Noche en el Museo: A roundtable with Nevada political journalist Jon Ralston

By Michelle Rindels / Associated Press Reporter / NAHJ Nevada President

Jon Ralston, a veteran journalist and the most recognizable political analyst in the state of Nevada, was the guest of honor at the July 17 meeting of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists' Nevada chapter. We enjoyed wine and hors d'oeuvres, and ambled around the airy, elegant new site of the Hispanic Museum of Nevada in the Boulevard Mall.

Ralston gave us a bird's eye view of Nevada politics, starting with a little background on the all-powerful Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and helping us understand this sometimes enigmatic, underestimated power player. He introduced us to the contentious Nevada Senate race between Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley and Republican incumbent Sen. Dean Heller, which is in upheaval after a House ethics committee announced an investigation on Berkley.

In response to NAHJ member questions, Ralston gave us some insight into the influence of the Hispanic vote in our state. He said Hispanics led Barack Obama to the presidency in 2008, and also helped Reid edge out tea party challenger Sharron Angle in a 2010 Senate race. To see how important that voting bloc is, one needs to look no further than how heavily both sides are courting the Hispanic community through ads and new Hispanic action groups. Are some of the groups shams and charlatans, though? Do they really represent the community they say they represent, or are they pandering to get our votes?

Ralston encouraged journalists to work hard and dig deep, because Nevada is the kind of small but significant place where that type of investment is rewarded. He said that while some of us may have been hired superficially for our Hispanic backgrounds -- maybe because a station needed a more diverse look -- we should also take advantage of our background and use it to tell stories non-Latino reporters can't. 

Overall, Noche en el Museo was an enlightening, inspiring event that not only gave us more insight into the subjects we cover, but reminded us that journalism is a noble profession and we've got a unique role to play in it.