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.

« Older
Newer »

Story Archive

What might result from a national airing of Ensign’s dirty laundry: Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009; Mark down 8:35 p.m. PT Monday: That’s when the plug will be pulled on John Ensign’s grand delusion, the moment, as the Wachowski brothers might appreciate, that the Matrix is revealed and the grotesque reality becomes unavoidable.
Why having 10 candidates doesn’t help GOP: Friday, Nov. 20, 2009; There was this moment during the first forum of the 2010 U.S. Senate race Thursday that encapsulates the Republican Party’s problem and could undermine its unprecedented opportunity to excise the Senate majority leader from the D.C. landscape:
Ralston awaits political theater of Gibbons’ Last Gasp: Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009; Take this prediction to the bank: The next session of the Nevada Legislature will not commence as scheduled on Feb. 7, 2011, but sometime next year, perhaps as early as January.
Running the state revenue structure meeting through a truth filter: Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009; If only someone spiked the java with truth serum before Thursday’s meeting of the Subcommittee to Conduct a Review of Nevada’s Revenue Structure, which will appoint members of the Nevada Vision Stakeholder Group (what’s in a name?).
More evidence of a broken tax system: Friday, Nov. 13, 2009; The Pew report, though thorough and insightful, breaks no new ground for those familiar with Nevada’s financial cataclysm.
Weighing whether Gibbons will seek reelection: Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009; As Year Three of the painfully memorable Gibbons governorship comes to a close, the most asked questions about his future are: Can he win, and will he run?
Jon Ralston laments the campaign spin from members of both major parties: Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009; There is a distinction between stupidity and ignorance.
Nevada’s bizarro political world: Friday, Nov. 6, 2009; Some end-of-the-week musings from your favorite pundit:
GOP in disarray won’t assure Dems an easy ride here in 2010: Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009; By now, the instant post-mortems on Election 2009 results will have been written, either overstating (most likely) or understating their significance for Campaign 2010.
Why it’s too early to be ’10 election know-it-alls: Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009; One year before the 2008 election, GOP Rep. Jon Porter seemed like a good bet for reelection. Stories written at the time focused on Porter’s untested opponent, Robert Daskas, who was well behind in fundraising and not ready for prime time. One year later Porter was out of office, but not because of Daskas.
Rooting against the economy: Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009; The latest release of stimulus jobs numbers has set off the expected partisan nonsense. Democrats are gushing about how the stimulus is working, and Republicans continue to question its efficacy.
Ruffling everyone's feathers: Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009; Friday was a day a pundit dreams of — pounded by the left and the right.
Ralston can see where local right-wing radio is heading: Friday, Oct. 30, 2009; Just another day on talk radio:
I hope Mayor Oscar Goodman is full of more: Friday, Oct. 30, 2009; For once, I hope Mayor Oscar Goodman is full of more than hot air.
In life and in politics: Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009; In life and in politics, it’s wise to abide by the old dictum:
The fake outrage is just getting started in Senate race: Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009; In the classic film about law school, “The Paper Chase,” there is this priceless moment when the incomparable John Houseman, playing the professor, holds up a coin and offers it to the beleaguered student played by Timothy Bottoms.
The Man Formerly Known as Governor: Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009; The Man Formerly Known as Governor is going to be deliberative.
The mysterious “woman in Reno” is the focus of Rory Reid’s campaign for governor …: Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009; … and he brings her up in every speech, including last week in Pahrump, according to the Valley Times:
I wonder how the Reid family reacted to this paragraph …: Monday, Oct. 26, 2009; … in a profile of Reid the Elder in The Economist:
Gaming coming around?: Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009; Is the gaming industry out of the economic woods? MGM Mirage’s Jim Murren thinks so. As part of a wide-ranging interview with Fox’s Neil Cavuto, Murren criticized President Barack Obama for not focusing more on job creation and derided Gov. Jim Gibbons as “silly” for not greeting the president here.
How abortion could creep into next year’s governor’s race: Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009; I suppose my belief that the abortion question was settled in Nevada was naive. That issue will never be put to rest because too many groups want to see Roe v. Wade overturned, employ it as a litmus test for political support or insist on unlimited access to abortion. And, perhaps most of all, because too many candidates find it useful to brandish it as a weapon to taint opponents.
Cashell-Goodman ticket? Get outta here: Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009; Shocking almost no one, Reno Mayor Bob Cashell finally declared this week that he is running for reelection, not for governor.
The pros and cons of giving every candidate his chance to speak: Friday, Oct. 23, 2009; Just because you announce your candidacy for a serious office doesn’t mean you should be taken seriously.
It all depends on what the definition of “bachelor” is.: Friday, Oct. 23, 2009; It all depends on what the definition of “bachelor” is. Gov. Jim Gibbons technically isn’t one but he will be part of a charity auction Saturday in Reno.
Professionals who will be missed: Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009; Most of you probably have never heard of Mark Stevens or Gary Ghiggeri.
