The (#MLS2LV) Show Will Go On

Last month, we were treated to "visions of stadium splendor". All of a sudden, a Downtown soccer stadium became the magic elixir that could somehow catapult Las Vegas into nirvana...

Until reality set in. And then, all of a sudden, Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman's (I) MLS dreams came crashing down. Once independent experts started poking through the Cordish-Findlay stadium proposal, they found some nasty red alarms. So Mayor Goodman, Cordish, and Findlay announced a new plan.



But is the new plan enough to assuage Las Vegas City Council Members and Las Vegas residents who have been worried about the city being left with the short end of the stick while Cordish & Findlay laugh all the way to the bank (with all those taxpayer provided subsidies)?



Just might it... If it includes $250 million worth of "Downtown investment"?

Maybe. The Las Vegas City Council just voted 6-1 to grant another 2 month extension to Cordish & Findlay. Apparently, the promise to "enhance Symphony Park" is worth both $250 million and a 2 month extension.

However, this just takes us back to the fundamental question at hand. If Cordish can afford $250 million to "enhance Symphony Park", why are Cordish executives and Justin Findlay still demanding public subsidies? Oh, yes. That's right. Their "profit margins are too thin" without public funding.

Last we checked, Cordish & Findlay are still demanding a $3 million per year annual subsidy from the City of Las Vegas. And last we checked, Council Member Lois Tarkanian (D) has promised to vote against any stadium proposal involving any public subsidies.

So what's it going to be? Will Cordish & Findlay finally drop their demands for the City of Las Vegas to essentially pay them to build a soccer stadium on city land? Or will they try yet another scheme to try to flip Council Member Tarkanian's vote? All we know now is that this show will go on to December.

Visions of Stadium Splendor

Uh oh. Maybe no goal?

In recent weeks, Las Vegas City Hall has been heating up as speculation has been ramping up over a proposed soccer stadium Downtown. Findlay Sports & Entertainment and The Cordish Companies have been hyping the cache of a prestigious sports stadium in the heart of "The Entertainment Capital of the World". Yet while they and Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman (I) have been hyping the razzle-dazzle of this stadium, others have been asking the tough questions. How many will actually attend games here? What are the real revenue projections? And how much will Las Vegas taxpayers have to pay for this?



Now, we know Cordish wants $3 million per year from the City of Las Vegas in addition to all the other subsidies Cordish & Findlay are demanding from city government (such as the ~$130 million they want the city to chip into stadium construction). That money would come from hotel tax revenues. Mayor Carolyn Goodman actually admitted it earlier this month on his show, even as she was claiming room tax revenue "isn't tax dollars, it's tourist dollars".

Last night, Las Vegas Council Member Lois Tarkanian (D) told Jon Ralston she would not vote for the Cordish-Findlay Stadium if the vote was today. She mentioned the issue of those hotel room tax revenues, and in particular how those room tax funds are used to maintain Las Vegas city parks. Council Members Bob Beers (R) and Bob Coffin (D) have already been sounding the alarms on this, and Tarkanian added that the city is just about to finish repaying bonds for parks in Northwest Las Vegas.



And the City of Las Vegas just recently raised user fees for youth sports leagues to use city parks. So how much will Las Vegas residents actually have to pay for this stadium?

Las Vegas isn't the only municipal company chasing after a MLS team. And when we look at the history other sports stadium subsidy deals, the outlook turns from merely very concerning to downright frightening.



Look, we're not against soccer. Far from it. And no, Mayor Goodman, we're not all just "naysayers". We're realists. And all we're asking for are the real numbers behind this stadium proposal.

We can see why Cordish won't talk to anyone and Findlay only agrees to "happy talk". However, Las Vegas city officials don't answer to Cordish and Findlay. They answer to Las Vegas residents. So they should not be afraid to drop the spin and start talking about the reality behind these visions of stadium splendor.

Goal?

Last night, the City of Las Vegas held its first of a series of six community town hall meetings at Centennial Hills Community Center. Why? Well... Goal!

Or at least, Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman (I) and some City Council Members are hoping they're about to hit a big goal with a proposed Downtown soccer stadium. However, not everyone seems to be sold on this. Las Vegas city officials looked ready to give a "pep talk", but a number of residents were ready to grill officials over the numbers behind this grandiose proposal.



Las Vegas city taxpayers are being asked to chip in nearly $130 million towards the estimated $410 million price tag for the new stadium. A number of financial experts are now stepping forward to explain the many risks the city will take if it decides to partially subsidize The Cordish Companies' and Findlay Sports & Entertainment's desired Downtown stadium. After all, the city will ultimately be on the hook for at least $82 million even if the stadium succeeds in attracting a well performing Major League Soccer (MLS) team and selling out plenty of games... And that's still a major if.

Over the years, Dr. Judith Grant Long has been crunching the numbers on the public costs of "public-private partnership" sports stadiums. She's revealed the hidden costs of these stadium deals, such as "free land", lease discounts, and tax exemptions. Yet so far, the City of Las Vegas isn't noting any of these costs in its "financial analysis" of the stadium plan.

In 2012, Bloomberg News revealed that Americans had spent $4 billion subsidizing sports stadiums since 1986. And what have we received in turn? Oh, about $10 billion in additional costs while sports team owners laugh all the way to the bank.

There are plenty of good reasons for Las Vegas city residents to be skeptical about this latest stadium proposal. Remember when the City of Henderson ran into trouble over a stadium plan that Chris Milam was never going to get off the ground? While the Cordish-Findlay Las Vegas soccer stadium plan doesn't approach that level of fraud (or at least, not yet), there are already a number of warning signs on the high costs the City of Las Vegas will have to incur for it. And so far, there's little evidence suggesting this stadium will actually "pay for itself". After all, no publically subsidized stadium ever truly has.

Perhaps now that Tesla scored the sweetheart deal of a lifetime from the State of Nevada, Cordish & Findlay now want in on the corporate welfare gravy train. What exactly is the goal of Mayor Goodman and the stadium cheerleaders? That's the key question that City Council Members and Las Vegas city residents must ask at the upcoming town halls.

The Great Green Rush

Last year, the Nevada Legislature passed SB 374. And after some initial hesitation, Governor Brian Sandoval (R) ultimately signed it into law. And with SB 374 becoming state law, medical marijuana dispensaries were finally cleared to open in the near future so patients could safely access the medicine they need.

Unfortunately for medical marijuana users, they ran into hiccups early this year when municipal governments throughout Nevada balked at the prospect of approving medical marijuana dispensaries. But in March, a major breakthrough occurred when the Clark County Commission approved a timeline to allow for new dispensaries in unincorporated Clark County communities. And later that month, the City of Las Vegas followed suit by announcing its own plans to draft regulations for medical marijuana dispensaries. And now, Las Vegas has finally approved specific locations for dispensaries.



And the City of North Las Vegas may also soon follow suit. At this point, Henderson and Boulder City are the only Las Vegas Valley municipal governments that are not moving forward on dispensaries. Boulder City has a ban in place. Henderson currently has a moratorium in effect until July... But with Henderson facing an increasingly nasty budget shortfall, the city may have to reconsider its stance on medical marijuana.

