* First up: The GOP in Nevada needs to get their heads on straight and launch a full-court press against the ranked-choice voting initiative that’ll be on the 2024 ballot. It’s perhaps the ONLY issue that Democrats and Republicans can agree on.
* In addition, while we won’t know who the Republican candidates will be for the 2024 U.S. Senate race for a while yet, the GOP needs to start “softening up” Jackie Rosen NOW.
* And while they’re at it, better start training political fire on AG A.Ron Ford, a soft-on-crime social justice warrior who is likely to be Gov. Joe Lombardo’s Dem opponent in 2026.
* Back to U.S. Senate race, the big question is what will Rep. Mark Amodei do?
* Surely, being a senator who only has to run every six years instead of two must be tempting. But Amodei’s never had a serious re-election problem in his GOP-majority congressional district, and that didn’t change with the new district map last year.
* In addition, Amodei is in line to become one of the twelve powerful “cardinals” in the GOP leadership in Congress. Better to rule in hell than serve in heaven?
* Here are some rumored potential candidates who I believe are unlikely to run: Adam Laxalt, Brian Sandoval, Mark Hutchison and Heidi Gansert.
* After losing two successive statewide races, the writing is on the wall as to Laxalt’s electability. His lone statewide win in 2014 for attorney general came in an actual “red wave” that year – and he performed worse than any other GOP statewide candidate that cycle.
* Trump support or not, the love just ain’t there with Nevada voters. Time to move on.
* Sandoval has a sweet, well-paid gig running UNR. Hutch is still on his church mission and will be back on Team Lombardo upon his return. Gansert is the State Senate Minority Leader who may be the only Republican who can hold her seat in 2024.
* Among those seriously said to be mulling a run: Sam Brown and Tony Grady. Both did well as first-time Nevada candidates in ‘22 – Brown for Senate; Grady for LG - despite not winning their primaries.
* But both are also from northern Nevada, when the big problem for GOP candidates is in Clark County. Remember, the three statewide Republican candidates who won their general elections last year were Joe Lombardo, Stavros Anthony and Andy Matthews – all from Clark County.
* Then again, all three losing statewide candidates – Marchant for SOS, Chattah for AG and Fiore for Treasurer – were also from Clark County. So geography isn’t and can’t be the only factor to consider.
* In a “purple” state, you can be a “red” candidate – such as Matthews – but you have to run a “purple” campaign in Clark and probably Washoe.
* If Republicans are looking for a proven campaigner and proven fundraiser, they should be looking at April Becker.
* Yes, she came in second in two successive races. However, they were both in Democrat-majority districts in Clark County. And consider that Lombardo won with 45% of the Clark County vote while Becker chalked up 48% in her Clark County
congressional district.
* Add in the bump she’d get from the rurals in a statewide race and you have the makings of a real shot at flipping this seat into the GOP column. Question is: Would she want to throw her hat into the ring again?
* Mark Robertson is going to run for CD1 again against Rep. Dina Titus. Hopefully, there won’t be a competitive GOP primary for that seat in 2024. He’s earned a second bite at the apple. Greedy political consultants should stay out of his race for the good of the party (fat chance).
* Should Amodei give up his CD2 seat, that would unleash about 743 GOP candidates who will file to fill his shoes. The primary winner would hold this seat for Republicans.
* State Sen. Mark Hammond is termed out next year, and he’s already run for CD3 once before. Might he be taking another look at DC?
* No obvious GOP prospects for CD4, which is the toughest of the three Clark County congressional districts even though a small part of it stretches into rural Nevada. Most likely Republicans will put up a “sacrificial lamb” in this race.
* Lastly, for now, there will be two Nevada Supreme Court seats up in 2024. Republicans too often overlook these races. They shouldn’t. Get some judicial candidates up in the bullpen NOW.
FAMOUS LAST WORDS
“With the Republican National Committee elections approaching, current Chair Ronna McDaniel is resisting calls to participate in a public debate with her main rivals. Two conservative media
entities, the John Fredericks Media Network and Real America’s Voice, are set
to host a candidate forum on Jan. 25 live from the Dana Point, Calif., resort
where RNC members will gather to elect their next chair. Both Harmeet Dhillon,
the RNC committeewoman from California, and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, will be
participating. But McDaniel, who is seeking a fourth term in the role, has
declined to attend.” – Natalie Allison, Politico
Mr. Muth is president of Citizen Outreach, publisher of Nevada News & Views and
blogs at MuthsTruths.com. His views are his own.