As part of this week's blue wave that swept Democrats to power in Nevada, the state got a new top law enforcement officer.
Current Democratic state senate majority leader Aaron Ford narrowly defeated Republican Wes Duncan, winning by about 4,000 votes statewide.
Ford told KNPR's State of Nevada that one of the first things he'll do is look at the lawsuits outgoing Attorney General Adam Laxalt has signed on to and decide whether he thinks it is a good idea to stay.
“One of the first things I’m going to do is evaluate the lawsuits that our current AG joined in in other states or the ones he did not join in," he said.
Ford said he will talk with Governor-elect Steve Sisolak about which lawsuits the state wants to join and which ones it might be able to remove its name from.
Joining lawsuits with other state's without consulting Gov. Brian Sandoval was a point of contention between Sandoval and Laxalt.
Ford doesn't anticipate that same lack of communication and agreement between himself and Sisolak.
“Steve and I are actually very good friends,” he said.
Ford said that he and the governor-elect have talked many times both as a constituent and commissioner - Ford lives in Sisolak's commission district - and as a state lawmaker and county commissioner.
Ford said the first step to seeing eye-to-eye on an issue is communicating with the other person and that is what he intends to do with Sisolak.
Another priority for Ford will be working out a way to implement the voter-approved gun background check for all gun sales in the state of Nevada.
The background check was approved by voters in 2016 but Attorney General Laxalt issued an opinion that it couldn't be implemented because it relied on the FBI performing the checks.
Ford said he would work with everyone willing to work on the issue "to see what we can do to implement the will of the people."
He said there are lawmakers who are willing to introduce bills right now to deal with some of the problems that might be holding up the background check legislation.
“We’re going to get that done,” he said.
For Ford, his main priority will always be Nevada families. He said when talked to people on the campaign trail he would ask them what was keeping them up at night and then think about solutions to those problems.
“When they talk about safety and security, then we’re going figure out the best way to ensure we have the safe neighborhoods and communities,” he said.
Aaron Ford, Nevada attorney general-elect
