Nevada gubernatorial candidate Danielle Ford wants your vote, and your chips.
Ford, who is running for governor of Nevada as an independent candidate, played in last weekend’s “Every Hand Makes a Difference” poker tournament hosted by the Charity Series of Poker (CSOP), where the governor hopeful finished in fifth place.
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Governor Hopeful Makes Final Table
Ford, currently a member of the Nevada State Board of Education, is running against Democratic candidate Aaron Ford and incumbent Republican Governor Joe Lombardo.
Her campaign website states that she is running as a “Nevada-first nonpartisan” hoping to “bring practical systems repair to the public systems Nevada families rely on every day.”
When she isn’t campaigning or drafting policy, Ford, who earned her spot on the ballot by gathering signatures, told PokerNews she plays poker “so that I can mentally step away from the stresses of work and life.”
“It’s one of the only things with enough aspects to keep me locked in,” Ford said. “It’s almost meditative for me.”
Ford was one of several guest bounties in Saturday’s CSOP event — which raised money for the Junior League of Las Vegas — including actress Katie Morgan and 2013 WSOP Main Event winner Ryan Riess, who also reached the final table.
Ford finished fifth in the charity event to win two Vegas Golden Knights tickets, which she called “great extra bonuses” to a fun night supporting a good cause.
“I really love that I can pair that with the CSOP and know that it’s benefiting a lot of other people at the same time,” she said.
Meanwhile, the trophy and top prize of $2,000 went to Tamar Berkowitz of Volunteers of Las Vegas as she bested heads-up opponent Riess, leaving the 2013 WSOP champ taking home $1,500.
The final table also included MGM Resorts International poker executive Sean McCormack, longtime CSOP supporter Sidney Coca and CSOP villain Dave Freeston.
CSOP #108 Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tamar Berkowitz | $2,000 |
| 2 | Ryan Riess | $1,500 |
| 3 | Alexander Wang | $1,000 |
| 4 | Dave Freeston | ATV Tour |
| 5 | Danielle Ford | 2 VGK Tickets |
| 6 | Francisco Garcia | $300 CSOP Seat |
| 7 | Sidney Coca | $300 CSOP Seat |
| 8 | Sean McCormack | $300 CSOP Seat |
| 9 | Rebecca Derrick | $300 CSOP Seat |
| 10 | Robert Raymond | $300 CSOP Seat |
Ford isn’t the only public figure to show up at the Charity Series of Poker.
Ronnie “the Limo Driver” Mund of The Howard Stern Show fame played in a CSOP event last month, while Friday the 13th actor Kane Hodder and punk legend Fat Mike are both frequent supporters.
The 2026 Nevada gubernatorial election will take place next month on Nov. 3.
*Images courtesy of Charity Series of Poker & Danielle Ford
Connor Richards
Senior Editor U.S.