After all, medical marijuana is expected to bring more business to Southern Nevada. There's a reason why so many dispensary applications flowed into Clark County Government Center.



Hint: They want a piece of "The Great Green Rush". And as long as applicants are going into this for the right reasons and intend to serve patients in need, they have every right to go into this business. But of course, with every "rush" comes risk. So state & municipal authorities need to adopt wide regulations to ensure a fair market place.

There's a reason why all of this is happening. There's a reason why certain "entrepreneurs" are rushing to "embrace the weed". And there's a reason why the Nevada Legislature passed SB 374 in the first place.

It's because our legislators finally realized medical marijuana patients didn't deserve to be treated like criminals for daring to access the medicine they need. This is why we're now starting to experience "The Great Green Rush".

And all involved in this new "Rush" need to keep in mind who they need to serve.

Opportunity

Yesterday, we saw some of Carson City in Las Vegas. No, it wasn't that cold here. Rather, State Senator Ruben Kihuen (D-Las Vegas) held a town hall at the East Las Vegas Community Center while former State Senator and current Las Vegas City Council Member Bob Coffin (D) held a discussion with Southern Nevada Stonewall.

And at both events, plenty of important topics were brought up. Sex education (AB 230), marriage equality (SJR 13), driver's privilege cards for undocumented immigrants (SB 303), public education, and tax reform were discussed last night. Senator Kihuen answered questions from constituents...





And Council Member Coffin talked with Stonewall members & guests about what happens behind the scenes in Carson City and how to make change there.





And he wasn't finished there. Council Member Coffin expounded upon the advances of LGBTQ civil rights in Nevada and nationally in the last 45 years. And he shared more insight on how bills do (and don't) become law in Carson City.





All too often, Carson City seems like another world for Southern Nevada residents. Why do policies that seem like common sense here become so controversial there? And why do policies that seem so toxic here become law there?

Yet despite the great geographic difference, one can still make a big impact here and there. It takes determination. And it takes extended commitment.





Most civil rights advancements didn't happen overnight. That's often been the case here in Nevada. Yet with that being said, we've been seeing openings on matters like marriage equality and immigrant rights that didn't seem possible just a year ago. The same can even be said regarding tax reform and restoring public education.

The opportunity is here. It's now a matter of how much progressives take advantage of it.

Why Romney Is Losing (It's the Middle Class, Stupid)

Today, the G-O-TEA media spinners are doubling down on their lies about what President Obama did here in Las Vegas last week. I guess that's really all they have left to talk about. After all, Mitt Romney imploded in my mailbox yesterday.

And today, Mitt just keeps getting worse. After he (rather bizarrely) requested that his full presentation at the now infamous Boca Raton (Florida) fundraiser be posted, Mother Jones' David Corn happily obliged.





And when looking at the full context... Well, Mitt just gets worse. And Ezra Klein explains why.

The big surprise at this point in the election is not that Mitt Romney is turning out to be such a bad candidate. His weaknesses were always well known, and even now, they’re likely overstated. He’s proven an able campaigner, an extraordinary fundraiser, and more than capable of uniting his party. But if he is, in some ways, a better candidate than many expected, he’s also proving to be a much more conservative candidate than anyone expected.

What Romney actually believes is an unusually tricky question fraught with metaphysical and epistemological uncertainty. But in terms of the recent comments and decisions that have gotten him in trouble, some of them are campaign missteps, but most of them are an unexpectedly doctrinaire application of the conservative worldview — the sort of stuff that gets a standing ovation at CPAC, but that gets Republicans into trouble among more general audiences. [...]

Perhaps Romney’s biggest and most ongoing problem is his tax plan, which seems to require either a tax hike on the middle class or a huge increase in the deficit, and has gotten him fairly accused of cutting taxes on the rich. It’s often forgotten, but this is actually Romney’s second tax plan. His initial tax proposal — which you can still see in his jobs plan – was simply to extend the Bush tax cuts and give Americans making less than $250,000 a cut on their capital gains rate. That would’ve been a much easier proposal to defend in the general election. [...]

Similarly, Romney chose [Paul] Ryan to be his vice president, yoking himself to Ryan’s budget and to the House GOP. In one day, Romney took the basic strategy of the campaign, which was to make this election a referendum on Obama’s leadership, and made it a choice election, with Romney standing side-by-side with the architect of the chief governing document of contemporary conservatism.

As we've discussed before, Paul Ryan's budget is nothing less than a full assault on America's middle class and the working poor aspiring to become middle class. And not only has Mitt Romney fully embraced Paul Ryan's "vision" of a middle class busting budget, but he also wants to undo decades worth of BIPARTISAN economic policy meant to boost the ranks of the middle class. And in pursuing this false dichotomy of "the makers versus the takers", he's actually attacking upwards of 60% (!!!) of Americans along with these bipartisan decades old policies meant to build and sustain America's middle class.

This is the real poison of what Mitt Romney said at that Boca Raton fundraiser. Mitt Romney revealed that he's more than willing to undo the foundation of America's middle class just so he and his fellow 1% plutocrats can pay even less in taxes. Heh, I guess Harry Reid has been right all along.

And this is why the teabaggers are reverting to screaming about what President Obama supposedly did or did not do in Las Vegas last week. Despite all their howls suggesting otherwise, perhaps even they are starting to realize this is a losing issue for Mitt Romney. Perhaps they are finally realizing that Mitt Romney is losing this election. One just can't attack 60% of Americans and expect no blowback.

Already, Romney has been looking at some daunting numbers.

Fueled by increased optimism about the economy and nation’s direction, President Barack Obama leads Mitt Romney by 5 points among likely voters and now sees his job-approval rating reaching the 50 percent threshold for the first time since March, according to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.

The survey – which was conducted after the two party conventions and the political firestorm over last week’s U.S. embassy attacks, but before Romney’s controversial comments about the 47 percent of the country “who are dependent on government” – shows the percentages believing that the country is headed in the right direction and thinking that the economy will improve at their highest levels since 2009. [..]

Among a wider sample of registered voters, the president’s lead is 6 points, 50 percent to 44 percent – up from Obama’s 4-point edge last month, 48 percent to 44 percent.

“It’s clear to me that Barack Obama has moved a … step ahead,” says Democratic pollster Peter D. Hart, who conducted this survey with Republican pollster BillMcInturff.

So he couldn't afford any more "embarrassing moments". Too bad for the Romney campaign that their candidate just delivered the epitome of "embarrassing moments".

How's That Enthusiasm Gap Looking Now?

So we had a very special visitor in town today.



And the crowd looked quite fired up and ready to go. Oh, yeah. It was like that.

I remember hearing so much about "the enthusiasm gap" not too long ago. And maybe it still exists... Albeit in a way that the big DC pundits hadn't expected. And that's playing out right here in Nevada. Look at what happened at Springs Preserve in Las Vegas today, then look at what's about to happen at John Ascuaga's Nugget in Sparks this weekend.

Need I say more?

What a Fool Believes, Nevada G-O-TEA Ready to Jump the Shark (Again)

Jeez, how did I miss this? On Monday, newly elected Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald was grilled "The Agenda" over his ethical failings and shady Las Vegas taxpayer funded bailouts senior housing developments.

