Josh Hicks

Gov. Jim Gibbons (R-Sparks) makes it two weeks in a row on the Winners list, with former staffer Diane Cornwall making the Losers. Find out who else made this week's list... | CLICK HERE

Gov. Jim Gibbons (R-Sparks) named Christopher G. Nielsen as his new general counsel yesterday.

Nielsen will take over for Josh Hicks, who is being promoted to Gibbons' chief of staff.

"I appreciate the opportunity Governor Gibbons has given me," Nielsen said in a statement. "It is a great honor, and I look forward to continuing to serve the state, and the administration, in my new role as General Counsel."

Plagued by a high-profile divorce and abysmal approval ratings, even Republicans doubt whether Gov. Jim Gibbons will be a candidate for re-election.

Looking for a fresh start, Gibbons recently promoted his general counsel Josh Hicks to be his new chief of staff. Hicks is a legislative veteran but without much professional campaign experience. The pressure is now on Hicks to turn things around and make Gibbons a viable candidate in 2010. Is he up for the challenge?

AP's Brendan Riley is reporting that Gov. Gibbons' chief counsel, Josh Hicks, has been working with the staff of Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto in order to soften the impact of a Supreme Court hearing that could push the $900 million budget deficit closer to $1 billion.

The court ruling opens a tax loophole that makes complimentary food provided to customers and employees non-taxable.

The timing on this could not be worse for the Governor, but his quick action to reach across party lines for a solution may keep the budget deficit under $1 billion.