Show biz semi-celebrity candidates, sigh.

Where do they find them? While perusing the CD3 Republican primary (see below) it occurred to me that presuming ad jingle and video game score composer and Trump-Lombardo endorsee Marty O'Donnell wins the nomination, he won't be the first show biz semi-celebrity to try to flip that seat red in recent years. Marty O'Donnell is the new Dan Rodimer!

IN NEVADA CURRENT

It isn't all that uncommon for Nevada state legislators to gently indicate, if not a willingness, at least an openness to the possibility of raising the gambling, er, gaming tax — provided the industry would allow it. Which last happened in 2003. Still, it does seem as if candidates, including these three, are more willing to say the words "gaming tax" out loud than in prior years. Meanwhile, these contenders have different views (specifically yes, no, and maybe) on what evidently is now the most existential policy proposal facing the state of Nevada — the 'no tax on tips' of the Nevada Legislature, if you will — that preposterous "film tax credit scheme." Micheal Lyle reports: Open Democratic-leaning seat draws three first-time candidates

None of these people have ever been elected to public office. Sure, these days that's probably a feature not a bug. But it also reflects just how empty the Nevada Republican bench is, candidate-wise. (And yes this is where I will once again note that with the exception of historically ruby red CD2, no Nevada Republican has won a U.S. House or U.S. Senate race since Joe Heck was reelected in CD3 in 2014). Republicans hope this is finally the year they take back CD3

They seem nice. Republicans, triumphant over their victory at the court, are rushing fresh gerrymanders through Southern statehouses in time for the November midterm elections in an effort to strengthen their party’s control over the region’s U.S. House delegations. They’re acting at lightning speed, over loud protests, and have nullified votes by suspending ongoing elections, reports the D.C. bureau's Jonathan Shorman: ‘Killing our vote’: GOP states rush to break up Black districts after US Supreme Court case

By the way, if you're one of those people, and you know who you are, who likes to monitor what's going on policy- and politics-wise in states nationwide, States Newsroom has new newsletter for that, called Daybreak.

There are “disconnects in what the strategy says is important and then what they’re actually going to fund... Those inconsistencies feel particularly loud in this strategy.” Via KFF Health News: Trump’s drug strategy aims to bolster addiction services — despite gutting of government support

Good luck