Danielle Ford Poker Roots: Nevada Governor Candidate Who Has Played Since 2011 Faces Voters Nov. 3
Updated on November 2, 2026.
Danielle Ford’s poker roots go back to 2011, and the independent candidate for Nevada governor still plays charity tournaments in Las Vegas. A member of the Nevada State Board of Education, she is on the ballot on Tuesday, Nov. 3, against Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo and Democrat Aaron Ford, according to PokerNews and the Nevada Independent.
Quick summary
- Danielle Ford, an independent, is running for Nevada governor in the election on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
- She started playing poker in 2011 and later worked as a poker writer, according to PokerNews.
- In October, she finished fifth at a Charity Series of Poker (CSOP) final table won by Tamar Berkowitz, with 2013 WSOP Main Event champion Ryan Riess second.
- She wants poker taught in schools “without the gambling aspect” and calls it “a skill game.”
- She criticized the federal rule that lets gamblers deduct only 90% of their losses.
Who is Danielle Ford?
Danielle Ford is a member of the Nevada State Board of Education and a former Clark County School District trustee who is running for governor without a party. She qualified for the ballot by gathering signatures, PokerNews reports.
Her opponents are Lombardo, the Republican incumbent, and Aaron Ford, the Democratic nominee. The two Fords are not related. Most polls don’t include Danielle Ford, and the Nevada Independent describes the race between Lombardo and Aaron Ford as a toss-up. Ford herself told PokerNews that winning as an independent is “nearly impossible.”
The race also drew a dispute in its final weeks. A newly formed PAC sent mailers calling her the “AOC of Nevada,” and the Nevada Independent reported that the PAC has ties to Republican operatives. Ford denied any link to the mailers in a Facebook video posted Oct. 25.
How did Danielle Ford get into poker?
Ford started playing poker in 2011 and spent a year studying the game. “I read all the books,” she told PokerNews.
At the World Series of Poker (WSOP), she met Daniel Makowsky of PokerAti, who hired her as a writer. She later made videos for Robert Croak, the founder of Silly Bandz. Poker also shaped her campaign: she met members of her campaign staff at the Charity Series of Poker, a Las Vegas tour of tournaments that raise money for local causes.
She plays, she said, “so that I can mentally step away from the stresses of work and life,” and called the game “almost meditative.”
Her October final table
In early October, Ford made the final table of CSOP #108, “Every Hand Makes a Difference,” which raised money for the Junior League of Las Vegas. She finished fifth, according to PokerNews.
Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
1 | Tamar Berkowitz | Trophy and $2,000 |
2 | Ryan Riess | $1,500 |
3 | Alexander Wang | $1,000 |
4 | Dave Freeston | ATV tour package |
5 | Danielle Ford | Two Vegas Golden Knights tickets |
What did Danielle Ford say about poker and gambling taxes?
Ford wants poker taught in “every single classroom, without the gambling aspect, of course,” she told PokerNews. “It’s not gambling unless you’re betting money. It’s a skill game.”
She also criticized the federal change that, starting with the 2026 tax year, lets gamblers deduct only 90% of their losses. That means a player who breaks even for the year can still owe tax on part of their winnings. “I don’t think there’s a single person that thinks that’s fair,” Ford said. A governor can’t change federal tax law, but the comment shows where she stands on an issue that many poker players follow closely.
She sees a link between the game and her run, too. The person who would run for governor as an independent, she said, “would be somebody who is like a poker player.”
What it means for players in the US
Nevada is one of the few states that license online poker, along with New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Michigan and West Virginia. Ford’s campaign has not published a plan for online poker, and the PokerNews interview doesn’t cover it, so the governor’s race is not expected to change who can play online in Nevada.
If you live in Nevada, Ignition Poker and ACR Poker don’t accept you. In most other states, you can compare the international rooms in our list of the best online poker sites. These rooms are not licensed by any US state, so state consumer protections don’t apply. Check how the rules work where you live in our guide to online poker in the USA.
If you open an account through the button in our BetOnline Poker review and message us on Telegram, we register it under our deal: 33% rakeback, paid monthly. BetOnline doesn’t accept players from New Jersey. To see what rakeback could be worth at your stakes, try our rakeback calculator.
This article is for information only and is not legal advice.
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Frequently asked questions
Does Danielle Ford play poker?
Yes. She started playing in 2011, worked as a poker writer after meeting Daniel Makowsky of PokerAti at the WSOP, and finished fifth at a Charity Series of Poker final table in Las Vegas in October 2026, according to PokerNews.
When is the Nevada governor election?
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo faces Democrat Aaron Ford, with independent Danielle Ford also on the ballot.
Are Danielle Ford and Aaron Ford related?
No. They share a last name, but PokerNews notes there is no relation between the independent candidate and the Democratic nominee.
What does Danielle Ford think about the 90% gambling loss deduction?
She criticized it. Speaking about the federal change that lets gamblers deduct only 90% of their losses, she told PokerNews, "I don't think there's a single person that thinks that's fair."
Sources
- PokerNews: Candidate Who Could Influence Nevada Governor Race Has Strong Poker Roots
- PokerNews: Nevada Governor Candidate Makes Final Table in Las Vegas Poker Tournament
- The Nevada Independent: PAC boosting third-party NV governor candidate as “AOC of Nevada” has GOP ties
- Ballotpedia: Nevada gubernatorial election, 2026
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