Democrats paint blue target on Heller’s seat

CARSON CITY -- Democratic congressional candidate Jill Derby figures her chances of defeating Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., improved Friday when her race was placed in her party's Red-to-Blue program.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee decided the Heller-Derby 2nd Congressional District rematch will be one of the races it will target in its program to turn red Republican districts to blue Democratic ones.

The 3rd Congressional District race between state Sen. Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, and Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., earlier had received the same designation.

"This support shows national recognition of how strong our grassroots campaign has grown here in Nevada," Derby said. "The people of Nevada are ready for a change in Washington, and I will be a voice for that change."

In response to the Derby announcement,Heller spokesman Stewart Bybee said only that the congressman "is working on passing legislation important to communities across Nevada and representing his constituents in Congress. He is focused on lowering fuel prices, bolstering the economy, and securing our nation's borders."

Two years ago Derby, a former member of the Board of Regents, lost to Heller, then the secretary of state, by 5 percentage points.

She quit her job as state Democratic chairwoman last winter to concentrate on a rematch against Heller this November.

At the time of their race in 2006, Republicans outnumbered Democrats by more than 48,000 registered voters in the 2nd district -- which covers the entire state except for most of urban Las Vegas.

Latest registration figures, released Friday, show the gap between the two has dropped to about 28,400 voters.

But district voters have not elected a Democrat to Congress since the district was created with the 1982 election.

"Every single day we are more confident because of the increased Democratic registrations," said David Mason, Derby's campaign manager. "This is the only district in the state where every month more Democrats are registering than Republicans."

With the race part of the Red-to-Blue program, Mason said Derby can expect increased national donations, as well as those from within Nevada.

In 2006, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said it raised an average of $404,000 for Democrats in targeted races.

In expenditure reports filed June 30, Heller reported he had raised $1.22 million in the race but also had $366,932 in debt. Derby reported total receipts of $439,422 but just $2,000 in debt. Her campaign emphasized she had raised 30 percent more than Heller in the most recent quarter.

But a Review-Journal poll in June showed Heller with a 14 percentage point lead over Derby.

Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.