Ballot Battleground: Nevada

Ballot Battleground: Nevada

Ballot Battleground: Nevada is a show where we take deep dives into the issues, people, policies and debates shaping Nevada politics in our critical swing state. Many voters find themselves confused or overwhelmed when they walk into the voting booth. Our goal is to explain the issues that matter most to everyday Nevadans so they're fully informed before casting their ballot.

Episodes

Why Nevada is refusing to hand over voter data with Sec. of State Cisco Aguilar

October 1, 2025 • 23 mins
In August, Nevada government agencies were hit with a crippling ransomware attack. Thankfully, Nevada’s election infrastructure wasn’t affected. But against that backdrop — and with concern over Nevadans’ personal information still fresh — the Department of Justice is now requesting driver’s license records and partial Social Security numbers for every registered voter in the state. Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar joins this w...
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Mass deportations in Nevada: Both sides of the debate - part 2

September 17, 2025 • 40 mins
ICE arrests are surging in Nevada as the Trump administration moves forward with its mass deportation agenda promised in the campaign. In this episode, we go beyond the headlines to hear from both sides of the immigration debate. First, Athar Haseebullah of the ACLU of Nevada explains why his organization is fighting back against what it sees as government overreach. Then, Bruce Parks, chair of the Washoe County Republican Pa...
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Inside ICE arrests in Nevada — Part 1

September 3, 2025 • 33 mins
President Trump’s second term has put mass deportations back at the center of U.S. politics — and Nevada offers a revealing look at what that means on the ground. In part 1 of our two-part series, host Ben Margiott talks to reporter Kim Burrows, who witnessed several ICE arrests during an exclusive ridealong in May. Then, we turn to The Nevada Independent’s Eric Neugeboren and Isabella Aldrete, who crunched the numbers to an...
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From Reid to Sandoval: Nevada author Pat Hickey’s portraits of power

August 20, 2025 • 27 mins
The Silver State is home to some of the most interesting characters - political and otherwise. Former Assemblyman, journalist and columnist Pat Hickey recently released Here and Hereafter: Nevada Voices on Life and the Great Beyond. The book includes inspiring, intimate portraits of power of some of the most famous, infamous and influential Nevadans of the 21st century. Host Ben Margiott interviews Hickey about his extended i...
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Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto on Medicaid, tourism, the Epstein files and Gaza

August 7, 2025 • 36 mins
Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D) is becoming a more prominent figure in the Democratic party as it tries to find the most effective way to push back against the second Trump administration. The tension between working across the aisle to make progress and resisting took center stage last week during a dustup between Cortez Masto and fellow Democratic Sen. Cory Booker. In an extended interview, host Ben Margiott asks Cortez ...
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How will the 2026 elections be different in Nevada? With All Voting is Local’s Kerry Durmick

July 23, 2025 • 27 mins
How will the 2026 elections be different because of the 2025 legislature? After sweeping changes in the last 5 years, Nevada lawmakers didn't make any wholesale changes to how we vote. But they did tweak certain laws regarding AI in campaign materials, sample ballot deadlines and language access. Host Ben Margiott interviews Kerry Durmick, the Nevada state director of All Voting is Local, a nonpartisan voting rights advocacy gr...
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How will the One Big Beautiful Bill affect Nevada? A closer look at Medicaid and SNAP cuts

July 9, 2025 • 33 mins
President Donald Trump's signature economic package, the One Big Beautiful Bill, is now the law of the land. It extends the Trump tax cuts, ends the tax on tips and boosts border security spending, among other GOP priorities. But it also makes drastic cuts to social safety net programs, including Medicaid and food assistance. How will these cuts affect Nevadans? How will our community health centers and food banks be impacted? ...
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‘No Tax on Tips’ effort is gaining momentum in Congress. It’s great politics, but is it good policy? With Culinary Union Local 226

June 25, 2025 • 31 mins
It was a simple campaign promise to put money back in people's wallets during a Presidential election centered on the economy. 'No Tax on Tips' resonated with voters across the country but especially in Nevada, which has the highest percentage of tipped workers. That campaign promise, first raised by President Donald Trump, has not fallen by the wayside. Multiple proposals are actively being debated in Congress. Before it comes...
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What happened in chaotic ending to Nevada legislature? Recapping the 2025 session with reporter Sophie Lincoln and analyst Fred Lokken

June 11, 2025 • 28 mins
Late nights, filibusters and political gamesmanship. The end of the 2025 session of the Nevada legislature had all the usual shenanigans we’ve come to expect as sine die approaches in Carson City. On this episode of Ballot Battleground: Nevada, what happened? Which bills lived and died? And what does it all mean moving forward? We’ll hone in on the final chaotic hours with KRNV/KRXI reporter Sophie Lincoln who was our boots on th...
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Education funding, film tax credits, nonpartisans and vetoes: The biggest questions as the Nevada legislature winds down with reporters Tabitha Mueller and Paul Boger

