The G3 Wire -February 2, 2024

Election news is dominating the headlines this week as Nevadans head to primary polls and caucuses to support the presidential candidate they want to represent their party on Election Day in November. Nevada casinos shatter revenue record, bringing in $15.5 billion in 2023. The State Supreme Court ruled that Nevada’s top water official has the authority to decide how underground supplies are allocated, Clark County superintendent, Jesus Jara, resigns, and so much more in this week’s Wire!

State and Local Government Updates

State Charter School Board approves new school despite pushback from Washoe district

The Nevada State Public Charter School Authority on Friday unanimously approved the massive expansion of a Northern Nevada charter school despite opposition from the Washoe County School District over concerns that its opening may force the closure of existing schools in the area. (Nevada Current)

Open enrollment on Nevada health exchange ends with 2nd largest increase ever

Enrollment, which ended Jan. 15, increased by 3%, with 99,312 Nevadans enrolling in a health plan and 20,984 enrolling in a dental plan, according to Nevada Current. Of the 99,312 Nevadans who received health plans, over a quarter (25,553) were new enrollees. (Reno Gazette Journal)

With his veto power on the line in 2024, Lombardo’s campaign machine is ramping up

For years, Nevada Democrats have dominated in fundraising and state legislative races. But the first-term Republican governor is looking to turn the tide. (The Nevada Independent)

Lombardo: No troops to Texas

Gov. Joe Lombardo supports Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s border fight with the Biden administration, but he won’t joint Republican governors from more than a dozen states and send Nevada Gard troops to the Lone Star State.

(Las Vegas Review Journal)

Jesus Jara, embattled Clark County superintendent, submits conditional resignation letter

Superintendent’s tenure is marked by school shutdowns during COVID, his firing and rehiring in 2021, and contract disputes with the teachers union. (The Nevada Independent)

Clark County teachers union urges school board to reject Jara’s resignation terms

Jara said his resignation was contingent on the board approving a contract amendment that would grant him a severance package that includes a year’s worth of salary, about $400,000, and other benefits. (The Nevada Independent)

Nevada casinos again shatter revenue record, bring in $15.5B in 2023

Strip casinos had their most lucrative year at $8.9 billion. Also, Las Vegas visitation tops 40.8 million and Reid Airport sets passenger record. (The Nevada Independent)

Nevada AG announces legal action against social media companies

It alleges the sites’ recommendation algorithms have encouraged problematic internet usage and caused harm to young peoples’ mental health, body image, physical health, privacy, and safety. (Las Vegas Sun)

Nevada High Court Ruling Upholds State Authority to Make Key Groundwater Decisions

The unanimous ruling Thursday by the state high court followed oral arguments in August about whether the state engineer could protect the Muddy River drainage basin and habitat of the endangered Moapa dace by considering several aquifers beneath a vast area including parts of Clark and Lincoln counties as a single underground basin. (US News)

Developer Selected for Construction of New Windsor Park Community

The Nevada Housing Division, in partnership with the Uplift Windsor Park Advisory Committee, today announced the selection of Community Development Programs Center of Nevada (CDPCN) as the developer for the new Windsor Park Community in North Las Vegas. (NV Department of Business and Industry)

Nevada Supreme Court ruling on Coyote Springs puts public interests first for water rights

The Nevada Supreme Court ruled that the state engineer acted within his authority in water decisions that stopped development at Coyote Springs, a master-planned community north of Las Vegas envisioned as a home for 250,000 people. (Yahoo News)

Nevada Supreme Court issues major water ruling with implications for state groundwater management

The decision gives Nevada’s top water regulator the clear authority and legal certainty in managing the depletion of groundwater in Nevada. (The Nevada Independent)

Federal Updates

Federal Reserve faces expectations for rate cuts

Chair Jerome Powell will enter this week’s Federal Reserve meeting in a much more desirable position than he likely ever expected: Inflation is getting close to the Fed’s target rate, the economy is still growing at a healthy pace, consumers keep spending, and the unemployment rate is near a half-century low. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

D.C. Download: Are Democrats right that abortion is on the ballot in 2024?

Monday marked the 51st anniversary of the Supreme Court’s now overturned decision in Roe v. Wade, and Nevada Democrats were unified in their message — abortion is on the ballot in 2024. (The Nevada Independent)

Articles of Interest

Groundhog Day: Punxsutawney Phil predicts early spring

Early Spring!!(AXIOS)

3 rare species found in NV may warrant endangered species protections, say feds

Following a three-month review by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, government officials say they’ve found substantial evidence that a flower, a toad, and a rabbit who call Nevada home may be eligible for listing. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Overdraft fees, late fees could be slashed as White House continues attack on junk fees

The cost of overdrawing your bank account could ease considerably under a rule proposed this month by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. (Nevada Current)

Awaiting demolition, Tropicana stuck in holding pattern until A’s stadium plans finalize

The Tropicana Las Vegas could be demolished and replaced by $1.5 billion baseball stadium. But until a closing date is announced, employees said its business-as-usual. (The Nevada Independent)

Tropicana closure date set ahead of A’s ballpark construction

The Tropicana is scheduled to close April 2 so preparations for a full site demolition can begin, making way for the Oakland Athletics’ planned Las Vegas ballpark. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Judge dismisses case against teachers union official

