New ad attacks Rep. Cresent Hardy over vote on education program

By Kyle Roerink

Friday, Nov. 20, 2015 | 12:26 p.m.

A national Democratic campaign group will run a digital ad this weekend attacking Nevada GOP Rep. Cresent Hardy for his support of a failed bill to cut an education program for low-income families.

Hardy’s office dismissed it as part of an effort to spread “salacious stories to move elections” and said the congressman was interested in reforms to improve education.

The Democratic Campaign Congressional Committee, which arrived in Nevada earlier this year with the intent of ousting Hardy in 2016, will aim the ad at Hispanic families. The Spanish-language ad says Hardy joined House Speaker Paul Ryan in March in voting to cut funding for Head Start, a prekindergarten program for low-income families.

“Congressman Hardy’s vote to cut education programs hurts families, whether it’s parents looking to enroll their student in early education programs or college students relying on Pell Grants to pay their way through school,” DCCC spokesman Tyler Law said.

The ad is part of a DCCC strategy to paint Hardy as a Tea Party Republican who will cut social welfare programs.

The group also plans to highlight Hardy’s votes that limited funding for Pell Grants, a federal college payment program, and on social welfare programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly food stamps).

Hardy won the 4th Congressional District seat last year in what many considered to be the surprise of the election. Four Democrats — state Sen. Ruben Kihuen, activist Susie Lee, former Assembly speaker John Oceguera and former Assemblywoman Lucy Flores — have announced plans to run for Hardy's seat.

On education, Hardy recently hosted the College of Southern Nevada’s annual Hispanic Heritage Summit, a workshop that focused on immigration services and college readiness programs.

“The DCCC isn’t interested in making decisions that will preserve and strengthen these programs for the long haul,” Hardy spokesman Jacob Fullmer said. “They’re just interested in spreading salacious stories to move elections. Congressman Hardy is making reforms that will help improve our education system for all children for years to come.”