NRCC: Dina Titus is ‘sure bet for reckless spending’

By Delen Goldberg

Monday, Sept. 27, 2010 | 5:14 p.m.

The National Republican Congressional Committee this week rolled out a series of commercials for GOP House candidates across the country, including one for Republican Joe Heck in Nevada's 3rd Congressional District.

The TV spot, titled "Dina Titus - A Sure Bet For Reckless Spending," blasts Democratic incumbent Rep. Dina Titus for supporting the federal stimulus package and health care reform. It also criticizes her for voting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi 97 percent of the time (although it doesn't mention that Titus ranked 172 out of 435 members for party unity.)

NRCC officials spent $159,000 on the ad, part of the $35 million it plans to spend nationally on more than four dozen races.

“After weeks of two-faced attempts to re-brand herself and smear her opponent, it’s time that Nevadans get a chance to see what their congresswoman is really up to," NRCC spokeswoman Joanna Burgos said. "Voters can’t afford to gamble on Dina Tax-us and her record of supporting wasteful government spending and job-killing policies again.”

Titus spokesman Andrew Stoddard defended the congresswoman's record.

“Try telling the 2,000 teachers who still have a job or the 1,800 people still working at the airport that the Recovery Act, which saved these jobs, was a failure," Stoddard said. "Try telling the family whose child was denied health care coverage because he has asthma or the Nevada senior who is getting help with the cost of prescription drugs that heath care reform was nothing but a government takeover."

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee also plans to spend money in the 3rd Congressional District -- more than $1 million -- but ads for Titus likely won't begin airing until closer to Election Day.

Early voting starts in less than three weeks. Recent polls have shown Titus leading Heck by 4 percentage points.