Dina Neal may be new to the Legislature, but in some ways she is an old hand at politics. Neal is among the 18 new Assembly members who have never served in either chamber of the Legislature. But as the daughter of former state Sen. Joe Neal, D-North Las Vegas, she has been soaked in politics since birth.
More than 900 people registered to lobby the Nevada Legislature in the most recent regular session two years ago. That compares with fewer than 600 lobbyists two decades ago.
Republican icon Bill Raggio, 84, was ousted Thursday as the state Senate’s minority leader. Raggio, who supported Democrat Harry Reid over Republican Sharron Angle in the U.S. Senate race, had been Republican leader in the Senate since 1982.
