Why Pete Buttigieg thinks Democrats can flip Nevada's only GOP-held congressional seat
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In today's edition: Gov. Joe Lombardo (R) is courting the elusive Latino vote. Plus: An Indy exclusive about the BLM state director's new job, Republican governor ad spending still dwarfs that of Democrats and candidates dodge policy questionnaires.
Mini's on a much-deserved vacation, so I'm your guide this week to the joy-filled realm of Nevada politics.
In our last newsletter, I wrote about how voters lose out when candidates give squishy non-answers.
So while it helpfully proved the point, I was disappointed to see an Assembly candidate decline to respond to a straightforward policy questionnaire, telling The Indy that she believed complicated issues couldn't be distilled into easy answers.
That didn't stop her from going on social media to criticize her opponent's responses to that very questionnaire. She wrote, "The contrast in this race couldn't be clearer."
It's difficult for voters to contrast stances when they only have one candidate's perspective.
I encourage any and all candidates to respond to our questions so voters can make informed decisions.
This newsletter is published every week. We want to hear from you! Email your newsletter editor Mini Racker at [email protected] Tabitha Mueller at [email protected].
Yo Soy Joe Lombardo?
According to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact, Gov. Joe Lombardo's (R) campaign and affiliated PACs have spent more than a million dollars in Spanish language advertising this election cycle.
It's part of a broader effort from Lombardo to capture Nevada's Latino voter bloc. His campaign recently hired a prominent Hispanic political operator who worked as President Donald Trump's Nevada strategic director in 2024. The group Latinos Con Lombardo, also launched earlier this year.
Jeremy Hughes, a GOP strategist affiliated with pro-Lombardo Better Nevada PAC, told The Indy that the increased spending is simply following voters where they're at.
"It's like ESPN," Hughes said about ads on the Spanish-language network Univision. "We know that 5 to 10 percent of our voting population is going to be watching. We're going to spend it there."
Attorney General Aaron Ford (D), in comparison, has spent little on Spanish or English language ads. Instead, he is placing his bets on direct outreach.
Keep an eye out for my complete story this week.
— Isabella Aldrete
What we're reading and writing
Socialism? Corporate donations? AD41 has got it all.
Nevada: 1. Trump's DOJ: 0.
Fake electors: 2. Attorney General Aaron Ford (D): 0.
"I think you and I are destined to do this forever."
David Flippo has never filed required financial disclosures in his last two runs for Congress. His campaign says he'll do it after he closes one business and puts the others in a blind trust.
"When they asked me to run, I'm like, 'Why would I do that?'" — NV-03 Republican nominee Marty O'Donnell.
DC Download: Jon Raby's second act
Jon Raby, who retired as the Bureau of Land Management's Nevada state office director in April, is set to take a new job, he told The Indy exclusively.
On Oct. 5, he'll become a senior vice president at Cassidy and Associates. The prominent D.C. lobbying firm is led by CEO Kai Anderson, one-time deputy chief to the late Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), and counts key Nevada stakeholders among its clients. Raby will work in Reno.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
MR: What made you want to take this role?
JR: I've known and worked with Kai for my entire tenure as the state director in Nevada … Cassidy and Associates is an incredibly talented firm that covers a broad spectrum of client needs and focus areas — energy and minerals and healthcare and defense and conservation. So all that, for me, is just a tremendously interesting portfolio.
MR: What from your previous work experience do you think will apply to this job?
JR: I was part of a lot of nationally recognized efforts in the solar and geothermal energy space, as well as transmission on the minerals front. Just making sure that we continue to support strong mineral development that's responsible in Nevada is something that … has been a passion of mine. … On the conservation side, we have a huge amount of really special natural resources out here that warrant protection and proper management. … [And] the permitting process that we developed in Nevada was a national model for how permitting should be done. … Relationships are everything, and [I've] got a lot of good relationships with the state of Nevada and with the counties and various groups.
MR: Is there anything you're anticipating working on that will be a really big deal in federal policy in the next year for Nevada?
JR: Some of the lands bills. … Could be some efforts around thinking about critical minerals. … [And] our federal workforce is a tremendous asset to our country. They have experienced a lot of change, and so … ensuring that the federal workforce gets the recognition and the support that they need. … There may be something in that space that I'll be interested in taking on.
— Mini Racker
Indy Ad Watch: 1.8 percent
State Solutions Inc., a dark money nonprofit affiliated with the Republican Governors Association, recently released an ad accusing Attorney General Aaron Ford (D) of "failing Nevada" by not prosecuting hundreds of cases of alleged Medicaid fraud.
The ad is part of a broader spending onslaught against Ford that has given Republicans a more than $35.3 million spending advantage in the election, according to AdImpact as of Monday afternoon.
Ford's campaign has slowly been rolling out ads, including one highlighting his family's struggles during his childhood.
In total, Ford's campaign and other Democratic groups supporting him have spent or reserved more than $645,400 in advertisements — about 1.8 percent of the spending backing Gov. Joe Lombardo (R).
Ford's campaign has touted a planned seven-figure ad campaign, though that spending has not yet fully materialized in data collected by AdImpact. Ford campaign spokesperson Prerna Jagadeesh said the campaign is placing ads week to week; AdImpact reported Monday afternoon that Ford placed a $236,000 ad buy for the next week.
— Tabitha Mueller
Mini Series: It's truly campaign szn
🗳️ How soon is 2028? — Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (D) stumped for Congressional District 2 candidate Teresa Benitez-Thompson in Northern Nevada on Saturday, saying he made the visit because he thought the seat was winnable.
- Buttigieg described the race as a key one for Democrats to focus on as they try to hold the Trump administration accountable. Though Buttigieg has indicated interest in a presidential run, he demurred when asked about it by The Indy, saying he is focused on 2026, not 2028.
- Benitez-Thompson focused her messaging on her roots and ties to Northern Nevada, highlighting her upbringing in the district and connection with the community through her work as a social worker and legislator. At one point, she took a swing at her opponent, David Flippo (R), joking that Buttigieg has probably visited Northern Nevada more times than Flippo has.
💼 Some personnel news — Matt Harrison has left his job as Rep. Steven Horsford's (D-NV) campaign manager. Per his LinkedIn, he served a year in the role after working for Sen. Jacky Rosen's (D-NV) 2024 campaign and departed in July. Harrison had no comment. A campaign spokesperson did not comment on whether the position had been filled, but wrote, "Matt left his role as campaign manager after we successfully completed the primary cycle and we appreciate his contributions. Rep. Horsford has a strong operation designed to win the competitive seat."
— Tabitha Mueller and Mini Racker
Looking Ahead
- Wednesday, Aug. 19 — Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) attends an AI town hall in Las Vegas
- Thursday, Aug. 27 — Attorney General Aaron Ford (D) is going to sit down with The Boss for a live interview.
A post that caught our eye:
Even Nevada's former attorney general is no match for AI customer service. Fix this man's cold plunge!
We'll see you next week.
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