Berkley says Heller is late in chasing Hispanic vote

Rep. Shelley Berkley on Thursday accused her Senate opponent, U.S. Sen. Dean Heller, of having an "election year epiphany" in presenting himself as a moderate, including by reaching out to Hispanic voters despite what she calls an anti-immigrant record.

"He may talk the talk, but he doesn't walk the walk, and he never has," said Berkley, D-Nev., adding that Heller didn't start courting Hispanics until the Republican needed their votes this year. "All of a sudden, he discovered the Latino community."

Berkley called a news conference with Hispanic leaders to promote the potential economic benefits of the DREAM Act, which if passed would provide a path to U.S. citizenship to qualified young immigrants who grew up here. The youth would have to attend college or join the U.S. military to qualify if the act became law.

The two Senate candidates are competing hard to win the Latino vote, which could prove decisive in their close race. Hispanics made up 15 percent of the electorate in the past two elections in 2010 and 2008.

A new Latinos Decisions poll released Thursday showed Berkley leading Heller 58 percent to 26 percent among 400 registered Nevada Hispanic voters statewide.

The survey showed Heller picking up non-Republican votes among Latinos. Only 16 percent of Latinos polled identified themselves as Republicans, however, while 55 percent of those surveyed said they were registered Democrats. The rest said they were nonpartisan or didn't know.

Chandler Smith, a spokeswoman for Heller's campaign, said the senator has been attending or sending representatives to Hispanic forums to make a pitch to vote for him so Republicans can improve the economy.

Heller sent Jafet Santiago, his Hispanic outreach coordinator, to a Hispanics in Politics candidate forum on Tuesday night, and he addressed the gathering in Spanish. His family is originally from Mexico.`

"Dean understands that the role of our government should be to give an equal opportunity to be successful but also have a safety net for those struggling to make ends meet," Santiago told the forum.

Berkley attended the Hispanics in Politics forum herself, and her campaign criticized Heller for not making it in person. Heller's campaign said he had a scheduling conflict and sent Santiago instead.

Heller also can't accept an Oct. 14 invitation from several Hispanic pastors because of his schedule. But he is working with Pastor Mario Rodriguez to find another Sunday to meet with members of his congregation, Smith said.

There's little time left before the Nov. 6 election, with early voting starting Oct. 20.

Berkley said it's clear Heller doesn't care about the community, and she used his opposition to the DREAM Act to hammer her point home. She voted for the DREAM Act, and Heller voted against it.

"There's no excuse for it," Berkley said. "The reality is when he had a chance to vote for it, he choose not to."

Berkley said undocumented youth brought to the United States as children have lived here for years and now "are fearful that they may not be able to stay here and stay with their families."

In June, President Barack Obama erased that immediate fear by ordering his administration not to deport such young illegal immigrants and to offer two-year work permits so they can start earning a living as well.

Earlier this year, Heller told a Hispanics in Politics breakfast in Las Vegas that instead of the DREAM Act he preferred passing comprehensive immigration reform "to make it easier" for people to come to the United States legally.

An estimated 12 million illegal immigrants live in the United States.

Berkley, too, said Thursday she favors comprehensive immigration reform that would send illegal immigrants "to the back of line" but give them a chance to stay here. Democrats and Obama have failed to deliver on major immigration reform and have blamed Republicans for blocking it.

A new study Berkley touted concluded passage of the DREAM Act could create 20,000 jobs in Nevada and 1.4 million jobs nationwide. It was conducted by the Center for American Progress, a progressive public policy group run by former Democratic members of the administrations of Obama and former President Bill Clinton.

Joining Berkley at the news conference were state Sen. Ruben Kihuen and Assemblywoman Lucy Flores, Las Vegas Democrats who have been campaigning for Berkley and Obama in the Hispanic community.

Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Calif., also appeared, with Latin Chamber of Commerce President Otto Merida.

Merida has endorsed Berkley, saying he has known her for years as the seven-term congresswoman representing Southern Nevada, where most of the states's population and Latinos live.

Heller, a former congressman based in Northern Nevada, isn't well-known in the Hispanic community, Merida said.

"He's been missing in action," said Merida, who hasn't forgiven Heller for canceling a meeting with the Latin Chamber of Commerce last year at the last minute.

But Merida, a registered Republican, has endorsed GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, although Romney and Heller share many of the same positions on the DREAM Act and immigration.

Merida said in an interview he believes Romney would revive the economy whereas Obama has failed.

"I think Romney was outstanding yesterday" at the first presidential debate, he said. "When you saw them side by side, you think he (Romney) knows what he's talking about and Obama doesn't."

Contact reporter Laura Myers at lmyers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919. Follow @lmyerslvrj on Twitter.