Heller may have ruled out a run at Reid

Republican says he hasn’t decided; he hints otherwise

By J. Patrick Coolican (contact)

Friday, July 3, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Harry Reid

Rep. Dean Heller

Archive of Sun politics stories

Congressman Dean Heller

Rep. Dean Heller gave strong hints this week that he will not run against Sen. Harry Reid in 2010.

Although Heller told the Sun he has not made up his mind and does not feel rushed to do so, he seemed to hint strongly that he will run for reelection rather than take on Reid. Heller said he likes his district, likes his constituents and likes his committee assignment.

The Republican was referring to his prized spot on the powerful Ways and Means Committee, the House’s most important money committee.

Reid backers will take comfort in Heller’s apparent reluctance to get in the race, as the second-term congressman from Carson City is viewed as the toughest challenger to Reid, who suffers from flagging poll numbers.

Heller won by a razor-thin margin in the heavily Republican 2nd Congressional District in 2006 but won handily in 2008. He has burnished his conservative bona fides and is popular in his district, and has won statewide races for secretary of state.

Republicans have courted Heller heavily and are growing impatient, according to a Republican consultant granted anonymity to speak freely about internal GOP politics.

“If you need to be talked into it night after night with senators, do you really want it?” the consultant asked. “Do you have the fire in the belly? If it becomes a thing where he has to be talked into it, he doesn’t have the fire in the belly.”

Wanting it badly, it would seem, is a prerequisite for running against Reid, who will be backed by as much as $25 million.

Senate Republicans are desperate to knock out the majority leader, who spent years thwarting their agenda when Republicans were on top, then swiped their majority when Democrats nearly ran the table in the 2006 elections.

Reid’s political team will have no compunctions about getting into a tough, even nasty campaign. That could be on the mind of Heller, who has had a solid relationship with Reid that goes back years.

Senate Republicans have told the Sun they cannot wait forever, and seem resigned that Heller is staying put.

“I think he likes the job he has,” said Sen. John Thune, the new No. 4 on the leadership ladder, replacing Nevada Sen. John Ensign, who resigned his post following the revelation that he had an affair with a member of his campaign staff who is married to a man who was also a member of his staff.

The Ensign matter, which rocked Nevada politics last month, has given Heller some time, as senators told him to let the Ensign issue blow over some.

Heller’s hesitance on the Senate race is obscuring what may be his primary goal — becoming governor. He said as much right after he won a seat in Congress.

It is unclear how much Heller likes Washington. His wife and children have moved back West after a stint in D.C. Heller told the Sun last year that he sleeps on a cot in his office, which is a badge of honor among some Republican members but also might indicate he is not enamored of Washington.

In a race for governor, Heller would be forced to run against incumbent Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons, who is politically wounded and faces two other primary opponents: former state Sen. Joe Heck and former North Las Vegas Mayor Mike Montandon.

Without Heller, Republicans such as consultant Steve Wark are hoping to recruit a political unknown — an independently wealthy successful businessman, perhaps with a military background.

Barring that, Republicans will be left with second tier candidates with some experience running for office, including state Sen. Mark Amodei and the lightly regarded former Assemblywoman Sharron Angle.

Sun reporter Lisa Mascaro contributed to this story from Washington, D.C.

Discussion: 10 comments so far…

By mred

7/3/09 at 6:45 a.m.

Suggest removal

Heller won't run. Why don't some of the talk radio blowhards, that don't like Reid run against him. Alan Stock, Heidi Harris and Casey "The Bug-Killer" Henderson in Las Vegas and Bill Manders in Reno. Then there's Jerry "Babylon 5" Doyle as in Vegas as well.(Who ran for Congress in CA.) There was J D Haywort in AZ, St. Ronald Raygun and Jesse Helmes amongst others that went from the radio to politics
By OG

7/3/09 at 7:11 a.m.

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Somebody, anybody, please run against Reid.

And win!!!
By homer

7/3/09 at 7:50 a.m.

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I amazed at the ignorance of people when it comes to politics. Harry is not the best and he is certainly not the worst. His senority gives the citizens of Nevada a big edge in a lot of areas that they would not normally have. If you take the right wing,neo con, nut job talk show hosts out of the mix the real picture becomes clearer.You would think the have their hands full with the lackey Ensign.
By jw456

7/3/09 at 8:17 a.m.

Suggest removal

Go Harry!
By dipstick

7/3/09 at 10:45 a.m.

Suggest removal

rep heller can see the writing on the wall; who needs the aggravation of running against harry reid AND sen ensign AND gov gibbons? its a no win scenario and give the man credit for having the brains to see it. of course, if he was a lot smarter he'd be a democrat wouldnt he?
By crackedbeak

7/3/09 at 11:56 a.m.

Suggest removal

homer wrote
"Harry is not the best and he is certainly not the worst. His senority gives the citizens of Nevada a big edge in a lot of areas that they would not normally have" that's right, except he doesn't use it for us or the Nation as a whole. Sen Marvin Milktoast doesn't do anything except make excuses. I don't have 60 votes, 60 votes doesn't mean anything, I'm sick of them. McConnel is more effective with 40 votes than Reid's now 60. I'd vote for Michael Jackson over Reid, he'd be just as effective.
By afveteran

7/3/09 at 1:51 p.m.

Suggest removal

Harry has 46 million Georges in his campaign war chest. He's using some of them now as we read this. There isn't a GOP candidate alive than raise more, only to lose to Reid simply because GOP'ers aren't electable this year or the next. There's too much anti-GOP hate out there, and it won't dissipate until 2012, after Obama and his Congress have a history.
By RGFranklin

7/4/09 at 6:39 p.m.

Suggest removal

"Without Heller, Republicans such as consultant Steve Wark are hoping to recruit a political unknown -- an independently wealthy successful businessman, perhaps with a military background."

1st. Is this a GOP Veteran an image of GWB? GOP Veterans who served are about as rare as Ice Bergs in Death Valley on the 4th of July.

2nd. Just do me a favor and save me from the God Fearing Flag Waving Family Values GOP hypocrite.

I'm a liberal and I'll stack my military status against anyone. I don't have to wave a flag or publish my family standing to prove my worth.

You're talking about Gibbons running as if he was ordained to do so? Give us a break. Harry Truman said it best. Any man who breaks his vows with his wife cannot be trusted.

Just let Ensign or Sanford even try to come close! Hypocrisy seems to be a new GOP Value Standard. The talk is that group "Promise Keepers" will soon be meeting to rename their organization to "Promise Breakers", more in keeping with the membership views and actions.
By mred

7/4/09 at 10:11 p.m.

Suggest removal

Heller like Palin is a coward and afraid of a tough fight. Why doesn't limpbaugh run for senate in Florida? Or insHannity run against Shumer in NY? The money? I thought they cared about "freedom" more than the bottom line? The gas baggers and teabaggers are few and far between. Reid will be reelected.
By afveteran

7/5/09 at 6:07 p.m.

Suggest removal

Harry will win simply because it'll be 2010. In 2012, he'd be dust.

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