With ‘great team’ in place, Bilbray bullish on chances versus Heck

By Amber Phillips

Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2014 | 5 p.m.

Despite a lack of financial support from some national Democrats and being written off by pundits, congressional candidate Erin Bilbray says she's confident she can win in November.

Bilbray is a Democratic adviser and community activist from Henderson who is running to unseat two-term Republican Rep. Joe Heck to represent Henderson and Boulder City.

Her campaign struggles come in part because she has changed campaign managers three times. But she cites her new one, longtime friend and former Nevada Democratic Party Chairwoman Adriana Martinez, as the reason she's optimistic.

"We've had some mistakes in the past, but I think we've put a really great team together," Bilbray said in an editorial meeting Tuesday with the Las Vegas Sun.

Bilbray said past campaign managers weren't "a good fit" because they didn't understand the Nevada community as well as she did.

"I think it's really, really critical that you make sure as a candidate that you follow your own instincts, and you use your own voice, and you surround yourself with people you know are very, very loyal to you and your community," she said.

Bilbray said there's an excitement among voters in the district about her campaign, which champions traditional Democratic values like student loan refinancing and comprehensive immigration reform. Voter registration between the two parties is about even in the district.

Bilbray was considered a star recruit when she announced she was challenging Heck in the summer of 2013. But this summer, some national-level operatives in her party have quietly expressed frustration with her campaign, citing poor organization and fundraising. In recent weeks, several nonpartisan ratings analysts have given Heck the advantage.

Heck has $1 million more than Bilbray in the bank, according to July campaign finance reports.

Bilbray says she will continue fundraising right up to the next filing deadline, Oct. 15. So far the House Democrats' campaign arm hasn't reserved any airtime for her.

"I always knew from the very beginning Joe was going to have more money than I did," she said. "… I have raised over $1 million, and I feel I'm doing pretty well. Do I want more money? Yes. But I think $1 million is pretty good."

Bilbray has run one TV ad showcasing her oldest daughter and third-generation family ties to Nevada. Heck is also on the air with a family-oriented ad. Bilbray said she plans to run others before November.