(The fun starts at 10:00.)



And it looks like this is just a little taste of the rancor we may see at the Nevada Republican Party Convention in Sparks next weekend. Jon Ralston could barely contain his ecstatic glee "grief" over what's looking increasingly likely to go down next weekend.

As much as I would hate to see it, the Paul folks are intent on trying to do in 2012 what they almost did in 2008 — hijack the national convention delegation. Even though Republican National Committee rules mandate that the Nevada delegation votes proportionally to the caucus results — Romney received 14 delegates to Paul’s five — do the rules really apply to the Texas congressman’s acolytes?

It would seem any victory would be Pyrrhic, perhaps emphasizing Paul’s image in Establishment circles as the crazy uncle of the GOP. But the presumptive nominee also doesn’t want to alienate the legions of Paul sycophants.

Team Romney has sent a missive to every delegate to the state convention, trying to build the votes necessary to blunt the Paul surge. “It’s clear that now is the time to unite as Republicans to defeat Barack Obama in the fall! Attending the State Convention is a very important way for you to support the Republican Party’s efforts to turn Nevada red. We need your voice and your support at the convention,” Romney State Director Sarah Nelson wrote.

My guess is most of the Paul delegates immediately deleted the email. But, perhaps I am too cynical. Or conspiratorial.

Truly, I would hate to see chaos ensue at this hallowed event.

And I’m sure that won’t happen just because new GOP Chairman Michael McDonald, who will oversee the May 5 convention, is essentially an honorary Ron Paul person. His close allies — David Isbell and Jesse Law — are Paul guys. Bunce signed onto an endorsement list for McDonald. And Paulite James Smack, McDonald’s predecessor, endorsed McDonald. Oh, and the Romney campaign stayed out of the chairman’s election.

None of that can be good for Team Romney. But, I, of course, would hate to see any sparks in Sparks.

This goes back to Orrin Johnson's complaint that Ron Paul's campaign is out to steal national delegates from Mitt Romney. However, as I noted yesterday, Ron Paul's campaign has never really been secretive about its "delegate strategy". Remember, a senior Ron Paul campaign advisor went on MSNBC in February to boast about it! Doug Wead defended this by flatly saying, "80% of success is showing up, and our people show up", and that the Paul campaign is only playing by the very rules the RNC allegedly created to give Mitt Romney an extra advantage.

And now, some Republicans are worrying about this even more because of their new Chairman. After all, many of Ron Paul's loudest Nevada allies also happen to be big Michael McDonald supporters. Will he really be in the mood to stop another Ron Paul coup at the Nevada GOP Convention? Or might Ron Paul's campaign actually encounter more success this time than in 2008?



And it's not like McDonald doesn't have experience handling these kinds of issues. After all, he advised his "boyhood friend" Michael Galardi on how to bribe his way to becoming Southern Nevada's most powerful strip club owner (and extend his strip club empire to California!) and use local governments' regulatory authority to Galardi's advantage. That, of course, was the foundation of what we now know as "G-Sting".

Ron Paul's campaign has hurled a number of allegations of wrongdoing since Caucus Day. So how better for them to "fight back" than to enlist an expert in local government wrongdoing as a powerful ally! Just never mind that this powerful ally embodies everything that Ron Paul's "tea party" following supposedly reviles.

And to think, 2012 was supposed to be the year of "The Great Nevada Republican Comeback". Sure. It looks like Karl Rove is feeling awfully (NOT) confident about that.



Ah, what a fool believes...

What a Fool Believes: Is "Tea Party" Showing Double Standard for McDonald?

The Nevada GOP has taken quite a few hits this week over the election of former Las Vegas City Council Member Michael McDonald as its new Chairman. And I'm not the only one talking. Ralston had this to say.

I want all of you — especially Gov. Sandoval, Sen. Heller and Rep. Joe Heck — to imagine it is October. CNN is here. Fox and MSNBC, too. You turn on your TV to hear, “Joining us now, the chairman of the Nevada Republican Party, Michael McDonald.”

Do you:

A. Pray

B. Hold your breath

C. Both

As the Nevada Policy Research Institute said in a screed Tuesday: “You just can’t make this stuff up.” The conservative think tank was referring to McDonald’s latest juice job at City Hall, with NPRI correctly pointing out that McDonald has a pattern of questionable conduct. Indeed, McDonald almost was thrown out of office 11 years ago after the state Ethics Commission found “his loyalty to his employer motivated him to assist (his private sector boss) in attempting to overcome a difficult financial situation by using access to staff and other members of the City Council (which an ordinary member of the public would not have) and lobbying them to take action which would benefit (his boss) and, therefore, himself. ... There was absolutely no evidence that the action Councilman McDonald was advocating ... was a good economic deal for the City of Las Vegas and in the public’s interest.”

Some things don’t change. The ex-councilman’s history neuters him when it comes to assailing Democrats on anything. McDonald is not just a flawed messenger; he is a fatally flawed messenger.

Maybe Michael McDonald is right in arguing that no one will pay any attention to him, that he will unify the party and that he will lead the GOP to smashing victories in November. Or maybe, as Michael McDonald also once said, that’s what a fool believes.

But perhaps the most searing indictment of the Nevada GOP for this move comes from one of its own, Orrin Johnson, who had this to say about his party's new leader.

Taken in the kindest possible light, new GOP Chair Michael McDonald’s past and current “property development” activities proves that he’s all for government-forced redistribution of wealth. A more honest assessment would be that he’s all about brazenly using positions of political power to enrich himself and/or his friends at taxpayer expense to the tune of millions of dollars.

Either way, he’s EVERYTHING the Tea Party Movement – and conservatism generally – is supposed to be against. And yet he was elected supposedly as the tea party, anti-establishment, “true conservative” option to chair the Nevada Republican Party. How did this happen?

The Nevada State GOP began hemorrhaging credibility back in October. With McDonald’s election, they’ve officially eliminated it completely. This will end badly for the state party, and for any politician stupid enough to get to close to Mr. McDonald. When it does, I just hope there are enough Republicans left untainted by this to save the conservative movement from total irrelevance for the foreseeable future.

Again, that's from a Republican! And hey, I at least have to give both Orrin Johnson and NPRI some credit in calling out their own.

However, do you remember the last time some "tea party" Republicans called out one of their own? Come on now, you must. It was only in February when none other than Chuck Muth took down Elizabeth Halseth and her political career by airing her dirty laundry. It was quite the sight to behold, since earlier that year he honored her as one of his "true conservative" stars.

Now as I said in February, Halseth made her dirty laundry into a legitimate problem by fleeing the state and her duties as a Nevada Legislator over it. And it only made things worse that she campaigned on "moral values" while failing to practice what she preached.

Back then, I gave Chuck Muth kudos for being honest about a politician he once backed. So why won't he do the same now? He's been a relentless cheerleader for Michael McDonald despite his sleazy "land deals cum bailouts" and "G-Sting" history. In fact, he's now attacking Orrin Johnson for simply pointing out the obvious! So Elizabeth Halseth was in the wrong for letting her affair with Tiger Helgelien get in the way of her public duty, but it's perfectly OK for newly elected Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald to cheat Las Vegas taxpayers and still refuse to apologize for his role in "G-Sting"?

