Aaron Ford’s welfare scare is a flat-out lie

By Erica Neely  

Nevada News and Views

Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford is at it again — spinning a personal story into a political scare tactic.

In a recent social media post, Ford claimed that “Trump’s tax bill cuts Medicaid and SNAP for tens of thousands of Nevadans while blowing a hole in our state budget — all to pay for permanent tax cuts for billionaires.”

Sounds dramatic. But like much of the partisan messaging coming from Nevada Democrats these days, the facts just don’t back it up.

The 100,000 Nevadans Claim

One of Ford’s biggest attention-grabbers was a claim that nearly 100,000 Nevadans could lose their Medicaid coverage.

That number, taken from a Nevada Current headline, is based on speculation — not actual policy language.

It assumes worst-case scenarios and ignores the built-in flexibility states have to prioritize truly needy residents over ineligible or non-working adults.

Nevada’s Medicaid enrollment ballooned to over 805,000 in 2024, largely due to COVID-era policies that paused eligibility reviews.

Now that those rules are expiring, some able-bodied adults without dependents may no longer qualify.

That’s not a “cut,” that’s a return to normal.

The Republican-supported bill includes optional reforms like block grants and work requirements, which aim to reduce waste and protect care for the most vulnerable — children, the disabled, and seniors — not leave them behind.

SNAP Scare Tactics

Ford also pointed to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), saying “1 in 6 Nevadans use food stamps” and that the GOP bill “could force Nevada to pay $170 million or make cuts.”

That’s another scary-sounding figure with little explanation.

Yes, it’s true that around 505,000 Nevadans are enrolled in SNAP. But what Ford doesn’t mention is that the federal government covers 100 percent of SNAP benefit costs for those who meet federal eligibility rules.

If Nevada wants to go beyond those rules, like expanding eligibility or skipping work requirements, that’s the state’s decision — not the GOP’s fault.

And let’s talk about who’s receiving those benefits. A 2025 Heritage Foundation report found that a significant portion of Nevada’s SNAP recipients are able-bodied adults without children, and in some cases, non-citizens.

Reforms in the Republican plan target this group, not families with kids or senior citizens.

Tax Cuts for Whom?

Ford claims the only reason for these “cuts” is to fund “permanent tax cuts for billionaires.” But that’s not what the tax bill actually does.

The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), now extended under the 2025 bill, lowered taxes for working families, too.

It doubled the standard deduction, increased the child tax credit to $2,500, eliminated taxes on tips, and created a $6,000 senior deduction.

According to the IRS, 60 percent of the benefits from the TCJA went to households earning less than $100,000 a year.

Yes, it also cut corporate taxes — but that helped grow the economy.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis reported over $1.2 trillion in new business investment since 2018, much of it in places like Nevada, where small businesses create most new jobs.

Ford’s Personal Story Doesn’t Prove Policy

In the same post, Ford shared that he relied on Medicaid and food stamps as a single father in college. That’s a powerful personal story — but it doesn’t make for good policy.

Conservatives believe safety nets should help people get back on their feet, not become permanent support systems.

But under Democrat control in Nevada, the welfare rolls have grown 15 percent since 2020, and there’s little talk of reform.

According to the Cato Institute, 70 percent of SNAP recipients remain on the program long-term, with no real path to independence.

That’s not compassion — that’s enabling dependency.

Nevada’s Real Budget Problem

Ford’s post also claimed the GOP bill “blows a hole in our state budget.”

That’s rich, considering Nevada’s projected $1.5 billion budget shortfall has more to do with Democratic overspending than anything coming out of Washington.

Let’s not forget: Nevada taxpayers are still paying for failed projects, bloated bureaucracies, and union giveaways.

Maybe Ford should spend less time attacking Trump’s tax cuts and more time explaining why his own $184,000 IRS lien still hasn’t been resolved.

Final Thought

Aaron Ford is running for governor in 2026, and this post is more about campaigning than governing. It’s designed to scare voters, not inform them.

Republicans believe in helping people, but in a way that encourages work, self-reliance, and fiscal responsibility.

Ford’s version of “compassion” is just more spending, more dependency, and more government control.

Nevadans deserve better.

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Erica Neely is a grassroots advocate, small business owner, director, community leader, and founder of the Hispanic Latin Alliance. Deeply rooted in family values, she is passionate about empowering her community and driving meaningful change.