‘If we vote, we win. If we don’t, we lose,’ Biden says in Las Vegas

By Conor Shine

Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014 | 6:50 p.m.

Vice President Joe Biden laid out a simple formula for Nevada Democrats on election day at a voter rally in Las Vegas today.

"If we vote, we win. If we don't, we lose," Biden told a crowd of several hundred people Saturday afternoon at the local plumbers and pipefitters union building near Lamb Boulevard and Bonanza Road.

Biden said if Republicans win a the majority of races in this election, partisan gridlock in Washington, D.C., would continue.

"When we keep the Senate, when Lucy (Flores) wins, the first thing you're going to see, all of a sudden you'll see this gridlock broken," Biden said. "All of a sudden you'll begin to see America work again."

Biden’s appearance is an eleventh-hour effort by Democrats to drive liberal voters to the polls Tuesday and is the latest in a string of appearances by the party’s top brass this month. Biden's appearance follows President Bill Clinton’s speech at a Democratic rally Tuesday. It is Biden’s third appearance in Las Vegas since July.

There’s a distrust of government nationwide, and even more so with President Barack Obama’s party. That has hurt Nevada Democrats, who were forced into crisis mode in mid-October during early voting. Republican voters cast 23,000 more votes than Democrats statewide during early voting. At the end of early voting in 2012, Democrats had a 52,000-vote advantage over Republicans.

Clinton’s visit sparked a bump in early turnout numbers for Democrats — they beat Republicans in turnout Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The state’s Democrats hope Biden’s visit will do the same Tuesday.

Biden started his speech by immediately targeting outside groups that have funneled millions of dollars in dark money into attack ads against Democratic candidates.

"The greatest compliment that anyone can be paid in the last couple days of a campaign is for the right-wing guys to go out and spend millions of dollars coming after you," Biden said. "Right-wing guys know who their problems are. Thank God Steven (Horsford) and Dina (Titus) are one of their problems."

Democratic Rep. Steven Horsford, who was supposed to have an easy victory, now finds himself in tight battle against Republican challenger Cresent Hardy. Karl Rove’s Super PAC Crossroads GPS bought more than $800,000 in TV ads against Horsford earlier this month, setting off concerns that Horsford’s district was vulnerable.

Horsford is one of few Democrats in Congress who hasn’t distanced himself from the president. His campaign ran an ad this week in which Obama vouched for the congressman.

Horsford was joined at the Biden rally Saturday by fellow Democratic Rep. Dina Titus and lieutenant governor candidate Lucy Flores. Television star Eva Longoria was also on hand to pump up supporters.

The event, hosted by the state Democratic Party and the Latino Victory PAC, drew about 350 people, according to an estimate from an event organizer.

Biden spent much of his half-hour speech running down key Democratic issues such as immigration reform, income inequality and boosting the middle class.

He also emphasized the importance of Hispanic voters turning out to the polls while praising Flores' background and accomplishments.

Flores is in a close race with Republican Mark Hutchison but could be undone by low Democratic turnout.

Biden's speech ended with a full-throated, fist-pounding pitch imploring voters to turn out Tuesday.

"Don't wake up on Wednesday morning to see a close race and say to yourself 'If I'd only,'" Biden said. "Don't put yourself in a position like that."

Kyle Roerink contributed to this story.