Ralston cries ‘Lame!’ as foes of Harry Reid cry foul: Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009; “I expect (Harry Reid) to vaporize (Sue) Lowden or (Danny) Tarkanian or whoever is the opponent.”
— Anonymous Reid adviser, Politico, 10/20/09
My old pal Howard Stutz: Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009; My old pal Howard Stutz has extracted some real classics from Steve Wynn since the outspoken resort king went on Fox to repeat what he said six months earlier on “Face to Face.”
National Republican Senatorial Committee’s blaming Majority Leader Harry Reid: Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009; Whenever new Nevada unemployment figures are released, as they were Monday, you can set your clock by the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s release blaming Majority Leader Harry Reid for the state’s high number of out-of-work folks.
Former Rep. J.C. Watts has become quite the comedian.: Monday, Oct. 19, 2009; In a speech reported by the Tulsa (Okla.) World, Watts declared that Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn, who once claimed doctor-patient privilege to not disclose advice he had given Sen. John Ensign, will have “a special place in heaven.”
What a meeting between Harry and Rory Reid must be like these days: Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009; Harry and Rory meet to talk in a small room at the back of Searchlight’s General Store:
Just what the governor's race needs: Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009; So Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said again last week — at least twice publicly — that he is seriously considering a run for governor as an independent.
Too much, too soon: Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009; I have lamented several times — and usually I don’t start lamenting until a year from now — that it already seems like October 2010 with all the political activity.
Why Harry Reid has gotten a head start on advertising: Friday, Oct. 16, 2009; Ladies and gentlemen of the Nevada electorate, meet Harry Reid.
You wonder why people sometimes lose their faith: Friday, Oct. 16, 2009; If you wonder why people sometimes lose their faith in government, listen to the name of the panel meeting Tuesday:
Belief in my being young has been shaken: Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009; Oh the humanity!
What we can expect from candidate Rory Reid: Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009; Today is the first day of the rest of Rory Reid’s political life.
In case you missed it: Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009; In case you missed it, Jim Gibbons said Tuesday that he would not appoint himself if Sen. John Ensign resigns.
Poll numbers released over the weekend: Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009; Those poll numbers released over the weekend by the Sun’s wrapping paper showed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has, in Politico’s words, “dangerously low approval ratings.”
Crowded GOP field makes its case to run against Harry Reid: Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009; Two weeks ago we brought you the first in a series of debates — that one for governor — moderated by Channel 13 anchor/damage control expert Nina Radetich. Today I have a transcript of the to and fro between the GOP U.S. Senate hopefuls at the same venue, the Thomas & Mack Center.
Not a 'personal matter': Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009; It’s fascinating that conservatives are upset that criticism of Sen. John Ensign (or those who still welcome his embrace) is louder than obloquy directed at Democrats such as beleaguered House Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel.
Can no-new-taxes work again?: Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009; Much already has been written, spoken and whispered about the supposed battle for the soul of the GOP in Nevada between the no-tax-no-way conservatives and the more centrist Republicans.
Ensign might not have ally in minority leader: Friday, Oct. 9, 2009; Mitch McConnell, the Kentucky senator, could take it no more.
A dedicated person is hard to find: Friday, Oct. 9, 2009; It’s hard to find a better, more dedicated person in this state than Annette Whittemore.
Awkwardness ahead at Anti-Defamation dinner: Thursday, Oct. 8, 2009; There is no better cause than that advanced by the Anti-Defamation League ...
There’s enough proof: Ensign unworthy: Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009; After two interviews and some private chats over the past few months with Doug Hampton, I gleaned that his life consisted of two overriding motivations:
The governor’s race and Joe Heck: Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009; What does it mean to the governor’s race now that Joe Heck has opted to go for a seat — Rep. Dina Titus’ — he has a much better chance to win?
Will Sen. John Ensign’s resign?: Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009; With the latest revelations last week in the New York Times about Sen. John Ensign’s behavior, the political parlor game has begun anew: Will he resign?
Threat or no threat, there's a threat?: Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009; Very rarely does a local TV news station’s verbiage get on a national political publication’s radar. But Fox 5 News did this week when Congressional Quarterly focused on its breathless take on the terror threat uncovered last week by the feds in Colorado.
A debate that shows just where the hopefuls do — or don’t — stand: Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009; You may have missed the first gubernatorial debate held last week before a packed house at the Thomas & Mack Center. But, luckily, Jon Ralston has a transcript featuring Mike Montandon, Brian Sandoval, Joe Heck, Gov. Jim Gibbons, Rory Reid, and — yes — the mayor.
Odd place for anti-Reid rally: Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009; Please come to Searchlight for the weekend — or so a less-than-friendly group is imploring Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.