Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Nevada Wonk

POLITICS:

Democrats target Rep. Joe Heck in campaign to regain House

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Joe Heck is photographed outside his offices in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2010

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is launching a media blitz against Republican Rep. Joe Heck, the first major move in Democrats' effort to reclaim the House in 2012.

Heck is one of 19 Republicans being targeted nationwide. Many are freshman, and most come from Democratic-leaning districts that President Barack Obama won in 2008.

The ad blitz is part of the Democrats' "Drive to 25" campaign, an effort to win the 25 seats needed to regain the House majority from Republicans in 2012.

The 19 seats being targeted with radio ads, web commercials, phone calls and e-mails are key to Democrats' success.

Heck won Nevada's 3rd Congressional District by less than 2,000 votes to unseat Democratic incumbent Rep. Dina Titus in November. The district is split almost evenly between Democrats and Republicans, and representation has shifted between each party in recent years.

Democrats hope to convince voters that Republican efforts to cut spending will kill jobs.

"Tell Congressman Joe Heck to oppose the partisan plan to cut education and research by 40 percent," a voice in the radio ad says. "It will cost hundreds of thousands of jobs and make America less competitive."

Heck said shortly after he was elected that his highest priority is job creation.

The radio spots go live today.

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