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Lowden garners support from two venerable rural ex-legislators
Former state Sen. Dean Rhoads and ex-Assemblyman John Carpenter, two of the more respected and liked rural Nevada lawmakers, have signed onto an Elko fundraiser for Sue Lowden's lieutenant governor campaign. Rhoads, of Tuscarora, and Carpenter, of Elko, are listed on a fundraiser Lowden is having next month (see below). She also has two conservative assemblymen, John Ellison of Elko, and Ira Hansen of Sparks, on the invite, as well as some local officials. The rural vote will be disproportionately large in the small universe of the June GOP primary.
Lowden: Twenty-five years ago, Reid was a "Reagan conservative" (UPDATE: Now she says she misspoke)
UPDATED: I have attached the full spreadsheet from NJ on Reid's voting record in the '80s. His pro-life positions helped bring him to the center, but on economic (hello, taxes), he was pretty liberal. UPDATED, 11 AM, SATURDAY: Late Friday night, Lowden put out a series of tweets in which she said she "misspoke" and meant to call Reid a "Reagan Democrat." Then she unloaded on her opponent, state Sen. Mark Hutchison. Here are the tweets:
Cortez Masto to reconsider gay marriage brief
After blowback from progressives near and far, Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto says she will reconsider her brief on gay marriage. Amazing. Check it out. ATTORNEY GENERAL MASTO STATEMENT ON NEVADA’S SAME-SEX MARRIAGE CASE Las Vegas, NV – Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto released the following statement regarding Nevada’s same-sex marriage case:
Teachers to make pitch this weekend to Democrats on tax plan
This could put those Democratic elected jellyfish in a pickle. This weekend, as the state party convenes in Las Vegas, the state teachers union will try to get the Democrats to embrace a tax plan, a 2 percent margin tax, that its elected leaders have treated like it causes leprosy. This will be fun to watch. It could be as entertaining as...a GOP event. I bet the brave electeds will have a conniption. Here's what was sent to a select few today:
Adelson declares war on web gaming in states, will "make it the plague"
Sheldon Adelson, who already is crusading to stop a federal green light for web poker, is escalating his effort. Andy Abboud, Adelson's chief lobbyist, told me Friday that Team Adelson is actively preparing to "block legalization state by state."
Poll shows appeals court looks strong but will it hold until November?
So stalwart pollster Glen Bolger has found the proposal for an appeals court has 55 percent support? Maybe. I have attached the poll memo here. I chatted with Bolger Thursday, and he was surprised by the result but also thinks it will hold if, as seems likely, there is no organized opposition. But might newspaper editorials hurt? On an arcane issue such as this, perhaps. But support in the rurals (61-36) and Clark (57-33) is robust with Washoe (41-46) surprisingly weak. Good news. It's long overdue.
Reid "terribly disappointed" in state's response on gay marriage appeal
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday he is "terribly disappointed" in Nevada's brief backing a constitutional gay marriage ban filed Wednesday with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Snyder gets nod over Harter for acting UNLV president
Chancellor Dan Klaich's memo is attached with his "unqualified recommendation" to the regents for Don Snyder over Carol Harter.
Nevada GOP sets up pre-primary endorsement process, appears designed to screw Establishment candidates
Designed to give the party's imprimatur to favored candidates (many of whom will have less chance of winning the general election) and sure to further estrange the Nevada GOP from its elected leaders, next month the faithful will have the opportunity to endorse candidates in the primary.
AG files brief for governor standing against gay marriage
The progressives already are fuming on Twitter. I'm sure this will be a huge issue in the governor's race. Wait.... The brief is posted here. UPDATE, 2 PM: