DCCC launches ad campaign accusing Rep. Joe Heck of choosing oil companies over families facing foreclosure

By Delen Goldberg

Published Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011 | 11:45 a.m.

Updated Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011 | 4:23 p.m.

For the second time in less than a month, Democrats are attacking Republican Rep. Joe Heck with a grassroots media blitz that includes web ads, phone calls and e-mails.

This time, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is criticizing Heck for his budget choices.

Heck joined his Republican colleagues to support a stopgap budget measure that would cut almost $6 billion from affordable housing programs, cut more than $700 million from programs that subsidize rent checks for seniors and the disabled, and eliminate housing counseling services for families facing foreclosure.

"Everyone knows we need to cut spending and reduce the deficit in Washington," an automated phone call will tell voters in Nevada's 3rd Congressional District starting today. "And we can do that by reforming government, cutting wasteful spending and getting rid of taxpayer subsidies for the big oil companies making record profits."

"Instead, Rep. Joe Heck chose a partisan plan that eliminates funding to help people stay in their homes and protect home values. While many Nevada families are struggling to pay their mortgage, Joe Heck chose big oil over Nevada homeowners."

Heck's 3rd Congressional District is ground zero for the foreclosure crisis.

The ads are part of the DCCC's "Drive to 25 Campaign," an effort to win the 25 seats Democrats need to regain the House majority from Republicans in 2012.

Heck's seat is considered critically important -- and winnable -- because he is a freshman in a Democratic-leaning district that chose President Barack Obama in 2008.

Heck won the November election by less than 2,000 votes. The district is split almost evenly between Democrats and Republicans, and representation has shifted between each party in recent years. Heck replaced Democratic Rep. Dina Titus, who also was a freshman.

Heck spokesman Darren Littell said Heck voted against a measure to reduce $324 million in funding to the Legal Services Corporation, which provides subsidized legal aid to low-income people, including advice on housing issues. The measure passed, but without Heck's support.

A spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee called Democrats' ad "sloppy" and said that the measure Heck voted for was an appropriations bill, not a tax policy bill, so it could not legislate changes to the tax code.

“Misleading Nevada voters with these false ads shows how out of touch and desperate Congressional Democrats are," NRCC spokesman Tyler Houlton said. "Democrats simply don’t understand the problems facing their constituents. Instead of their big-government, big-spending plans, they should join Republicans in cutting spending and reducing debt.”

The launch of the ads coincides with a visit Heck made to the district today. He toured the Spring Valley Library this morning.