And folks wonder why Nevada Republicans always seem to be in trouble?

Sorry, but this looks to me like a double standard. If Elizabeth Halseth had to face consequences for her ethical lapses, then so should Michael McDonald. I'm just perplexed as to why Chuck Muth can't see what all the rest of us see, especially since McDonald's line of "business" flies in the face of what the "tea party" is supposed to be about.

Oh, what a fool believes...

Election Liveblog #2: Bob Beers Wins Las Vegas Ward 2 Special (Updated)

OK, so we had the Illinois G-O-TEA train wreck covered. Now it's time to come back to Nevada and see what's happening in our own backyard. Here are the first results for Las Vegas Ward 2.

Precincts Reporting: 0 of 49 (0.00 %)

Candidate Graph Votes %/Total
Beers, Bob 942 36.29 %
Boyers, Roberta 46 1.77 %
Chinn, Bob 313 12.06 %
Gale, Bruce L. 37 1.43 %
Holmes, Sherese 27 1.04 %
Kuzemka, Kristine 340 13.10 %
Raja, F. 28 1.08 %
Ruggiero, Anthony 272 10.48 %
Truesdell, Ric 591 22.77 %
Total 2,596

As most pundits expected, Bob Beers has an early lead. His name recognition most certainly got him there... But will his lead remain this strong all night? We'll have to wait and see.

7:30 PM-

The R-J now has an article up on the early Ward 2 special election results. They interviewed some Las Vegas voters, and apparently found a mix of anti-Goodman sentiment, pro-Goodman sentiment... And even one voter for Kristine Kuzemka.

Whatever happens tonight, it will probably be used by the media as some sort of barometer measuring Mayor Carolyn Goodmans' hold on city hall and influence over city politics. If Bob Beers indeed wins, or if the results change dramatically in the coming hours to reveal some kind of stunning upset by one of "the underdogs", I'm sure at least a few local pundits will start to ask if perhaps Las Vegas is tiring of "government by celebrity glamour".

8:10 PM-

Was this Ric Truesdell's undoing? (Start at 14:00 on the video below.)



Jon Ralston seems to think so.

Team @bobbeers feels confident they won Election Day, too. If so, @RicTruesdellLV spent a fortune to get blown out. Results soon, I'd think.

And I am wondering if perhaps Truesdell's ethics tit-for-tat with Beers indeed dragged him down in the final days. I guess we'll just have to wait for the actual election day numbers to know for sure. I'll just say now that I won't be surprised if it turned out to be a factor.

However, the bigger factors in this election may have ultimately been Carolyn and Oscar. The former Mayor never seemed to handle criticism of his beloved Mob Museum well, and the current Mayor has been feeling the heat lately over that and the new Las Vegas City Hall.



Despite their delicate dance suggesting there was no actual endorsement, it was hard to actually deny that Ric Truesdell was indeed "The Good(man) Candidate". Most pundits had originally thought it would benefit him, and perhaps it did in raising his profile in Ward 2. However, that could have also led to blowback as angry voters found a way to take out their frustration over continued problems with local government, which would mainly be the favoring of certain pet projects over investing in necessary infrastructure to take care of the entire city. After all, how can one justify a city backed "mob museum" when roads have potholes, parks are closed, and police and fire protection have been cut back?

It still strikes me as bizarre that voters would send a "tea party" backed flame thrower to city hall, but then again weird things often happen in special elections.

Oh, and by the way, Bob Beers officially wins. Oh gawd, here he comes...

It's Election Night (Again)!

So it's time to live-blog again. We have another G-O-TEA Presidential Primary in Illinois, and we have a local election here in Southern Nevada. I'll be monitoring both tonight and posting both results & analysis of what's happening.

Stay tuned here at Nevada Progressive tonight as we live-blog the Illinois primary results and the Las Vegas Ward 2 special election.

5:15 PM-

Haven't we heard this before? Tonight is poised to be the night of Mittens' great comeback! Well, isn't it? Perhaps not, depending on Romney's performance in Illinois tonight.

Another scenario is possible, though, one that’s not as unlikely now as it was 24 hours ago – and for the Romney campaign, it’s the doomsday scenario. The key here is that Santorum didn’t just beat Romney in Mississippi and Alabama – he also knocked off Newt Gingrich, who has pitched himself as the South’s candidate. On the heels of his Oklahoma and Tennessee wins on Super Tuesday (and his Ohio near-miss), Santorum can now make a strong case for anti-Romney conservatives to ditch Gingrich once and for all and rally around him. This would give Santorum the one-on-one race with Romney that he’s craved, and how it would turn out is the great unknown.

Starting in the early days of this campaign, polls have shown potentially serious trouble for Romney if the conservative base ever united behind a single candidate. On a few occasions, like with Rick Perry’s late August surge or Gingrich’s in December, a single candidate actually managed to play this role, opening giant leads in national and key early state surveys and attaining polling heights that Romney has still yet to reach. But those candidates were horribly deficient and their surges were short-lived.

Santorum, though, is demonstrating more staying power — and Gingrich has been getting in his way. Without the former speaker in the race, the results wouldn’t have been close last night, nor would they have been in Tennessee and Oklahoma last week. And Santorum probably would have won Ohio, scored a clear win in Iowa and probably Georgia, and maybe pulled off South Carolina, and perhaps even Florida.

We may be arriving at the moment Romney and his campaign have feared for the entire campaign, when they can no longer benefit from a split conservative vote. Gingrich gave no hint in his speech last night that he’ll leave the race anytime soon. But he may be eliminated organically, if conservatives conclude that he’s exhausted his viability and that they’re better off lining up with Santorum. It might not matter if Gingrich presses ahead; if his support evaporates, Santorum will get his one-on-one race anyway.

So far, MSNBC is describing Illinois as "too early to call". This isn't a good sign for Mitt Romney. Some of the final pre-election polls suggested a blowout win for Romney, so anything less than that will probably set him back at least somewhat. And if somehow Mittens manages to bomb everywhere except Greater Chicago-land, it will just confirm his continued woes with the "tea party" base that just can't warm up to the guy who's supposed to be their "inevitable nominee".

Now, we just have to wait for this map to fill up so we can catch a first glimpse of the next stage of the G-O-TEA circus clown show.

5:28 PM-

And we have the first results. And interestingly enough, they're from The Windy City itself... Or at least somewhere in Cook County (which is home to Chicago and its most immediate suburbs), along with Lake County (home to wealthy Chicago suburbs). So far, Mitt Romney is comfortably ahead 54-29 over Rick Santorum. But remember, Chicago-land is where Mittens is expected to run up the score. We just have to wait and see what happens down state.

5:40 PM-

Some news outlets are now calling Illinois for Romney. It's looking likely he'll win tonight, as nearly everyone expected, but now we're all wondering how big (or small) the margin is. How well (or poorly) Romney wins will determine the media spin later tonight, as well as whether we'll hear louder calls for Santorum to drop out (and let Romney wrap up the nomination) or for Newt Gingrich to drop out (so Santorum can coalesce the hard-core teabagger opposition to Romney and deny him the nomination).

