctorate in education administration and a law degree. He has taught in public schools in three states. He moved to Nevada eight years ago.

Although he won't necessarily back tax increases, Ford said he will not sign a no-new-taxes pledge.

Proper funding of education is a matter for the Legislature to consider, Ford said. Accountability is an important factor in public school education, he added, saying parents and students share in that responsibility.

The mission of colleges today includes creating a "workforce capable of filling the positions we need," Ford said.

Because of his background as a teacher and a lawyer, he wants to serve on the judiciary and education committees.

"As a parent, I have a vested interest in ensuring that our educational system helps prepare our children for life," Ford said. "And as a former educator, I know firsthand the problems facing our schools and what we can do to better our children's future."

Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900.