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Danielle Ford, an independent candidate for Nevada governor, took a break from campaigning to compete in a charity poker tournament in Las Vegas, where she finished in fifth place.
Ford played in the “Every Hand Makes a Difference” event hosted by the Charity Series of Poker (CSOP) over the weekend, an event that raised funds for the Junior League of Las Vegas.
Currently serving on the Nevada State Board of Education, Ford is running as a “Nevada-first nonpartisan” against Democratic candidate Aaron Ford and Republican incumbent Joe Lombardo. She qualified for the ballot through a signature-gathering campaign.
Speaking with PokerNews, Ford described poker as a mental escape from the pressures of both work and daily life, calling the game “almost meditative” due to the focus it requires.
Ford was among several celebrity bounties at the tournament, a group that also included actress Katie Morgan and 2013 WSOP Main Event champion Ryan Riess, who also made the final table. Her fifth-place finish earned her two Vegas Golden Knights tickets.
The tournament’s top prize of $2,000 went to Tamar Berkowitz of Volunteers of Las Vegas, who defeated Riess heads-up; Riess collected $1,500 for second. Other final table players included MGM Resorts executive Sean McCormack and CSOP regulars Sidney Coca and Dave Freeston. The Nevada gubernatorial election is scheduled for Nov. 3.