It's still quite possible that Romney can't ultimately get the 1,144 delegates needed to officially earn the GOP nomination. Now, it's just a matter of whether Mittens can push everyone else out soon... Or if everyone else pushes him out come Tampa.

5:50 PM-

Perhaps Team Mittens shouldn't pop out too much champagne tonight. So far in looking at the exit polls, I'm sensing Romney only wins Illinois tonight by about 6-8%. Yes, a win is a win is a win. And yes, Mittens will get the most delegates regardless (thanks to Santorum's campaign screwing up on delegate selection again). But again, he's only barely winning a state he was expected to coast to victory in not that long ago. And if he has to spend many millions of dollars just to squeak past a campaign so incompetent it's bleeding delegates all over the place, there's a serious problem in Republican-Land.

6:10 PM-

Funny enough, Rachel Maddow is explaining on MSNBC how Mittens may not be all that secure in his "delegate plan". Apparently, Illinois' GOP primary ballot is so damned long and complicated (in having folks vote for Presidential preference AND delegates, but also allowing them to do so separately) that Santorum, Gingrich, and/or Ron Paul may actually be able to "win" votes intended for Romney if voters don't vote for Romney delegates. YIKES!

But wait, there's more! Looking at the latest results, it looks like Romney is doing well in the closest-in Chicago-Land counties, as expected, but Santorum is starting to post leads in a few exurban Chicago area counties. Ruh-roh. And as many Romney boosters feared, Santorum is mostly cleaning up downstate.

And looking at the exit polls, we can see that Santorum actually WON late breaking voters. And yes, Santorum also won all those "conservative white working class" and "tea party" aligned demographic groups that Romney continues to struggle with. Oh yes, this contest will go on. Mittens can't celebrate "victory" just yet.

6:35 PM-

OK, let's get this out of the way. Rick Santorum is batshit crazy.

If his campaign can’t be defined by his stance on either contraception or unemployment, what’s the rationale for Santorum’s marathon and increasingly long-shot candidacy? Cheering on a Christian theocracy, and then quickly backpedaling, is as close as I can get. Dennis Terry’s hysterical remarks should be chilling to anyone who values religious freedom, on the right or left (watch it here). Watching Santorum standing and clapping for the bigot made it more clear than ever that he can never lead this nation. The fact that he later backtracked and (sort of) said he disagreed with Terry’s remarks doesn’t erase the fact that when he heard them, he stood and clapped like all the other good Christians. This is the company Santorum keeps.

Yet Willard "Mr. 1%" Romney had to radically outspend "Crazy Ricky" Santorum just to (probably only narrowly) beat him in Illinois.

It’s not all good news. The run-up to Illinois demonstrated surprising cracks in Romney’s campaign — typically considered the most solid and competent — in the long primary. Reports over the suggested revealed Romney’s campaign in Illinois was as disorganized as Santorum’s — not a good sign for an operation that will need to make a quick pivot to the general election against President Obama’s incredibly efficient campaign. Romney also vastly outspent his chief rival and conducted ran a very negative campaign, the kind of thing that doesn’t do much for his Republican enthusiasm problem.

And so far, that's the big takeaway for me tonight.

Oh yes, and there's this takeaway from somewhere closer to home. Jim Rogers blogged this yesterday.

I am a liberal. I make no excuses for that, nor do I believe I am obligated to defend my position. I do not believe that I am always right. I also have the greatest respect for the leading conservatives in this country. Agree with them or not, their philosophies have been sound, constructive and productive for the last 40 years I have followed their endeavors.

The issue is not the liberal view versus the conservative view. The issue is how the lunatic and intellectually bankrupt group that calls itself conservatives has been able to kidnap and hold for ransom the Republican Party and totally destroy its heritage of sound and logical thinking.

The political successes of intellectually bankrupt people like Sharron Angle and Sarah Palin should scare all of you. Fortunately neither one of these idiots, who has no understanding of conservatism, does not understand any of this country’s problems, and certainly has no capacity to solve those problems, has done nothing more than take this nation’s focus away from supporting people in their own party who could keep this country going forward.

And IMHO he's 100% correct! As we've talked about before, today's Republican Party is becoming increasingly enamored with "tea party" radicals like Sharrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrron over pragmatic center-right problem solvers like Kenny Guinn and Bill Raggio. As we may see later tonight, Nevada Republicans continue to grapple with this frightening reality.

However, we're also seeing this play out on the national stage. Even if Mitt Romney somehow manages to sew up the nomination soon, he'll have to do so by foresaking whatever shred of moderation he once embraced to instead try to "out-teabagger" the official "tea party" approved candidates. Romney continues to alienate women, minorities, and just about every swing voter demographic around with his support of the extreme "tea party" agenda. So is Mittens really "winning"?

Can Reno Be "The Next Silicon Valley"? (& Can Las Vegas?)

Yesterday, KRNV News 4 asked.

“The number one choice of why we're in Northern Nevada is quality of life,” says co-founder of Noble Studios, Season Lopiccolo.

For the diverse group of tech-savvy professionals at Noble Studios, Reno has something for everyone.

“Some snowboard, some like to dress up and pretend to be someone else, we have musicians, people with their own bands, all different walks of life,” says Lopiccolo.

Downtown Reno is in the midst of an image makeover, shifting from a place known for its bright lights and casinos to a world-renowned high tech hub.
And the supportive and entrepreneurial friendly environment within the biggest little city is making a big difference.

“One of the main reasons why we moved to Northern Nevada is that a handshake means something here,” says Lopiccolo.

I'll do my best to answer.

Is it possible? Sure. Is it probable? Perhaps when we get serious about investing in public infrastructure.

But then again, at least Reno has public infrastructure. Las Vegas doesn't have much of any left, so it's much more difficult to work on diversifying Southern Nevada's economy. Tony Hsieh is trying to do the same thing in Downtown Las Vegas. But if no one could even step up to save the Nevada Cancer Institute (which was ultimately gobbled up by a CALIFORNIA college), how can we really grow our own tech sector? As long as we fail to properly invest in our future, our economy will continue to suck.

At least Northern Nevada has UNR...



And to their credit, folks at UNR have been doing a great job in partnering with the greater communities around the Reno-Carson metropolitan area to work on economic diversification. This at least partially explains why Northern Nevada's economy hasn't been as devastated by continuing weakness in the gaming & tourism sector as Southern Nevada was when "The Great Recession" first hit.

However, the same set of data also shows that continuing gaming weakness IS harming economic recovery up north. Not even Reno is immune from it. And as we continue to see expansion of tribal casinos in California and online gaming worldwide, Northern Nevada will need to continue working on diversification to build a brighter future that isn't just based on fickle gamblers.

And again, we in Southern Nevada can't depend on fickle gamblers for our future, either. We also have to face the reality staring us down as Macau continues to grow, online gaming goes live, and new casino projects are being proposed everywhere from South Florida to Baja California (Mexico). While gaming will likely always be in our blood, there's no reason why we shouldn't look beyond physical casinos to start attracting new gaming technology companies, online gaming innovators, as well as infrastructure support and consulting services.

