Area teachers union raises white flag, surrenders to AI

Go figure. An Emerson poll conducted for KLAS-TV has Aaron Ford leading Joe Lombardo by two points in the governor’s race, 44% to 42%. Yes, within the margin of error, ooh very close, etc.

But as the Ford campaign noted in a release touting the poll results this morning, one thing that isn’t very close is the obscene amount of money the Lombardo campaign and its allied groups have raised and spent, compared to the Ford effort. Ford himself mentions Lombardo’s bloated campaign warchest and Lombardo’s “billionaires” roughly, oh, eleventy-nine times a day.

The advertising onslaught by Lombardo’s campaign and the PACs that support it has been relentless, unavoidable and, I’m guessing, annoying as hell for a lot of folks. Given the fundamentals of the 2026 election cycle — a corrupt Trump and the pernicious impacts of his blunders — I’ve wondered before (maybe aloud in this newsletter) if money will have the same influence on campaigns this year as it traditionally does.

I’ve also wondered if a fundraising advantage might even - gasp! - backfire, to the point that the jillions raised and spent by Lombardo and friends becomes not a feature, but a bug.

IN THE NEVADA CURRENT

Teachers union poohbah divulges hot sloppy crush on data centers. “This industry is the future,” said John Vellardita, chief of the union that represents teachers in the nation’s fifth largest school district, i.e., Clark County’s. “And if Nevada gets too far behind, they won’t catch up,” Vellardita continued, emphasizing the union — which has endorsed self-proclaimed Trump whisperer and Nevada Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo — has had conversations with the data center industry, legislative leadership, and the governor's office. April Cobin Girnus reports: ‘This industry is the future:’ Clark County teachers union wants state to bargain with data centers

Mesquite on the jurisprudential cutting edge here. The former police chief's attorney argued in July that Nevada law on recording conversations is vague and antiquated in an age of smart phone ubiquity. In a ruling Wednesday, a judge disagreed. Dana Gentry reports: Judge denies motion to dismiss felony charge against former Mesquite police chief

It’s hackneyed of course to invoke the film Idiocracy with respect to the U.S. under the Trump regime. But that doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Ashley Murray reports: At midterm convention, Trump promises cash to voters if Republicans hold Congress

Note: C’mon everyone! This is easy money! As we all know, Trump never, ever breaks a promise.

States to U.S. Supreme Court: Grow up, ferchrrisake. As a subscriber to this newsletter you already know Nevada, perpetual target of Trump’s war on democracy and law, is one of the 23 states that brought this suit. Jacob Fischler reports: Trump plan would bar millions of Americans from voting by mail, states tell Supreme Court

Good Luck