* Surprised it didn’t make bigger news, but apparently Donald Trump plans to blow off the first GOP presidential candidate debate on August 23 in Milwaukee, site of the 2024 Republican National Convention.
* In a post on his social media site, Trump wrote: “Let them debate so I can see who I MIGHT consider for Vice President.”
* If Trump was the incumbent, I could understand this. But he’s not.
* And the fact that he handles himself well in debates and interviews makes this a strange and risky decision. He’s essentially handing all the other candidates a free shot at his weaknesses without rebuttal.
* In related news, the RNC has announced that the second GOP presidential candidate debate will be held on September 27 at the Ronald Reagan Library in California.
* To qualify, candidates will need to show at least 3 percent support in two nationally-recognized polls or 3 percent in one national poll along with 3 percent in at least two of the four early voting states.
* Of which Nevada is one.
* Candidates will also have to show at least 50,000 unique donors with at least 200 each coming from 20 different states.
* Meanwhile, back at the ranch…
* In response to growing backlash against Nevada Democrats for cutting funding for the state’s Opportunity Scholarship program, Democrat leaders are now saying Gov. Lombardo’s staff is “lying” about compromise proposals to at least keep funding for this coming school year at the same level as last year.
* “There was never, ever, ever, ever a discussion that if we did not do something with the funding, rather than the $6.65 million that’s in law, that students would potentially lose the opportunity to stay at their schools,” Assembly Speaker Steve “Donut Boy” Yeager said at a press conference yesterday.
* Even if that’s true – and it’s not – how could Democrat leaders in the Legislature NOT know that cutting the current level of Opportunity Scholarship funding would cause some students to lose their scholarships? Duh.
* Yeager’s claim doesn’t pass the smell test.
* In addition, Elizabeth Ray, spokesperson for the governor, brought receipts. She pointed out that Lombardo’s chief-of-staff specifically met with the Democrat leaders to negotiate retaining funding levels as is. The D’s just shined him on.
* Some 400 more new voters registered Republican than Democrat in July, cutting the D’s advantage in Nevada to a little over 50,000.
* Non-partisans enjoyed a huge jump of about 9,000 voters, however, that’s primarily due to DMV registrations in which drivers who don’t pick a party are automatically registered non-partisan. Whether they actually show up and vote is another story altogether.
* Republicans desperately need to pick up seats in the State Assembly to get out of their super-minority status so it can protect Gov. Lombardo’s vetoes.
* On Wednesday, Republican Brandon Davis announced his campaign for Assembly District 34 in Clark County against Democrat incumbent Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod.
* Brandon ran for governor last year as a Libertarian. I met him once on the campaign trail at an event. Seemed like a pretty solid guy. This is a race to keep your eyes on.
* The Las Vegas City Council – throwing good money after bad – approved spending another $1.5 million to continue fighting its losing battle with the developer of the old Badlands Golf Course.
* The city’s attorneys have so far charged taxpayers some $5.5 million fighting with the developer in court and have so far lost three of the four lawsuits – and will likely lose the fourth one, as well.
* Adding insult to injury, the city approved the new round of $1.5 million as part of its “consent agenda” yesterday, meaning individual members didn’t go on record either for or against the expenditure.
* So much for profiles in courage.
FAMOUS LAST WORDS
Mr. Muth is president of Citizen Outreach, publisher of Nevada News & Views, and founder of CampaignDoctor.com. You can sign up for his conservative, Nevada-focused e-newsletter at MuthsTruths.com. His views are his own.