But as long as our schools suck and as long as the rest of our public infrastructure continues to lag, Southern Nevada will continue to suffer our addiction to the extreme highs and extreme lows of "the bubble based economy". I'm sure I sound like a broken record sometimes, but I nonetheless feel the need to continue talking about this until we finally see some real action and real solutions. We really do have the potential to bring more high tech jobs into this state, especially in sectors like gaming and renewable energy where we have natural strength, but we'll never realize that potential if we don't invest in our "human capital".

Reno is already seeing some success in bringing in new high tech jobs. They just need to finish the job in diversifying the economy up there. And Las Vegas still has plenty of catching up to do in that department. And ultimately, both ends of the state need more investment in public education to ultimately be successful.

Las Vegas (Ward 2) Surprise?

Remember that special election coming up? Come on, you know which one I'm talking about! Las Vegas is having another special election for city council, this time in Ward 2 because of Steve Wolfson's appointment as Clark County District Attorney. And already, the fireworks are being launched. I guess because this is such a short campaign, the explosives are really stunning.

Earlier this week, Ric Truesdell launched this TV ad (!!!) attacking Bob Beers.



Earlier this week, Jon Ralston grilled him on it.

(Go to 9:00 on Tuesday's "Face to Face" show to get to Truesdell's interview.)

Yesterday, the Realtors' Association released a shocking new Ward 2 poll that showed "Undecided" leading the pack with 30%, and Bob Beers leading all the real candidates with 24%. Now we can see why Truesdell is hitting him hard.

However, there was another surprise in that poll. Ric Truesdell was at 15%, but right behind him was Kristine Kuzemka with 13%! Can she be "the dark horse candidate" that overtakes Beers and Truesdell if those two go deep into a mud wrestling match as early voting begins today?

Last night, Ralston talked to Kristine Kuzemka.

(Her interview starts at 8:32.)



And right after doing "Face to Face" with Ralston, Kuzemka went face to face with Nevada Stonewall right after the other big fireworks event with John Lee.



And she really seems to be surprising pundits by taking a different tack to city issues. So far, all the Republican/G-O-TEA candidates have been bashing the recent Downtown Las Vegas redevelopment projects and talking endlessly about "cuts, Cuts, CUTS!!!!!" like they're Paul Ryan. Kristine Kuzemka, on the other hand, is talking about bringing new revenue to the city by looking at new opportunities and bringing in new businesses. She was on KNPR's "State of Nevada" Tuesday, and she explained how the abundance of affordable housing can be used as an opportunity to bring in high-tech businesses and make a real effort to diversify the local economy.

We'll have to see how voters react in this final week to both Kristine Kuzemka's different positive message and the budding negative crap fest between Ric Truesdell and Bob Beers. Perhaps this is a glimmer of hope that Las Vegas voters are getting sick and tired of the same old "GOOD ol' boy" next-in-line kind of politics as well as the same old "tea party" games of blowing up government and leaving locals helpless? Let's see if Las Vegas Ward 2 is ready to show us a surprise.

Another Day, Another Special Election

I know, I know. It's hard to keep up with all the regularly scheduled elections and special elections happening this year. And now, we have another one coming... This time in Las Vegas Ward 2. Now that former Las Vegas Council Member Steve Wolfson is our new Clark County District Attorney, someone has to fill the Ward 2 vacancy he's leaving behind.

So we'll be seeing yet another special election here in Southern Nevada. Early voting starts March 15, so it's really right around the corner! And now it looks like there will be nine candidates running in this special election. Among them are:

- None other than Former State Senator and "Mean 15" right wing rabble rouser Bob Beers. Seriously, he was "tea party" before "tea party" became the new cool in Republican circles. In private life, he's worked as a CPA.

- Recently retired Las Vegas Metro Police captain Bob Chinn. He's also a Republican, but he's being endorsed by Clark County Sheriff Bill Young (R) and all the local police unions.

- Second grade teacher Sherese Holmes. She's a Democrat, and she's being endorsed by Assembly Member Harvey Munford (D-Las Vegas). For the last five years, she facilitated CCSD's English Language Learners program for immigrant children before returning to the classroom when the program was cut.

- Anthony Ruggiero, special assistant to Las Vegas Mayor Pro-tem and Ward 6 Council Member Stavros Anthony (R). He's a Republican, and he's being endorsed by Anthony. Before working for the city, he was a criminal investigator for the Nevada Attorney General's office and served on the Nevada Board of Education.

- Meadows School co-founder Ric Truesdell. He's a Republican, currently serves on the Las Vegas Planning Commission, and previously served on the Downtown Las Vegas Partnership. He's endorsed by Former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman (I) and current Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman (I).

- And local attorney/public defender Kristine Kuzemka. She's a Democrat, and she previously ran for Las Vegas Justice of the Peace in 2010. She's served as Deputy Public Defender for the Clark County Public Defender's office since 2004, and before that clerked for both former District Judge David Wall and the District Attorney's office (when Stewart Bell was DA).

Well, it certainly looks like we have an interesting crop of candidates here. Chinn already has the police union backing locked up... But considering what's been in the news lately, that may not be much of an asset any more.

I can see Truesdell and Ruggiero duking it out for the "business establishment" support. Truesdell probably starts with a leg up because of his ties to the Goodmans. (And now that local attorney Ross Goodman isn't running, Truesdell is the closest we'll get to another Goodman in Las Vegas City Hall.)

But with Bob Beers wanting a political comeback, it may not be easy for Truesdell and Ruggiero to wrestle out a lot of GOP support. Again, Beers was "tea party" before the "tea party" became cool in GOP circles. He's already been making the media rounds and he's already seen as a local GOP "rock star". And other Clark County GOP favorite (and former local news anchor) Ron Futrell was expected to run himself, he instead endorsed Beers.

However, it may not be that easy for Republicans to reclaim this Las Vegas Council seat. (I know this race is officially nonpartisan, who really cares about that any more?) Kristine Kuzemka now has some campaign experience under her belt, and she has grown a loyal following since 2010.
We'll also have to see what Sherese Holmes does.

So far, it seems like we're in for an exciting election in Las Vegas. I can't wait to see what happens next.

It's Time for Nevada's Mayors to Do the Right Thing

Recently, a huge, pan-partisan national coalition of mayors (of cities both big and small!) from all over the country joined with Freedom to Marry to launch Mayors for the Freedom to Marry and demand the end of marriage discrimination at all levels of government. But take a closer look at that list, and one notices a glaring omission. For some reason, no Mayor of any Nevada city is on this list.

Nevada Stonewall Democratic Caucus Chair Derek Washington penned an op-ed for QVegas over the weekend to specifically ask why the Mayor of Nevada's most famous and most populous city has so far refused to join the Mayors for the Freedom to Marry coalition. Considering the huge potential for increased tourism (and economic benefit) for Southern Nevada, why won't Carolyn Goodman even talk about this?

What makes this even weirder is that this shouldn't really be a "controversial" issue any more. Both of Carolyn Goodman's most recent predecessors as Las Vegas Mayor, Jan Laverty Jones (D) and Oscar Goodman (I) (who, by the way, is also Carolyn's husband), endorsed civil marriage equality during their respective tenures as Mayor. And statewide, Public Policy Polling found last August that a growing plurality of Nevadans support marriage equality. I'm sure support is even higher in the City of Las Vegas, so I'm quite perplexed that Carolyn Goodman still won't endorse civil marriage equality.

