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Sunday, June 3, 2012 | 2 a.m.
Even if they loathe each other, U.S. senators from the same state usually try to maintain a facade of collegiality.
The notoriously amiable Harry Reid is a perfect example. He superficially got along with everyone, from Chic Hecht in the mid-1980s to Richard Bryan in the 1990s and John Ensign in the 2000s.
But now, on the eve of the general election season for a contest that could determine whether he remains majority leader, Reid will have a difficult time keeping up the pretense with his latest compatriot, Dean Heller. Indeed, it’s not much of a stretch to say that Reid might as well be on the ballot for the second straight cycle. One of his key operatives is on loan to Rep. Shelley Berkley, and a third-party group run by one of his former press secretaries this week began an attack on Heller that brought back memories of last cycle’s sequential outside assaults on Sue Lowden and Sharron Angle.
As Berkley generally avoids media encounters that might force her to talk about her ethics probe, cocooned by Team Reid as much as possible, the majority leader has become Heller’s de facto opponent.
This has been a long time coming and was, perhaps, inevitable. It’s not just that Reid’s folks are hegemons who run the Democratic organization in Nevada. Or that Reid may need the Nevada seat to flip Democratic to retain his scepter. He was always going to be involved — and Heller knew that.
But now, I sense a personal element since the two senators have clashed over Reid’s pick for a federal judgeship. After Heller discovered she had questioned the application of the Second Amendment , he tried to keep it from becoming a public battle. But I sense Reid holds Heller responsible for this getting out — he wasn’t — and is not thrilled at having his nominee in limbo.
So this week, a group named Patriot Majority began a substantial television campaign in the key swing county of Washoe. The entrance of Patriot Majority, run by former Reid spokesman Craig Varoga, presages an encore of 2010, when the outfit spent millions softening up Lowden and then Angle, helping salvage Reid’s seat.
The ratcheting up did not go unnoticed by Heller, who sent out a breathless pitch headlined, “Harry Reid is attacking you,” soon after the ad began airing:
“We’re under attack. A Harry Reid front group is attacking us with $186,950 in TV ads filled with distortions and outright falsehoods ... with more to come.”
Much more, I’d guess.
Heller’s reaction is instructive. It tells us that he is going to take on Reid directly and that he will use the polarizing majority leader as a fundraising magnet.
The irony here is rich. Reid is now acting as a stand-in for a woman who was not his first choice to run against Heller and who he stiff-armed for months until he realized neither Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto nor Secretary of State Ross Miller would run.
But — and this is where Heller should worry — once Team Reid is in, these folks, including Prince Harry himself, are all in.
Reid months ago dispatched one of his best men, Zac Petkanas, to help the Berkley campaign. Petkanas is smart and relentless, two qualities Reidites apparently are required to demonstrate before they graduate from the modern Machiavellian school.
But this is a different atmosphere, and Dean Heller is not Sharron Angle or Sue Lowden. There will be no chickens-for-checkups or Asians-who-look-like-Hispanics to use in paid media.
Nevertheless, the Reno ad campaign tells us that Team Reid has begun trying to soften up Heller in his home base, where the congresswoman needs a lot of help. I’m not sure I believe that NBC/Marist poll that shows her 12 points down to Heller in Washoe. But even if that’s not true — and it may be close — she is not known in Washoe County, where Heller has not run all that robustly in Reno during his congressional tenure. Jill Derby beat him there in ’06 and came within 5 points in ’08 — and if Berkley can come close in Washoe, she can become a senator. She doesn’t have to win Washoe; she just can’t get blown out.
So that’s why Reid, er, Berkley, er, Patriot Majority is up on the air now with that attack ad, determined to define Heller differently now that he is a senator. There will be much more like this, too, along with the boiler plate Heller-wants-to-take-your-Medicare and Heller-hates-women stuff.
Harry Reid is the one guy you don’t want to run against in Nevada. And now he is front and center.
Maybe Berkley should just buy a house in Reno and continue hibernating until November. I wonder if it’s too late to get her name changed to Harry Reid on the ballot.
Classic Harry Reid
The Reid/Obama elitist (we are better you) re-election approach is to condescending vilify, intimidate, excoriate, bash and denigrate the opposition - typically calling them the enemy.
Democrats and Reid are not running on their policies and record - Reid has run the Senate since Jan 2007 - so all liberal ads are bad faith ressentiment character assassination and vilification of an honest person - right out of the Sal Alinsky play book (5. "Ridicule is man's most potent weapon.")
Clark and Washoe counties will decide the race between Heller and Berkeley. Clark/Washoe in the Democrat column = Senator Berkeley.
Heller also has to campaign with the stigma of being an appointed replacement candidate for a disgraced fellow republican.
DH is just another GOP lemming on the House back bench if not for the highly publicized sexual adventures of devout Christian hypocrite John Ensign.
Hopefully, Dems can smear Heller with some of that filthy Ensign tar.
Let's throw in the waffling by the Republicans about the Yucca Mountain High Level Radioactive Waste Respository. Citizens are NOT convinced what side of the fence these guys are on, because there is always this hint of turning it into the nation's and world's leading radioactive garbage dump at the flip of a coin. They have never been definite on their position, which could make this one issue the game changer.
Blessings and Peace,
Star
Can we expect a budget from the senate majority leader anytime soon? Dereliction of duty is such a spiffy platform.
@Rusty: A budget from Reid? Come on he hasn't had 6 years to think about it. Attack adds. Alls one has to say is how Reid and his cronies...ie. Berkley have not done thier job. Of course anyone that votes Democrat and cannot admit that Reid has not done his job has to be brainwashed.
@Star: How long have you been in Nevada. Yucca has been up and running for years.
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Hey Star: you must not have hear but Romney want to change the Law - the NWPA - to give New Mexico the chance to get the repository and the $100 billion that goes with it.
