Jon Ralston

Host/ Face to Face

Jon has been covering politics and government for the Sun since 2000 and is the host of the television show "Face to Face with Jon Ralston." He provides the inside story of what's really happening in Nevada. His column appears Sunday, Wednesday, Friday

Contact Jon via e-mail

Call Jon at 702-870-7997.

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Story Archive

Jill Derby is excited ...: Wednesday, July 9, 2008; Jill Derby is excited. The Democratic congressional contender, making her second run against Rep. Dean Heller, has been exuberant since last week.
Jon Ralston says if term limits is voters’ drug of choice, let them have it: Wednesday, July 9, 2008; Term limits, the morphine for the pained voter, providing temporary relief from symptoms but no cure for the disease, has returned to the forefront of Nevada politics.
And it is making me sick.
Those twin pillars of Nevada constitutional erudition...: Tuesday, July 8, 2008; Those twin pillars of Nevada constitutional erudition — state Sen. Bob Beers and the Las Vegas Review-Journal editorial page — are in near apoplexy over the looming July 14 state Supreme Court consideration of term limits.
A history-making gubernatorial race: Wednesday, July 2, 2008; Imagine a marathon with only one runner visible on the course, quietly making her way, trying to make history.
Most viewed YouTube video?: Wednesday, July 2, 2008; Who would have guessed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid would have the most viewed YouTube video of the day Tuesday?
A special session to further political ends: Tuesday, July 1, 2008; If you don’t think a special session can be used to further political ends, consider these two examples.
The national media are having a field day ...: Monday, June 30, 2008; ... with photos published in the state capital’s newspaper ...
Jon Ralston notes, sadly, special session: Sunday, June 29, 2008; It didn’t take long. Not much unexpected happened. Nothing especially noteworthy occurred.
It’s always flattering when the national media takes hold . . .: Sunday, June 29, 2008; . . . of something you have written.
In a news release that bordered on self-parody ...: Saturday, June 28, 2008; ... Friday during the special session ...
McCain's Yucca song and dance: Friday, June 27, 2008; Notes on 15 minutes spent with presumptive GOP nominee John McCain in a van on the way from the Henderson campaign headquarters to the Signature Air terminal:
There I was, finishing up my work late Wednesday ...: Thursday, June 26, 2008; ... when my phone rang with the dreaded “Unknown number” ...
Public workers getting a bad rap: Wednesday, June 25, 2008; So what can we do with all these overpaid government workers who rake in more than the poor slobs in the private sector here? Here’s an idea: Let’s take away their cost-of-living raises and caricature them as indolent, two-hour-lunch-taking, useless slugs. Everyone onboard?
The governor's 21-point plan: Wednesday, June 25, 2008; In case you didn’t know, the governor has a 21-point plan to fix the state budget. That’s what he told a Northern Nevada interviewer Tuesday.
Typical media cynicism: Tuesday, June 24, 2008; News that Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki would be John McCain’s campaign chairman in Nevada was greeted by the typical media cynicism.
As the governor and the meek opposition ...: Monday, June 23, 2008; ... consider more budget cuts in a state at the top of all the bad lists ...
How state Democrats are managing to look as bad as Gibbons: Sunday, June 22, 2008; If ever you question the unpredictability of politics, consider that in one day Gov. Jim Gibbons ascended from hapless leader to fiscal visionary, and legislative Democrats fell from eager partisans to neutered whiners.
Just read this reaction to the special session being delayed:: Sunday, June 22, 2008; “We’re glad everyone is working together to come up with a solution to the budget shortfall. ...
She’s so excited — and she just can’t hide it.: Saturday, June 21, 2008; And why should she?
Nine questions about special session: Friday, June 20, 2008; Some questions and answers about the 24th special session, aka the Save the Governor Telethon:
MGM Mirage boss actually listening to advice?: Friday, June 20, 2008; Could it be that MGM Mirage boss Terry Lanni is actuallylistening to a Sun columnist’s advice?
Good news in recent polls: Thursday, June 19, 2008; Some good news in recent poll numbers for President Bush. You may have heard about a Harris Poll released under the headline: “America’s Sour Mood: Ratings of Bush, Cheney, Rice and Congress Sink to Worst Levels Ever.”
Irony in Lanni’s proposal: Wednesday, June 18, 2008; At the very least, you have to appreciate Terry Lanni’s sense of irony: The MGM Mirage chairman who once went to the Chamber of Commerce’s home turf to lambaste businesses for not paying their fair share now is pushing an increase in the tax the Chamber of Commerce invented in 2003.
“Consensus” is a dirty word: Wednesday, June 18, 2008; Am I the only one who thinks in some cases that “consensus”is a dirty word?
Two schools of thought: Tuesday, June 17, 2008; There seem to be two schools of thought about ex-Assembly- woman Sharron Angle’s challenge to Senate Czar Bill Raggio in the most important legislative primary of the season.
I cannot help but chuckle at the outrage ...: Monday, June 16, 2008; ... in some quarters over the potential cost of a special session ...
Jon Ralston questions Nevada legislators’ reasons, in this time of financial crisis, for not wanting to legislate: Sunday, June 15, 2008; Faced with the worst budget mess in Nevada history, state legislators can oppose a special session only if they have faith in the governor to handle the disaster.