As we (and The Reno Gazette-Journal) have talked about before, domestic partnerships are better than nothing... But they are still no substitute for the real deal. There are over 1,100 federal rights, benefits, and responsibilities given to married couples that LGBTQ families can not access. In addition, there are still many aspects of Nevada law where LGBQT families must still be subjected to unequal treatment because of the Question 2 state marriage ban. Question 2 continues to harm local families who just want the same treatment everyone else expects, and it continues to harm efforts to bring in more domestic and international tourists because discrimination just doesn't fit in with the message of "freedom" we use when marketing to them.

Again, this really shouldn't be "controversial" any more. Supporting civil marriage equality is simply a good business decision for Nevada. And regardless of whether or not Carolyn Goodman finally realizes this, her inaction should not stop Nevada's other big city mayors from taking action. Andy Hafen (D-Henderson), Shari Buck (R-North Las Vegas), Bob Cashell (R-Reno), and Geno Martini (R-Sparks), we're all waiting for you to fill this void and fill it soon. If we really want to treat all our citizens equally and discover new business opportunities for our communities, we need to fix this error and make civil marriage equality a reality here in Nevada. And we need for our local mayors to seize this opportunity to speak up and make it happen.

LV CityLife Gets It. Will the Rest of the City?

Here's an interesting curveball.

[...I]n the case of Chris Giunchigliani, what "career politician" really means is that she's spent two decades mastering the workings of the two largest non-fed governments in Nevada. She's racked up an enviable record of tangible achievement: creating the bond legislation that helped build more than 100 new schools without a property-tax hike; securing the funding for the Smith Center for the Performing Arts, one of the high points of Oscar Goodman's mayoralty; earning a solid reputation for supporting education (she spent years as a teacher).

So she's got skills. Enough that one of her constituents mounted a vote-for-Goodman campaign so as to keep Giunchigliani at the county.

Hers is the sort of hard-won expertise Las Vegas needs at this time. Some economists and politicians believe a recovery is under way; yet, as this endorsement is being composed, a worried headline tells us that housing prices have dropped to where they were in 1999, the year Goodman was elected. These, then, are enormously complicated times, and the city needs a leader -- however symbolic that leadership sometimes is -- who can expertly squeeze every bit of efficacy out of government.

And she is a leader. If she doesn't have Oscar-grade charisma, she does have a forceful presence. Some say she's abrasive; we say she doesn't suffer fools gladly. She'll call out staffers who don't do their jobs, yes -- but that's why we elect strong-willed people, to ensure that our representatives run the government, not the bureaucracy. Plus, she's fearless: As a commissioner she stood up to Republic Services and other big players without regard to the political consequences.

Wow. CityLife did what the other papers were too afraid to do. Instead of making "the safe pick", they actually endorsed who they believe is the best candidate.

So are Las Vegas voters doing the same? The LA Times actually noticed Las Vegas is having this election.

So Las Vegas barely bristled when Oscar ran his mouth about wanting to cart the homeless to an abandoned prison, open legal brothels in downtown Las Vegas and cut off the thumbs of graffiti taggers (none of which came to fruition). A grade-schooler once asked what he'd want if stranded on a deserted island. His answer: gin.

"Goodman is so prone to making outrageous and offensive comments, it is hard to be shocked by him anymore," a Las Vegas Sun editorial said in 2005. Two years later, he won his third four-year term with more than 80% of the vote.

Oscar's backers view him as a symbol of their devil-may-care city, which he defends with as much zeal as he once did reputed Mafiosos. They applaud him for railing against President Obama for saying bailout-funded executives shouldn't jet off to Las Vegas — though Oscar's fit probably drew more attention to the throwaway remark.

The Las Vegas mayor's role is mostly ceremonial. The mayor runs City Council meetings and can declare emergencies, but lacks veto power over the other six members of the council. Still, Oscar is credited with persuading nightclubs, art galleries and even a clinic devoted to brain health to open in still-scraggly downtown.

"When I go door to door, I find I'm running against a name ... people think it's Oscar they're supporting instead of Carolyn," said Giunchigliani, who's trying to push voters who normally blow off local elections to the polls. A former state lawmaker who bested more than a dozen contenders to face Carolyn Goodman in a runoff, she's been more focused on business licensing and urban planning than, for example, photographing a Playboy playmate (another Oscar stunt).

"He was flash and jazz more than substance," Giunchigliani said. "It worked then, but this is now."

And this is the problem that Las Vegas faces. I can say this because I travel to other "big cities" and talk to other "big city folk" who show looks of repulsion when I describe Las Vegas city government. It's really the 800 pound gorilla in the room that many here don't want to acknowledge.

So instead, we're seeing the unoriginal and pointless attack ads Carolyn Goodman is dumping onto our airwaves. Oh, and by the way, is this also Carolyn's awkward attempt to distance herself from Oscar? After all, he has espoused the exact same views on home rule, education funding, and state revenues that she's attacking Chris G for now.

It's sad to see Carolyn Goodman really has nothing else to run on. What is her plan for the city? Does she even have one? How will she create jobs? What will she do about the homeless downtown? What about revitalizing West Las Vegas? What about home foreclosures?

Oh wait, she actually does have a plan for that!



So how is Carolyn Goodman even earning votes? Poker chips? A celebrity endorsement or three? How does that really help Las Vegas?

Again, notice the contrast.





So what does Las Vegas need? And what do Las Vegas voters really want? I guess we'll know for sure next week.

Final Thoughts Before Early Voting

So early voting begins tomorrow in the final round Clark County municipal elections. As I said earlier this week, it's extremely important for us to participate, as local government is the government that most affects our daily lives. So now, on the eve of early voting, I'd like to make some final comments... And personal endorsements.

Henderson Ward 4 is definitely getting rough & tumble in the home stretch.



We've been seeing the accusations, the lies, the twists & turns, and so much more. I know it's easy to just dismiss it all and succumb to apathy. However, here's why we shouldn't.

Henderson faces difficult budget decisions. We need to think of new ways to bring jobs and businesses to town. We have older neighborhoods that need more TLC, as well as newer areas that can't be forgotten.

Henderson has plenty of challenges, and I think what was said on KNPR's "State of Nevada" yesterday really boils it down well for us. Go ahead and listen to that segment, then tell me which of the candidates actually has good ideas for Henderson, and wants to put some real thought into the work going forward on city council. This is why I will be voting (again) for Sam Bateman in Ward 4. He really seems to get it.

And what I've said about Las Vegas before also continues to stand.





Where does Carolyn Goodman stand on... Well, on ANY issues?! Ralston seemed to be back in touch with his cynical side in suggesting she "knows little, except how to win", but I'm hoping the people of Las Vegas expect more and better out of their mayor.

Now contrast that with this...



And with this segment on KNPR's "State of Nevada" this morning! Again, you tell me who has the ability to turn Las Vegas around and make the city work again. Whether or not you're good at pronouncing her last name, Chris Giunchigliani is very much someone who's interested in actually working for all the people of Las Vegas.