A judge on Monday dismissed charges against a Las Vegas elementary school teacher and union official who was removed from a school board meeting amid protests over contract negotiations. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Court dismisses Lombardo ethics case on ‘technicality,’ attorneys intend to appeal

A Carson City judge had dismissed the case — involving the governor’s use of his sheriff’s badge and uniform on the 2022 campaign trail — in early January. (The Nevada Independent)

Culinary vows to strike with Las Vegas contracts still in talks

The Culinary and Bartenders unions in January set a strike deadline for 5 a.m. Friday, less than 10 days before Las Vegas’ first-ever Super Bowl, as they continue negotiating for a new contract with a slew of independent resorts both on the Las Vegas Strip and in downtown Las Vegas. (Las Vegas Sun)

Indy Gaming: Chiefs-49ers Super Bowl matchup drives up Strip hotel room rates

Super Bowl LVIII is expected to help send February’s Strip hotel room rates to their highest-ever single-month total with one gaming analyst saying the game will be a “material event” for the resort industry. (The Nevada Independent)

Election News

Days until:

• Nevada presidential primary: 4
• GOP presidential caucus: 6
• Primary Election Day: 130
• General Election Day: 277

2024 Presidential Primary Delegate Tracker

Pledged delegates are selected to represent the interests of each state’s voters at the Republican National Convention and Democratic National Convention this summer. Delegates are pledged to candidates based on the results of the state’s caucus or primary. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Harris in Las Vegas warns Trump poses ‘profound threat’ to democracy, individual rights

As early voting started in Nevada for the upcoming presidential primary election on Feb. 6, Harris spoke at a Get Out the Vote event at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. (Nevada Current)

Trump in Vegas appearance urges Nevadans to skip primary

On the first day of the early voting period for Nevada’s presidential primary, former President Donald Trump on Saturday told thousands of attendees at a Las Vegas rally not to vote in the upcoming primary, but to instead participate in the caucus being organized by the state Republican Party. (Las Vegas Sun)

‘Unless You’re a Purist, We Don’t Want You Voting

On Feb. 6, the state will hold a primary in which GOP voters will go to their usual precincts but there will be only one serious contender, Nikki Haley, on the ballot. Then, two days later, the Republican Party will host a caucus in which GOP voters will go to school gyms and church basements where they can express their support for only one credible candidate, Donald Trump. (Politico)

Party feud breaks out ahead of RNC meeting in Las Vegas

GOP county chairs and local activists warned the party isn’t doing enough to compete in November. (Politico)

A guide to Nevada’s two different GOP nominating contests

Consider how bizarre it would be if the remaining two major Republican presidential candidates were competing in two different contests in the same state — on two different dates. (NBC News)

Trump Campaign Accuses Nevada Officials of ‘Election Interference’ Over Primary Sample Ballot (Exclusive) The campaign says the guide is needlessly confusing to voters because of a voter fraud warning in the sample ballot mailed to primary voters that warns against voting twice in an election. (The Messenger)

Washoe County Republican Party votes to kick out Commissioner Clara Andriola

“Andriola has intentionally and willfully failed to uphold the Republicans and the Republican brand in her official capacity by predominantly voting with the Democrats on the Commission,” said a resolution voted on by the county Republican party’s central committee.” (Reno Gazette Journal)

Trump and Biden get ready for the very long haul

With Donald Trump rapidly closing in on the Republican presidential nomination, the 2024 general election campaign is set to be one of the longest in modern history, pushing President Joe Biden and Trump into unfamiliar territory as they struggle to engage an electorate that seems numbed by the prospect of a 2020 rematch. (Las Vegas Sun)

Nevada primary turnout: More than 112,000 votes cast, mostly by mail

The latest returns from early and mail voting show that Democratic voters continue to turn out at a higher rate than Republican voters. (The Nevada Independent)

More than 100,000 Nevadans have already cast primary ballots

Nearly 10% of Nevada’s 1.15 million registered voters have cast a ballot in the preferred presidential primaries through Tuesday, according to the Nevada secretary of state. (Las Vegas Sun)

Nevada rebuffs RNC claims of inconsistent voter rolls

The rebuke came in a Jan. 18 letter from the Nevada attorney general’s office on behalf of Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar in response to a December 2023 RNC letter alleging inconsistencies in Nevada’s voter registration numbers and demanding Aguilar address its concerns or face legal action. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Election 2024: No, Nevada’s Dominion voting machines cannot be hacked with a ballpoint pen

“The issues with the systems CANNOT happen in Nevada because 1) we don’t use those types of Dominion machines or version of the Democracy Suite that he manipulated and 2) our physical and cyber security measures, along with our required processes and procedures — when followed properly — would either prevent or identify any manipulation before it happened,” the email said in bold font. (Reno Gazette Journal)

As election year begins, Democrats wield financial advantage in congressional races

Rosen and Nevada’s three House Democrats have continued to raise money at a similar pace to the 2022 election cycle — a record-setting midterm in Nevada for election spending. (The Nevada Independent)

All 2024 Statistics (SOS)

(NV Secretary of State’s Office)