Harry Reid and Shelley Berkely refuses to change the NWPA so that it is not the law to build it in Nevada.
Heck will support Romney to move the HLW reposity to New Mexico
Who running anyway Shelley or Harry
Why should Heller have anything to do with that bozo Harry Reid. Reid does not have a clue and when Obama is defeated in November Harry should all the credit for the loss. Had Reid some kind of leadership skills he would have passed some kind of budget in the Senate. Berkley will wind up working as a receptionist at her husband's office. As least that is an honest job.
I believe Nevadans have started grow tried of "shot-from-the-lips" Reid and his political pitbulls. Look up term limits in the dictionary and Reid's face is next to it. Notoriously amiable? Ha! The man is a snake in the grass, smiling while he sticks a knife in your back, twisting it all the way. I think Reid's politcal nine lives are coming to an end. We can only hope that he retires before he is fired by the electorate. Go Heller, bring down the Emperor with no clothes, Nevada will be the better for it
Heller will get my vote Berkley never
People also for get that sleaze said the war is lost and now sits on the same platform as great American Sandoval. Discounting that Sleaze has a nasty habit of always blaming the REPS for their faults. Who was the one responsible for pushing for the dream act ? who got his son Attorney General of North Las Vegas with no qualifications? None other than sleaze. Is that all that they can associate Heller that he was appointed to the Senate after Ensign left office? Well I think they do not have much. What about Berkley helping her husbands practice thru deals in Congress? Whatever happened to the new and beautiful VA hospital? It is being built for about 8 yrs with no end in site. U could have had 3 Casinos built in that time. It just shows u that do not have the government involved.
Oh, how the 'I Hate Harry' Club will despair...
when Shelly dumps Dean'o!
She ain't purrr-fect, but compared to 'Hobo' Heller, the 'Appointed One', she looks mighty fine. Mighty fine, indeed.
LOVE the HATRED for our longtime public servant...
the venomous snakes that spew their poison while accusing Senator Reid of being 'mean-spirited' make me LMAO.
Well now that I know that dirty Harry will be affected if Heller wins I am Definately supporting Heller. Its time for Harry to step aside for the good the country, but he wont he has that Warren Jeffs ego, he thinks congress will die with out him .
Heller must go!!
Plain and simple! He's not what Nevada needs!
I always get a kick out of those who sleep over on the right. They always tell you that Harry Reid is not good for Nevada when actually Harry's whole record has been a case of Harry doing what is best for Nevada...
That's why Nevada voters have returned Harry to the Senate time after time...
Shelly Berkley is a much better choice for Nevada than Heller.
Anyone who thinks differently knows very little about the history of Nevada.
Together, Harry & Shelly will do what is best for the future of Nevada...
That includes keeping the waste dump out of Nevada.......
This will be an interesting race. You can always count on Jon Ralson to inform us on these races and I have long past stopped betting against Harry Reid. And as a liberal Democrat I'm hoping Senator Reid can convince enough Nevadan's to vote for their economic interests and vote for Congresswoman Shelley Berkley and against Dean Heller.
Ask Senator Dean Heller if he is for or against Paul Ryan's proposal to end Medicare as we know it. Simple question, is Dean Heller for or against ending Medicare as it exists today?
Jon.....
My vote goes to Shelley Berkley.
Haven't republicans done enough damage to our
economy?
How much damage to greedy republicans have to do?
AND HARRY REID IS DOING A GREAT JOB.
ALWAYS VOTE DEMOCRATIC!
HARRY REID IS THE MAN!!!
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Cadaver said:
"If Harry has done so much for Nevada, why are we always dead last in everything?"
I'm confused! Please explain/give examples of what we're last in and how was that Harry's fault...
Actually, Nevada is a small state in terms of population but because of Harry Reid we've been able to get our share of federal dollars.....such as road construction and VA benefits.
Also, the new international terminal at McCarran is one of Harry's projects.
Think how many additional foreign visitors will come to Las Vegas because of the availability and ease of travel due to the new terminal.
Harry has gotten my vote for everyone of his Senate bids.....
Shelly & Harry will make a great team for Nevada!
Heller is against beer. He would ban beer if re-elected.
Politics is the Reid family business. They've done quite well without actually ever having to produce anything. Is that gmag under Shelleys skirt?
This doesn't have to be a race between two corporate congressmen. Nor does it have to be between two political party appointees. Nevada can make history by ousting both incumbents in the primary. To have the media actually cover the fact that there is a primary would help. Revolt with a primary vote. Yes, I'm running and this is why. And oh by the way, with either Heller or Berkley, Reid wins.
Heller is against BEER and is friends with right wing radio station owner and convicted pot grower. his race car was at the guy's house.
Heller would remove beer from trailer parks and replace it with religious material. Ask Frenchie Romney.
Well the beer thing got my attention!
To paraphrase the old What's good for General Motors is good for the USA; What's good for Harry Reid is good for the State of Nevada. When you look at the cavalcade of pretty-boy Republican losers, Hecht, Ensign and Heller, ya gotta believe it.
Hope & Change have given way to Fear & Smear. Neither Berkley or Obama can or will run on a substantive record of accomplishments. O & B need to be given their walking papers in November! (Unless of course you like, or stand to profit from, double digit unemployment, economic stagnation, and ballooning taxes & debt.)
Dean Heller is in big trouble if he is running against Shelley Berkley AND Harry Reid.
Dean Heller is a hack, he doesn't get it, he has no idea how government works and the really sad and scary part is he doesn't seem to understand why government is important to millions of people in this country.
Do Republicans like Dean Heller ever talk about the importance of government to millions of people in America? Ever? Hell no, all he talks about is how he is going to help 'reduce the size of government.'