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Berkley's Senate bid makes 2012 a political hot race for Nevada
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Gary Thompson/Las Vegas Review-Journal
Democratic U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley, shown speaking in Las Vegas during a recent news conference on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, announced Thursday that she is a candidate for John Ensign's seat in the U.S. Senate. » Buy this photo
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Updated: Apr. 15, 2011 | 6:55 a.m.
Apparently, political lightning can strike the same place twice.
U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley's entry Thursday into the open U.S. Senate race one month after U.S. Rep. Dean Heller dived in gives Nevada the nation's most competitive Senate contest for the second election cycle in a row.
Led by U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, the political titan who swamped Sharron Angle last year, the Democratic Party quickly endorsed Berkley and put the GOP seat held by retiring U.S. Sen. John Ensign at the top of its takeover targets.
Berkley, 60, said she wasn't feeling the pressure, though she advanced her announcement by a couple of months in part to quash rumblings that she was wavering as Democratic leaders interviewed other potential candidates.
"The only pressure I feel is to do good for the people of Nevada," Berkley said from Washington, D.C., where she is in her seventh term in Congress. "People know I am relentless."
BERKLEY LOOKS NORTH, HELLER SOUTH
Berkley's energy and popularity in her safe Democratic district in Clark County -- home to 70 percent of Nevadans -- are her strong suits. Her challenge will be in Northern and rural Nevada -- GOP-leaning territory where she is less well-known. Heller, in turn, must campaign heavily in Southern Nevada to overcome the Democrats' 60,000 registered voter edge statewide.
With the Berkley-Heller matchup, the 2012 election in Nevada becomes a blockbuster with more open seats than ever: one Senate and three House, including a new seat dictated by population growth. Freshman Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev., is expected to run for re-election in the 3rd Congressional District, which, like others, will be redrawn.
Nevada also will play an early role in choosing the GOP presidential nominee with a February vote, the first test of strength in the West after the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary.
It's too soon to say if having President Barack Obama on the ticket will help or hurt Berkley, said Jennifer Duffy of The Cook Political Report. That depends on the economy and whether independents swing to the GOP, as they did in 2010 to help Republicans take control of the House, or toward Democrats, as they did in 2008 to help elect Obama.
The Heller-Berkley battle will hinge on nonpartisan voters, about 17 percent of Nevada's electorate.
"This race will be about independents, but I think it's too early to know which way they are swinging," Duffy said.
Duffy and the Democrats think the Nevada Senate race is the party's best chance to take an open seat, though Republicans will fight hard to keep it.
"It's the race we always knew it was going to be, which is incredibly competitive," Duffy said. "Nevada gets two in a row, which is pretty unusual. It may not be full of the antics of the Reid-Angle race, but it's going to be a great race."
'JOBS, JOBS, JOBS'
Berkley announced her bid with a statement -- an echo of Heller's low-key email to supporters. Her campaign also plans a more formal event in Nevada in coming weeks.
She portrayed the contest as a choice between Tea Party conservative ideology and her push to improve the economy as Nevada suffers the nation's highest jobless, home foreclosure and bankruptcy rates.
"As I talk to Nevadans across our state I hear one priority: jobs, jobs, jobs," Berkley said in her statement. "And that has been my focus, whether it is fighting to prevent more layoffs of teachers, police and firefighters or getting loans for small businesses that want to grow, or helping Nevada become the clean-energy capital of the world."
She then took aim at Heller.
"The problem in Washington is that Republicans like Dean Heller are clinging to extreme ideology rather than working on solutions that address the challenges facing our state," she said. "This race is about a clear choice for Nevada's future."
Heller, 50, also has portrayed the election as a clear choice, but he didn't go on the attack.
"This race is about the future of Nevada and our country," Heller said in a statement. "Do we continue down the same path that led to record unemployment, high gas prices, and maintain the status quo, or do we chart a new direction that makes government accountable and responsible to the people?''
Berkley and Heller are at opposite ends of the political spectrum, and both nearly always vote along party lines.
In an interview, Berkley argued that she understands the problems of all Nevadans. Whether it's an unemployed person in Reno seeking work, a mother in Elko who wants quality education for her children or a senior citizen in Las Vegas worried about losing Medicare or Social Security benefits, she said she can represent them.
"It doesn't matter where you live in Nevada," said Berkley, who noted she comes from a working-class family that lived paycheck to paycheck with her father working as a waiter. "I understand what it's like."
Berkley's decision to get into the race came after she met last week with Reid for what one Democratic insider described as "a good meeting" that settled questions about her viability as a candidate. The congresswoman then traveled last weekend to her native New York state to talk to her family.
"They were unanimous in encouraging me to do this," Berkley said, adding that it finally drove her to get in. "That, combined with what we're doing here in Congress at this moment and realizing there's very much at stake right now."
DEMOCRATS RALLY TO BERKLEY
Reid praised Berkley, saying he has known her for more than 40 years and has "watched her become one of Nevada's most respected leaders and one of our state's fiercest advocates.''