The tragic news that Tim Russert had died Friday …: Sunday, June 15, 2008; … hit me professionally and personally.
After what happened this Friday the 13th ...: Saturday, June 14, 2008; ... I have a feeling a few members of the Gang of 63 ...
Dems have selfish motives for resisting: Friday, June 13, 2008; Barring an indictment, an impeachment or a recall — or, least likely, an attack of conscience — Jim Gibbons will be the governor until his term ends in 2010, either voluntarily or forcibly.
“Nevada’s Texter-in-Chief”: Friday, June 13, 2008; Amid the scathing criticism and relentless jokes about the man The New York Times referred to as “Nevada’s Texter-in-Chief,” one piece of information seems to have been forgotten:
Chamber of Commerce embraces school bond: Thursday, June 12, 2008; It took two news releases to do it, but the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce embraced the school bond Wednesday.
Take Gibbons’ phone, please: Wednesday, June 11, 2008; The parties have agreed that there will be no further public comment from either side while the parties attempt to resolve issues related to the divorce action. — Joint statement from Gibbons’ attorneys, Monday
I don’t know if I can take another “I told you so”: Wednesday, June 11, 2008; So Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told the newspaper that provides the expensive wrapping paper for the Sun that Barack Obama will win Nevada in November.
Chamber of Commerce and the $9.5 billion dollar question: Tuesday, June 10, 2008; The Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, loath to take a position on anything, has announced it will hold a rare news conference Wednesday “regarding the $9.5 billion school bond question on the November ballot.
Finally someone has dissected the most ridiculous ...: Monday, June 9, 2008; ... argument being used by those who think term limits should not take effect until 2010:
Jon Ralston imagines what might be said during a private meeting between Jim Rogers and Jim Gibbons: Sunday, June 8, 2008; It may not have been freighted with the same significance as the Barack Obama-Hillary Clinton meeting in Dianne Feinstein’s living room. But last week, in a sit-down kept under close wraps until now, Gov. Jim Gibbons accepted Chancellor Jim Rogers’ invitation to discuss the budget cuts.
Now this is a news flash:: Sunday, June 8, 2008; Donald Trump can be a tad touchy ...
The political world is simply drenched in cynicism.: Saturday, June 7, 2008; How else to explain the reaction to Gov. Jim Gibbons’ call for a Yucca Mountain summit ...
10 reasons Nevada could go blue: Friday, June 6, 2008; I am feeling blue today.
With the Democratic primaries finally over and the general election campaign under way, I am starting to wonder whether my outlook for November has been colored red by history. The Republican nominee has won here in every election since 1964, except for 1992 and 1996, when Ross Perot gave Nevada to Bill Clinton. George W. Bush won here the past two cycles by crushing Al Gore and John Kerry, respectively, outside Clark County.
Bill Raggio still has it: Friday, June 6, 2008; Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio still has it. What did he do after reading Citizen Outreach ratings that showed his nemesis, Dina Titus, looked more conservative than he — sure fodder for his ultraconservative primary opponent, Sharron Angle?
Initiative petition nonsense: Thursday, June 5, 2008; Are you having trouble keeping all the initiative petition nonsense straight?
Lack of procedure in picking lobbyist: Wednesday, June 4, 2008; A lot can happen in 17 minutes.
In that window of time Tuesday, Clark County commissioners embarrassed themselves as they discussed (or didn’t discuss) whom to hire as a legislative lobbyist and simultaneously illuminated just how the Carson City game really works, in case anyone is still in the dark. In that short time frame, the commissioners also showed how juice still rules in local government and how silence is the best refuge for cowards.
An attack unanswered is an attack accepted: Tuesday, June 3, 2008; I suppose the state Democratic Party believes in that old political adage that an attack unanswered is an attack accepted even if that attack is a waste of time.
Now that Regent Steve Sisolak is involved...: Monday, June 2, 2008; Now that Regent Steve Sisolak is involved in a full-on legal effort to oust Commissioner Bruce Woodbury, we may actually see a resolution of the term limits insanity sooner rather than later.
Jon Ralston says Gibbons v. Nevada makes divorce look like a walk in the park: Sunday, June 1, 2008; Time to take a welcome break from Gibbons v. Gibbons to glance at a much farther-reaching and more sordid case: Gibbons (Jim, that is) v. the state of Nevada, with the Gang of 63 submitting an amicus brief and most of the affected parties declining to intervene.
So let me get this straight: After months of the drama...: Sunday, June 1, 2008; So let me get this straight: After months of the drama that is the public life of Elizabeth Halverson playing out painfully before our eyes, the Judicial Discipline Commission decided last week to wait until Aug. 4 to hold a hearing on her future.
Signs of imminent death: Saturday, May 31, 2008; I am not a great believer in omens.
When will Jim Gibbons be set adrift: Friday, May 30, 2008; The scene Wednesday of the game gubernatorial press secretary, Ben Kieckhefer, abruptly ending a Jim Gibbons news conference should have had a bell tolling in the background.
The power of Sun City: Friday, May 30, 2008; If you have forgotten the power of Sun City, it was demonstrated Wednesday night in Anthem.