I'll have a couple more endorsements and suggestions up tomorrow morning. And whether or not you agree with my personal endorsements, I hope you vote in this election and make your own voice heard.

The Gloves Come Off...

The municipal campaigns are reaching home stretch, and the gloves are now coming off!



Well, what can I say? It may be "negative", but there is definitely truth to this. Come on... Try to make sense of this!



Why is Carolyn Goodman running? Seriously. I gave her a chance and waited to see what she would offer policy wise. So far, she just seems to be throwing out a whole lot of confusing hot air. I guess this is why she's been avoiding debates with Chris G.

In the mean time here in Henderson, this is getting more attention.





Yep, I finally received it in the mail. And while Mike Mayberry may be throwing a hissy fit over it, he still refuses to talk about whether or not he actually needs $40,000 per year in disability benefits... Or for that matter, whether his "fiscal conservative" platform actually means anything.

(And by the way, I still haven't heard any response from Mayberry's campaign on his explicit endorsement of homophobic and transphobic legislative bigotry.)





Look, I'm usually not one to enjoy negative campaign ads. They can be grating, annoying, and downright demeaning to the ("small d") democratic process. But when candidates refuse to meet with local voters and debate actual issues of substance, this is what ends up happening. Seriously, Carolyn Goodman and Mike Mayberry only have themselves to blame for not offering anything to allow for serious discussion of local policy.

Scenes from the Campaign Trail: Stonewall @ Arts Factory

On Wednesday, Stonewall had its monthly meeting at The Arts Factory in Downtown Las Vegas. And as expected, there were some interesting guests. Coming off last week's nail-biter of a primary, Chris Giunchigliani dropped by to chat with folks on the state of the race and why she's "in it to win it".

She explained her commitment to "building a community a neighborhood at a time", why she was concerned about AB 548, getting film production studios to make more movies and TV shows in Las Vegas, and much more. When she's on a roll talking good policy, one just doesn't want her to stop.











Las Vegas Council candidate Bob Coffin also stopped by, and he also went into detail on some local policy matters on his mind. In particular, he was discussing the need to keep The 18b Arts District on the front burner as Downtown rehabilitation and renovation continues. Even as Fremont East is becoming the city's new "urban hot spot", Coffin was reminding the crowd that there are people and small businesses there in 18b that still need some TLC from the city.

Another interesting guest at Wednesday's gathering was Henderson City Council candidate Sam Bateman. He stopped by to thank Henderson members for supporting him, and to remind everyone that Ward 4 will be on the ballot again in June. He also discussed inner city redevelopment in Henderson, non-discrimination policies, and local government transparency.

Heh. And you thought everyone would be asking them about marriage and "Glee". ;-)

See, we queer folk can think bigger and more broadly. And it was nice to hear all this fun local policy talk at the Stonewall meeting. My ears kept ringing for joy!

Alas, if only the rest of the campaign season could be like this...

#oscarswife? Or Something More?

It's tawdry. It's titillating. And yes, it can be scandalous at times.

Wait, you thought I was talking about "Gigolos"? (the new show about Vegas male "escorts) Oh, no! This is Las Vegas' mayoral election.



There's renewed buzz over Carolyn Goodman not really knowing what The Dream Act is... Or even what Teach for America does (link es en espanol)...



And of course, I'm still trying to figure out what exactly what happened when she couldn't recall what domestic partnerships are, couldn't form an opinion on marriage equality, and talked about gay and lesbian couples forming "50/50 contracts". So obviously, there's a perception that Goodman isn't really ready for the job. Is that true? Or are some Las Vegans overreacting?

Last month, Las Vegas Weekly profiled Carolyn Goodman. And in profiling her, they caught a glimpse of her vision of Las Vegas...

Carolyn has a definite vision for the city, including bringing in more retiree dollars. “There’s a huge retiree population in Buffalo and Chicago that could come here with no income tax, corporate tax, estate tax and enjoy this wonderful weather,” she says.
Carolyn admits the city would need “massive advertisement” from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, as well as the Nevada Development Authority, to accomplish her goal, “but that’s got to be sold to them, and I think I have a persuasive voice and somewhat of an intellect.”

In addition to “putting a lot of emphasis into medical care” and “making sure the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Brain Institute takes advantage of continual growth,” Goodman hopes to nurture the city’s cultural element, including “attracting more young professionals Downtown” and getting a supermarket built there to service their needs. With the cost of gasoline rising, Goodman has an idea for the Strip: “The hotels should say, ‘Come here and we’ll give you a tank of gas to get home.’”

And wondered if maybe hers actually is unique and separate from Oscar's.

Goodman notes that, technically, the mayor’s office requires little beyond holding city council meetings and declaring emergencies, but adds, “Look at all Oscar was able to accomplish.” She says she’ll aggressively pursue bringing new businesses to Nevada that will create new jobs and that she’s ready to be a voice for the city. Like Oscar … minus the showgirls and martini glasses. “Oscar can get away with things, like Don Rickles, that I can’t imagine getting away with,” she says. “I don’t need publicity, I don’t like publicity. In fact, this is very disturbing for me because it’s not me. Oscar loves the flamboyance, but I’m an under-the-radar type person.”

So why run? Carolyn says it’s a direct result of the Goodmans’ strong bond. “You cannot love someone if you don’t trust and respect them.” She believed in his vision when he first ran in 1999, and she wants that vision—particularly Downtown redevelopment—to continue. “What he accomplished is amazing to me. That’s the only reason I filed, to see [the city] continue in that direction.”

But Carolyn is careful to point out that she hasn’t supported her husband on everything. The two have had differences, like the F Street closure. “It wasn’t that it was so terrible a thing. It was the symbolism of what it meant,” Carolyn says, referring to the perceived disenfranchisement of a historically black community. And she had words for Oscar after his scathing response to President Obama’s two slights of Las Vegas: “I said, ‘No matter what, he is the President, and in my opinion, you respect him.’”

So Carolyn Goodman is her own person?

And does she have the knowledge and experience needed for the job she's seeking? I really did catch interesting moments last month when I saw her first-hand at "The People's Debate". However Laura Martin went to even more debates and campaign forums, and she tried to poke deeper into the mystique of #oscarswife.

I attended almost all of the mayoral debates during the primary, and I noticed whenever Chris Giunchigliani talked about legislation or ordinances she worked on, #OscarsWife would roll her eyes or pass a look to her staff as if to say[,] "Now here she goes with all those facts and shit[.]"

Why the hate from OscarsWife?

Every time Chris G talks about her experience, OscarsWife [is] forced to admit that she has none. Every time Chris G describes in detail a bill, proposed legislation or policy, OscarsWife is exposed as not just a political neophyte, but a Sarah Palineqsue character who has no knowledge of current events and no ability to articulate any of the little knowledge she does have.

There's certainly no question of Chris Giunchigliani's sharp intellect, or of her strong work ethic. She will certainly prove to be a formidable challenger. So is Carolyn Goodman up to the challenge that may be far greater than initial poll numbers suggest?

The first debate next week may prove to be quite pivotal. It may be Carolyn's chance to prove she's more than just #oscarswife. Can she rise to this occasion?