Nevada Gov.-elect Aaron Ford says he would sign national popular vote compact bill
Nevada Governor-elect Aaron Ford (D) said he supports joining the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact and would sign a bill, calling the Electoral College racist in origin. His office says affordability remains his main focus.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Nevada Governor-elect Aaron Ford, a Democrat, said this week that he supports Nevada joining the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) and would sign a bill pledging the state's electoral votes to the national popular vote winner. BreitbartR “he would sign legislation to undercut the “based in racist underpinnings” Electoral College by pledging the state’s votes to the winner of the popular vote” Read at Breitbart ↗ NewsweekN “Nevada's Governor-elect Aaron Ford said earlier this week that he had changed his mind” Read at Newsweek ↗ Right · 1On MS NOW's "The Last Word" on Thursday, Ford said: "if it gets to my desk, I'm going to sign it," adding that his number one focus is affordability but "we can walk and chew gum at the same time." BreitbartR “Well, if it gets to my desk, I’m going to sign it. I’ve made it clear that my number one focus is on affordability, but we can walk and chew gum at the same time.” Read at Breitbart ↗ Mixed · 2Ford said the Electoral College has twice produced a president who lost the popular vote and that it has its base in slavery and "racist underpinnings." BreitbartR “The Electoral College has resulted in two people who have won the popular vote not being our president” Read at Breitbart ↗ NewsweekN “we’ve seen several times now the person who wins the popular vote not win because of the Electoral College” Read at Newsweek ↗
Centre · 1Speaking to local outlet KOLO 8, Ford said he had not initially supported the compact because he had not done enough research, but after researching it concluded the Electoral College should be got rid of. Newsweek framed this as a change of mind. NewsweekN “I didn’t initially support it frankly because I hadn’t done enough research on it, but I have researched it” Read at Newsweek ↗ Centre · 1Ford spokesperson Tai Sims told Newsweek the governor-elect supports the compact but that his main focus is lowering costs, saying "There will be a time to talk about presidential elections." NewsweekN “While the Governor-elect supports the national popular vote compact, his main focus is making life more affordable” Read at Newsweek ↗ Centre · 1The compact currently has 18 states and the District of Columbia, totalling 222 electoral votes, and takes effect only once members hold 270. Newsweek reported that Democrats' midterm gains created new trifectas in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin, Nevada and New Hampshire, and that Nevada's six votes would, with the others, bring the total to 287, according to professor Steven Rogers. NewsweekN “The NPVIC currently comprises 18 states and the District of Columbia, which together have 222 Electoral College votes.”“Rogers told Newsweek that adding all of these states, their leaders willing, would push the voting power to 287 electoral votes.” Read at Newsweek ↗
Centre · 1Pat Rosentiel of National Popular Vote welcomed Ford to the movement. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Pete Buttigieg have also voiced support for popular-vote reform, while Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Senator Rand Paul have defended the Electoral College. NewsweekN “We welcome Governor Ford to the movement and are very grateful for his support.”“Abolishing the Electoral College would mean not knowing who won the presidency for 4 weeks while California keeps counting. No thanks” Read at Newsweek ↗ Centre · 1Open questions include whether the change could be ready for 2028 (law professor Vikram Amar said it needs more than a year to operate without glitches) and whether Congress must approve it; National Popular Vote says states can act alone, while the Heritage Foundation says Congress must approve. NewsweekN “it needed more than a year or so "to get the project operational in a way that is unlikely to have major glitches."”“the conservative Heritage Foundation has said Congress must approve the plan before it can take effect” Read at Newsweek ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Newsweek treats it as a policy-momentum story: Ford's changed position within a broader push for the compact after Democratic midterm gains.
- Emphasis
- Compact arithmetic (222 votes now, 287 possible), reactions from advocates and Republicans, legal and timing hurdles, and Ford's office stressing affordability.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not quote the MS NOW interview.
Right2 outlets
- Framing
- Breitbart presents a short clip of Ford's TV remarks, leading with his 'racist underpinnings' description and the phrase 'undoing Electoral College'.
- Emphasis
- Ford's own words, especially the racism and slavery characterisation.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Omits Ford's office's affordability emphasis, the compact's mechanics and vote counts, the legal questions and opposing arguments.
- Charged language
- “Undoing Electoral College”“Based in Racist Underpinnings”
- For example
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“Nevada Gov.-elect Ford: I Support Undoing Electoral College, It's 'Based in Racist Underpinnings'” — Breitbart
What every side reports
- Ford, a Democrat, said he would back Nevada joining the National Popular Vote compact.
- Ford described the Electoral College as having racist underpinnings.
- Ford cited the popular-vote winner twice losing the presidency.
Where accounts differ
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Whether the compact can take effect without Congress
- Centre
- Newsweek reports National Popular Vote says states can act alone, while the Heritage Foundation says Congress must approve; it calls this unresolved.
- Right
- Breitbart does not address the question.
Aaron Ford person
Ford says he would sign a bill assigning Nevada's votes to the national popular vote winner, citing racist origins and popular-vote losers winning; he says affordability remains his top focus.
“I would certainly sign a bill that would assign our votes to he or she who wins the popular vote.” — Breitbart
“his main focus is making life more affordable” — Newsweek
National Popular Vote Interstate Compact other
Its advocates, via National Popular Vote's Pat Rosentiel, say they are working to elect the president by national popular vote in 2028 and welcome Ford.
“We are working with legislators, governors, coalition partners and citizens to do anything in our power to elect the president by national popular vote in 2028” — Newsweek
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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Incoming Nevada Governor Changes His Mind on Electoral College Reform
Neutral Explanatory piece on Ford's reversal within the wider compact push, with advocate, Republican and expert views.
Right2 articles
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Nevada Gov.-elect Ford: I Support Undoing Electoral College, It's 'Based in Racist Underpinnings'
Critical Short clip write-up foregrounding Ford's 'racist underpinnings' remark and plan to undo the Electoral College.
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- 13 Nov 12:50 First BreitbartR Nevada Gov.-elect Ford: I Support Undoing Electoral College, It's 'Based in Racist Underpinnings'
- 13 Nov 18:41 +5h 51m NewsweekN Incoming Nevada Governor Changes His Mind on Electoral College Reform
- 13 Nov 20:58 +8h 8m Washington ExaminerR Nevada governor-elect floats joining popular vote compact because Electoral College has ‘racist underpinnings’
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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