A year ago, it would have seemed crazy to imagine that Democrats could retake the Senate in 2018. But that was then. Following Doug Jones’ astounding win in Alabama, Democrats now need just two more seats to wrest the gavel from Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and with the political winds at our backs, it’s no longer impossible to contemplate a path to the majority.
That path starts in Nevada, where Democrats need to oust Republican Sen. Dean Heller. Daily Kos is proud to endorse Jacky Rosen as she works to flip this crucial Senate seat.
Rosen currently represents Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District, and though she’s a relative political newcomer, she’s wasted no time establishing her progressive bona fides since her election in 2016. Rosen, a former synagogue president, has been fighting relentlessly in the House to pass a clean DREAM Act and give DREAMers a path to full and equal citizenship. She’s been a fierce and steadfast defender of reproductive rights and funding for Planned Parenthood. And after her community suffered the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history last fall, Rosen introduced bills reinstating the assault weapons ban and limiting high-capacity magazines.
Rosen was the first member of her family to graduate from college, which she helped pay for by waitressing in Las Vegas as a proud member of Culinary Workers Union Local 226. Professionally, she broke barriers as a successful computer programmer in the male-dominated tech industry. As someone who grew up working class, Rosen is a strong ally for working families, and she supports a $15 minimum wage and paid family and medical leave.
Rosen’s candidacy is the worst nightmare of a politician as spineless and feckless as Heller. After using hateful rhetoric to describe children of immigrants in his 2012 Senate run, he fearfully flip-flopped to favor comprehensive immigration reform in 2013. Oh, but don’t imagine for a moment that ol’ Dean suddenly found some principles. Ever since Trump’s election, he’s tacked back to his natural home on the right: He refuses to support the DREAM Act, has voted against bipartisan measures to protect DREAMers, and voted for Trump’s divisive anti-immigrant plan.
In fact, Heller voted in line with Trump 96 percent of the time last year and has never voted against a Trump nominee. Under pressure from Trump and GOP leadership, Heller reversed his stance from last summer against the repealing the Affordable Care Act and voted for the Republican “replacement” that would have gutted Medicaid funding and eliminated protections for people with pre-existing conditions. And that’s by no means all: In a 24-hour span last April, Heller flipped from pledging to “protect Planned Parenthood” and claiming to “have no problems with federal funding for Planned Parenthood” to being outright opposed to any such funding.
Heller’s clearly not comfortable with his own gutlessness. This sad, scared man is so noted for avoiding the press that Capitol Hill reporters call the back exit he takes after press conferences “The Heller Door.”
It’s time for Nevadans to show Heller the door—permanently.
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