Two Democrats, One Nasty Fight
Well, it looks like the Democrats can’t even agree on who should be their next attorney general.
Nevada’s June 9 primary has turned into a full-on food fight between Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro and State Treasurer Zach Conine. Both want the job being vacated by Aaron “Airfare” Ford, who is term-limited and now running for governor instead.
The gloves came off recently when a political action committee backing Conine released an ad branding Cannizzaro as a tool of the powerful and the wealthy. The ad accused her of helping banks, big donors, and predatory landlords while killing protections for renters. That’s a sharp turn from the polite jabs the two had been trading before.
A crypto mogul, Jeffrey Berns, poured at least $2.5 million into a PAC connected to Conine — more than twice what Conine raised from individual donors over the same period. That PAC then funneled over $1.8 million into a newly created group called Safe and Strong Nevada PAC, which launched ads and a website going after Cannizzaro.
Who Are These People?
Berns bought up roughly 67,000 acres of high desert land east of Reno back in 2018. His dream was to build something called “Painted Rock Smart City” — a blockchain-powered town that would eventually house 36,000 people, run its own schools, collect its own taxes, and operate its own courts.
Essentially, a private company running its own government on Nevada soil, answerable to nobody but itself. The then-governor floated the idea in his State of the State address, but it never gained traction in the Legislature. Cannizzaro was one of the key players who helped shelve it.
Berns eventually pulled the plug on the whole scheme, writing in a letter that the concept had:
“not gained enough traction from the State to warrant further debate.”
He never forgot who stood in his way. Now he’s pouring millions into Conine’s campaign.
Cannizzaro is a four-term state senator and the most powerful Democrat in the Nevada Legislature. She spent more than a decade as a prosecutor in the Clark County District Attorney’s Office before moving into politics and private law practice.
She’s backed by a key operative of the Reid Machine — Nevada’s powerful Democratic Party establishment — along with the Clark County teachers’ union, law enforcement groups, and Emily’s List.
Conine is the state treasurer. He’s a business attorney by trade with a background in gaming and finance.
He’s highlighted his two terms in the executive branch as evidence he can manage the AG’s office, which has more than 400 employees, including 155 attorneys and 62 investigators. He doesn’t have a law enforcement background.
Both Conine and Cannizzaro have vowed to be stalwarts against the Trump administration.
The Mud Is Flying for a Reason
Here’s something worth noticing. When Democrats fight this dirty this early, it usually means the race is closer than the party expected. That’s good news for Republicans.
Even the outgoing AG, Aaron Ford, has declined to endorse either candidate. The Culinary Union and the AFL-CIO couldn’t decide either — both organizations gave what one outlet called “duel endorsements” to both candidates simultaneously.
The Republican Alternative
While Democrats are busy slinging mud at each other, Republicans have candidates Adriana Guzmán Fralick and Danny Tarkanian squaring off in their own June 9 primary.
Governor Lombardo has endorsed Fralick. She’s the candidate with the conservative credentials and the executive backing to actually do the job — not use it as a steppingstone.
Conservatives should pay close attention to both primaries on June 9. The Democratic winner will be fueled by dark money and special interests, ready to use the attorney general’s office as a weapon against the Trump agenda and against Nevada businesses.
What You Can Do
Early voting in Clark County starts May 23.
The attorney general has enormous power over your daily life — from how crimes are prosecuted to how businesses are regulated to whether your state fights or cooperates with the federal government.
Don’t let the Democrats’ internal food fight distract from the bigger picture. One of them is going to win that primary. And then they’re coming for November.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
