* There’s an old saying in politics that “personnel is policy.” And in addition to the GOP having way too many legislators that seriously lack overall strategic skills to combat the Dems in Carson City, their caucus staff isn’t much better.
* To effectively counter the D’s, GOP legislators need staff who fully understand the Three P’s of serving in the Legislature: Policy, Politics and Process.
* Obviously, policy is a big one. If staff tend to be from the moderate side of the aisle, they’re going to miss “poison pill” amendments and items in bills because they’re not attuned to the conservative wing.
* Secondly, staff needs to recognize the political ramifications of various bills; whether it’s something that can help or hurt Republicans in the next election or whether it’s something that can help or hurt Democrats at the ballot box.
* While Democrats routinely propose bills that will appeal to their hard-left base, Republicans too often introduce silly, trivial bills - such as the one this session to prohibit restaurants from automatically serving you a glass of water with your meal.
* Yeah, great campaign issue there.
* If you’re in the minority and unlikely to get serious conservative legislation through, that doesn’t mean you avoid proposing such bills. You submit them, fight for hearings, and if you don’t get them from the D’s…HOLD YOUR OWN.
* Fights make news. And any legislator can schedule their own hearing on bills the D’s refuse to hear – like for Opportunity Scholarships and election reforms.
* If the D’s won’t cooperate, only invite your side to testify. The controversy will catch the attention of the media and you’ll be able to take your case to the Court of Public Opinion.
* And then there’s the process side. The Legislature has its own rules for debate and running the session. Staff needs to KNOW the rules and how use them to their own advantage.
* Make strong floor statements every day calling attention to the bills the D’s refuse to hear and argue forcefully for them. All such speeches are video recorded and can then be distributed via social media and in the next campaign.
* EVERY floor session of the just-concluded session should have included Republicans strongly criticizing the Democrats for refusing to hold hearings on Gov. Lombardo’s five policy bills, as well as their own.
* As the saying goes, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.
* And stop giving the D’s “bipartisan” cover on bad bills by co-sponsoring their legislation in the hope of gaining favorable consideration for your comparatively minor, insignificant bills.
* Fortune favors the bold.
* There aren’t many people with command of all Three P’s. Rare indeed. So the caucuses need to find those gems, hire them, and keep them on payroll year-in and year-out…just like the D’s do.
* The Nevada Republican Party is trying to distance itself from the lawsuit filed by Nevada Republican National Committeewoman Sigal Chattah against Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo over a bill passed unanimously by both houses of the Legislature.
* “This lawsuit was brought by Sigal Chattah against the State of Nevada in her private capacity as an attorney representing her clients,” rationalized Alida Benson, executive director of the Nevada Republican Party.
* Sorry, but that dog won’t hunt.
* Chattah’s one of the three top GOP officials in the state. Everything she does and says – especially the deranged, unhinged stuff against Lombardo – is a reflection on the entire Nevada GOP.
* If Chattah wants to conduct herself in a way that harms the party, then she should do the right thing and resign from the party leadership position. Or the party’s Central Committee should kick her out.
* Podcaster Johnny Bru is said to have thrown his hat in the ring for chairman of the Clark County Republican Party. Incumbent Jesse Law already has two other challengers: GOP women’s club president Jill Douglass and gun-rights activist Nephi Khaliki.
* A debate among candidates hosted by the Nevada Republican Club is set for July 11. The election is scheduled for July 18, a week later.
FAMOUS LAST WORDS
“Nevada’s Legislative session ended last month and there were a number of bills that made it past the Democrat-controlled House and Senate that weren’t in the best interest of Nevadans. Fortunately, Governor Joe Lombardo held the line on his campaign promises and vetoed a record number of bills, 75 to be exact.” – Lyle Brennan, Nevada Business, 7/1/23