May 28, 2025 • 29 mins
It is crunch time in Carson City — less than a week remains in the 83rd session of the Nevada legislature. Major policy proposals, big budget questions and the endgame are all still up in the air. Will education get a funding increase this year? Is there room for state workers to get raises? What about tax credits for movie companies? Will Governor Lombardo’s major pieces of legislation make it through and how many bills will he v...
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Mail time! Answering listener questions on public lands, no tax on tips, GSR arena and 2026 midterms with Chris Murphy

May 14, 2025 • 34 mins
It's mail time at Ballot Battleground: Nevada. This week, we're digging through the listener mailbag for the first time in 2025 with News 4 and Fox 11 morning show anchor Chris Murphy. Ben and Chris answer questions ranging from public lands bills and no tax on tips to special sessions at the Nevada legislature and yes - the 2026 midterms. Not to mention the GSR arena, jackpot thresholds and which Aces team is more likely to win...
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Is Nevada in a budget shortfall? With top state lawmakers Steve Yeager and Robin Titus

April 30, 2025 • 39 mins
It's almost time to get down to brass tax in Carson City as we're a little over two-thirds of the way through the 83rd legislative session. The massive list of bills has been whittled down somewhat, but perhaps more important than what legislation gets passed is passing a balanced budget. With revenues lagging behind expectations, it seems Nevada may be in a budget crunch this session. How bad is it? How do both sides want to wea...
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Sen. Jacky Rosen on tariffs, deportations, voter ID and federal lands bills

April 18, 2025 • 30 mins
Jacky Rosen is back in the U.S. Senate for a second term representing the Silver State - after she barely hung on to her seat amid the red wave. Democrats are in the minority in both the Senate and House, but Senator Rosen says they’re finding their footing when it comes to pushing back on tariffs, deportations, DOGE and more. This episode, host Ben Margiott sits down with Senator Rosen for an extended one-on-one conversation on...
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Nevada Rep. Mark Amodei on tariffs, Signalgate, DOGE, immigration and more

April 7, 2025 • 42 mins
Longtime northern Nevada Representative Mark Amodei, fresh off his 2024 re-election, is now part of the GOP's slim House majority in President Donald Trump's second term. It's been a busy start, from the back-and-forth over enacting tariffs, DOGE cuts, deportations, Medicaid, the Signal group chat controversy and much more. Where does Amodei stand on these issues? This week, host Ben Margiott sits down with him for a one-on-one i...
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Are Nevada leaders doing enough to solve the affordable housing crisis? With the Guinn Center

March 26, 2025 • 35 mins
A fast-growing state, lagging incomes and a limited supply of developable land created an affordable housing crisis in Nevada before the pandemic hit. Supply chain constraints and construction costs experienced during COVID-19 only exacerbated the issue. In the pandemic's wake, have our elected leaders done enough to solve the affordable housing crisis? What's it going to take to put Nevada on a sustainable path to boost housing ...
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Uprise Fiber internet scandal - where is the $9 million? With News 4 evening anchor Joe Hart

March 12, 2025 • 36 mins
Residents of a small Nevada town were promised high-speed fiber internet from Reno-based Uprise Fiber. Nearly 3 years later, there is no progress whatsoever and $9 million allocated to the project by the state is missing. Now, investigations have been launched and the story has shifted to the Nevada legislature. The story may not have been uncovered and certainly would not have received the amount of attention it has if not for the...
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Eggs, Daylight Saving Time and Medicaid: What’s happened so far in the 2025 Nevada legislative session?

February 26, 2025 • 36 mins
What's happened so far in the 2025 Nevada legislature? From a fast-tracked egg prices bill and ending Daylight Saving Time to possible Medicaid cuts, there's been a flurry of activity recently after a few slow weeks to start. One month in, we thought it would be a great time to check in on the biggest debates of the 83rd session with two of the best legislative reporters. The Nevada Independent's Tabitha Mueller and Nevada Public R...
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Nevada Legislature 101 with veteran lobbyist Will Adler

February 12, 2025 • 38 mins
The clock is ticking at the 83rd session of the Nevada legislature, which kicked off last week in Carson City. Before we dive into the nitty gritty of the session, we wanted to start with an approachable, easy-to-understand primer for people who are brand new to #nvleg. How does our unusual citizen legislature work? How does a bill become a law? And how does the building really operate? Veteran lobbyist Will Adler, principal of Sil...
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Gov. Joe Lombardo's former chief of staff Ben Kieckhefer on his second State of the State speech

January 29, 2025 • 32 mins
Welcome back to season 2 of Ballot Battleground: Nevada! We'll kick off season 2 with a deep dive on the first major political event of the odd years in Nevada politics - the Governor's State of the State address. That speech sets the stage for what's to come in the upcoming legislative session. This week, we have the perfect guest to give us some insight - former Lombardo chief of staff Ben Kieckhefer. Kieckhefer has worn many hat...
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Ballot Battleground: Nevada Season 2 Trailer

January 22, 2025 • 2 mins
We're back! Season 2 of Ballot Battleground: Nevada returns on January 29 with a renewed focus on getting regular people more informed and involved in their government. With the 2024 election behind us, host Ben Margiott will now focus on how the newly elected officials are using their power. Will they fulfill the lofty promises made on the campaign trail? Or will they find those goals not feasible in reality? Will the policies the...
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