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee endorsed her. DSCC Chairwoman Patty Murray said the Senate seat is one of six the party is targeting.
"Our polls show her up and winning," Murray said. "We expect that to be a Democratic blue seat in 2012."
Several weeks ago, a poll conducted for Berkley showed her leading Heller 42-38, though within the margin of error.
Both members of Congress are expected to win their respective primaries. Heller, already endorsed by Gov. Brian Sandoval, faces no real threat.
Berkley will face at least one strong primary opponent. Las Vegas businessman Byron Georgiou last month bucked party officials to enter the race. The millionaire is expected to spend a lot of his own money.
On Thursday, Georgiou released a quarterly fundraising report showing $1.1 million cash on hand, including a $500,000 loan to himself. And he declared he's not about to go away.
"I won't be so presumptuous as to take Nevada voters for granted," he said. "This is an election, not a coronation."
Having him in the race could trouble Berkley, but Reid brushed him off.
"He stands no chance," the Senate majority leader said bluntly.
As for Berkley, Reid said, "I'll do anything for her. President Obama is going to be there. And I have my organization."
Money will be no problem for Berkley or Heller. He reported $1.4 million in cash on hand after raising more than $670,000 in the past quarter.
She reported raising about $700,000 from January to March. She had a total of $1.6 million cash on hand.
Stephens Media reporter Peter Urban contributed to this story from Washington, D.C. Contact Laura Myers at lmyers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919.
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Now look under Shelley Berkley who is a communist first. She believes in blocking the truth under her name if you Google it anything exposing her rubbish profiteering and deliberate and systematic extermination of Arabs Muslims of a national, racial, political, or cultural group is removed under her name. ....
Shelley Berkley is dishonorable and wants to destroy the USA.
Shelley Berkley is responsible for the death of American soldiers. Berkley and her husband invested very little money in WAR ARMS then voted for war and has profited hundred of millions.
Harry Reid is right he will do anything for for her even knowing Americans suffer and die?
All the while Americans come home with blown up legs and arms. Berkley has more ugly surgeries.
151 Congressmen Derive Financial Profit_134
151 Congressmen Derive Financial Profit From War. Blood money stains the hands of more than 25% ... Thus, they can be off as much as 160 percent. (Try giving the IRS an estimate like that. ... Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.) invested $100870 to $100870 and is now a millionaire off the death of Americans ...
www.americanfreepress.net/.../151_congressmen_derive_financi.html - Cached - Similar
But who cares in Vegas?
God save the United States from this "Berkley" terrorist within-the day will come as history teaches all murdering greedy filthy dictators fall.
berzerkley has the IQ of a catatonic glue sniffer. angle towers over her.
It's nice to have a Democrat that wants to tax us out of existence so that professional welfare recipients, felons, and illegals have the best of everything.
"because first and foremost she is stupid". Wow that was heavy.. Keep bringing your high class liberal comments. bTW If you mock someone you should refrain from doing exactly what they did to the next person you disagree with.
Hamster's got a belly full of gas tonight. Hamster Webb..do you believe anything you post? Really? Cause..for you to call someone else stupid is really an act of unmitigated gall don't you agree? I do.
I mean, you display all the thoughtfulness and integrity of democratic presidential candidate John Edwards on a campaign flight with his pregnant girlfriend and dying wife--while lying to the press and being exposed by the national enquirer...there are others whom you remind me of but they don't get a parole hearing for awhile and the public may have forgotten their names (I'll drop one name anyway--William Jefferson--he of "cold cash" fame) plain unmitigated gall and hubris.
Almost Hamster like.
Are you so afraid of Sarah Palin and the ghost of Ronald Reagan that you go to sleep with a copy of Simple Minds "Don't You (Forget About Me)" playing in your tiny little ear buds..? or is that Right Said Fred - "I'm Too Sexy" you're humming?
Either way, you--are a light weight and need not call anyone else stupid--dummy.
I still think you have a sexual fixation on Sharron Angle. Leave it alone, she is not interested.
"Gary.Knapp wrote on April 15, 2011 09:02 PM: Is there any question in anyone's mind as to why Liberal democrats hate Sarah Palin?"
Because first and foremost Palin is stupid.
When it comes to politicians it's what's between their ears that counts.
Is there any question in anyone's mind as to why Liberal democrats hate Sarah Palin? Omg! I would hate to run into that in a dark alley!
"Concerned Citizen wrote on April 15, 2011 12:37 PM: Hey Jack...I hear that Kool-Aid is on sale at your local supermarket."
Wow. That was heavy.
"EHarris wrote on April 15, 2011 05:11 PM: In a speech right after he was elected Obama said he was elected to fix our economy not blame past presidents."
I don't care.
"EHarris wrote on April 15, 2011 05:21 PM: you were cherry picking and or making up numbers to argue the economy is good."
Do you always put words in others' mouths? I didn't say the economy was good or bad, but one thing we know FOR SURE: it's better than Boy George left it.