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Horsford uses Tarkanian's "crazy radicals" comment, brings in Sharron Angle in new ad

by Jon Ralston 10/04/2012 | 0 comments

Congressional District Four hopeful Steven Horsford uses opponent Danny Tarkanian's own words in a new ad, comparing him to Tea Party types such as Sharron Angle. The spot, which you can see below, is an attempt by Horsford to marginalize Tarkanian and solidfy the Democratic base. Horsford has been calling Tarkanian a "tea party extremist" for weeks. The release of the ad comes a few hours before the pair will debate on "Ralston Reports" tonight. That ought to ratchet up the tension level.

Latino Decisions poll shows huge margins among Hispanics for Obama, Berkley in Nevada

by Jon Ralston 10/04/2012 | 0 comments
PDF icon Nevada Toplines (EMBARGOED).pdf

A Latino Decisions poll taken late last month shows President Obama and Rep. Shelley Berkley with gigantic margins among Hispanics. The margins are even larger than you might expect, with Berkley lagging behind the president but still with time to consolidate the demographic that may be close to a fifth of the overall vote. The questions (full poll linked above):

Democrats smelling blood in Nevada Senate race?

by Jon Ralston 10/03/2012 | 0 comments

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Majority PAC both made buys today in Nevada to try to help Rep. Shelley Berkley in what Democrats for months fretted was a race going Sen. Dean Heller's way. The purchases are substantial and the Majority PAC buy is in Reno, where Berkley needs to do well to win. And by doing well, I mean not lose by too much.

Sands CEO explains Adelson's position on web poker; MGM Resorts boss warns of companies becoming the "Borders of gaming"

by Jon Ralston 10/03/2012 | 0 comments

MGM Resorts International chief Jim Murren and Las Vegas Sands CEO Michael Leven sharply disagreed Wednesday on whether to allow the federal government to regulate Internet gaming. During a panel discussion on the state of the industry at the G2E Expo, Leven elaborated on the company’s – and his boss, Sheldon Adelson’s – position on web poker. Leven said there were three reasons that the company has concerns: ----Predictability of revenue. He suggested some cannibalism might occur. ----Leven said nearly all college kids would become web gamblers.

Republican State Leadership Committee unloads in quintet of key state Senate races

by Jon Ralston 10/03/2012 | 0 comments
PDF icon RSLC-SD09-NV-44 Union 1.pdf, PDF icon RSLC-SS5-NV-005 Tax 4 AV.pdf, PDF icon RSLC-SS6-NV-025 Lobby 4.pdf, PDF icon RSLC-SS15-NV-064 Taxes 5.pdf, PDF icon RSLC-SS18-NV-077 Taxes Absentee.pdf

UPDATE: I had forgotten that Steve Wynn gave $475,000 to this group, per POLITICO. A national group has come in with a six-figure mail and online ad campaign designed to swing the Nevada state Senate to the GOP, with attacks on all five Democratic candidates. The mail pieces from the Republican State Leadership Committee are attached here and the online ads, which go to micro-sites if you click on them, are below.

RJC puts up new ad with Home Depot founder in Nevada, elsewhere

by Jon Ralston 10/03/2012 | 0 comments

The Republican Jewish Coalition continues to be active in Nevada -- hello, Sheldon Adelson -- and now has harnessed a disgusted Home Depot founder to make its case. There's a TV ad and a web video:

My column: Axelrod on the choice, not the referendum, with Nevada as microcosm

by Jon Ralston 10/03/2012 | 0 comments

  About halfway through my half-hour chat with David Axelrod on Tuesday, President Obama’s top political adviser said matter-of-factly what has become all too clear, especially to Mitt Romney: “It’s a choice; it’s not a referendum.” Amid all the stuff I expected – Obama is for the middle class, Romney is for tax cuts –that obvious statement seemed so unexpected. Yet, so simple, so true.

DCCC: Republican incumbent leads in CD3, but not by much

by Jon Ralston 10/03/2012 | 0 comments
PDF icon NV 03-Poll Memo 10.2.12.pdf

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has a survey indicating Rep. Joe Heck has a 4-point lead over Speaker John Oceguera. The 42-38 result will make more sense to folks than the 13-point edge Heck enjoyed in a "newspaper" poll a few weeks ago. Even smart Democrats I know think Heck is ahead by high single digits, but this DCCC survey clearly is being released to show people the race remains competitive. It does, if only because of the Democratioc machine's efforts. The memo is linked here for your reading pleasure.  

SOS to propose massive campaign reform bill

by Jon Ralston 10/02/2012 | 0 comments
PDF icon Elections BDR 1 FINAL Submitted (3).pdf, Microsoft Office document icon Campaign Finance BDR Summery.10-1-12.doc

Secretary of State Ross Miller has decided to advocate for a raft of campaign reforms in a state where most serious efforts have been entombed by craven legislators. Among the concepts in a bill draft I have obtained and posted below (with a summary) is the most important one of all: Real-time, year-round campaign contribution reporting.

Rothenberg: Nevada is one of only five toss-up states in presidential race

by Jon Ralston 10/02/2012 | 0 comments

In the latest edition of his weekly report, nationally respected pundit Stu Rothenberg says there are only 54 electoral votes in five states that are up in the air now -- and Nevada's six are among them. Rothenberg has the count at 278 electoral votes for President Obama (237 solid and 41 lean) and 206 for Mitt Romney (191 solid and 15 lean). The remaining 54 are: Nevada (6), Florida (29), Iowa (6), Colorado (9) and New Hampshire (4).

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