VP Biden stumps for Democrats in Vegas
In a visit to Las Vegas aimed at saving Democratic candidates from defeat, Vice President Joe Biden on Saturday urged Nevada’s Latino community to vote or face the prospects of a GOP-run Congress that doesn’t support immigration or the middle class.
Biden especially touted Lucy Flores, the assemblywoman running for Nevada lieutenant governor, who shared the stage with Biden and actress Eva Longoria, who brought star power to the event. She co-founded the Latino Victory PAC this year to promote Hispanic candidates.
The vice president also urged voters to back Democratic U.S. Reps. Dina Titus and Steven Horsford, a freshman who is suddenly in a tight race with his GOP opponent, Assemblyman Cresent Hardy, R-Mesquite.
“The power of the Latino community this year and in the future just increases exponentially,” Biden said. “But no one will pay attention if you do not vote.”
The rally, where Biden spoke for more than 30 minutes, was held in the union hall for the Plumbers and Pipefitters Joint UA Local 525 before a crowd of more than 200 supporters who cheered him on.
Titus and Horsford each warmed up the crowd before Biden’s arrival, saying Democratic voters can’t afford to skip this election and shouldn’t let outside big money groups buy the election by funding GOP attack ads. Crossroads GPS has spent nearly $1 million on ads slamming Horsford.
Biden’s hastily arranged stop in Las Vegas before Tuesday’s election was aimed at spurring Democratic voters to cast ballots to counter a strong early vote advantage by Republicans.
Nevada Republicans cast 23,243 more ballots than Democrats during two weeks of early voting, which ended Friday. That gave the GOP a 45 percent to 38 percent advantage.
Independents could make a difference in some close races as well with nonpartisans and third parties casting 51,926 ballots, or 17 percent.
The early voting turnout was only 24.9 percent, far less than normal years when as many as two-thirds of Nevadans vote early. As a result of the low turnout so far, several Democrats who appeared headed for victory could face GOP upsets if Republicans hold the lead, including Horsford in the 4th Congressional District.
Republicans also could prevail in close contests for attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer and controller.
In the lieutenant governor’s race, state Sen. Mark Hutchison, R-Las Vegas, is running comfortably ahead of Flores, according to the early voting numbers and polls, which might be one reason Biden focused mostly on her prospects during the rally.
Titus is expected to win re-election to her Democrat-heavy 1st Congressional District against GOP foe Annette Teijeiro.
In the final days of early voting and for Election Day, Democrats were especially targeting Hispanics and union members, two constituencies that have been loyal to the party and could make the difference in key races if they turn out in greater numbers.
The GOP’s early lead has put Republicans in a good position to take control of the Nevada Senate, which Democrats lead now with a 11-10-seat advantage.
Republicans also are eyeing taking over the Assembly, although the possibility remains a long shot unless the Democrats collapse on Election Day. The GOP would need to pick up seven seats in the Assembly, now controlled by Democrats with a 27-15-seat advantage.
Midterm elections often have low turnouts because there is no presidential contest on the ballot. This year in Nevada no U.S. Senate seat is at stale either.
At the top of the ticket, Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval is headed toward an easy re-election, facing a little known Bob Goodman after Democrats failed to recruit a top-tier challenger.
Biden urged supporters to get everyone they know to vote to fight the apathy so that Democrats don’t regret losing close races. Hispanic turnout has been low, too, and he told Latinos to not give up their voice at the ballot box.
“You are the single most powerful group in America if you take advantage of this,” Biden said after noting the rapid growth of the Hispanic community across the United States. “If you make your voices heard, you are an incredibly powerful force… Demand to be heard!”
In Nevada, Latinos make up nearly 30 percent of the state’s population. In the past election, Hispanics were 17 percent to 18 percent of the electorate and in 2010 they were key to the re-election of U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.
Biden said President Barack Obama would deliver on comprehensive immigration reform and would act on his own if he couldn’t get Congress to cooperate. The vice president said the task would be all the more difficult if Republicans take control of the U.S. Senate and gain seats in the GOP-run House.
“They’re a different breed of cat,” Biden said of today’s Republicans, particularly Tea Party conservatives. “They’re not your father’s Republicans.”
He said immigration reform, which would provide a pathway to U.S. citizenship to 11 million immigrants now in the U.S. illegally, would boost the economy by 5.4 percent, or $1.4 trillion over 20 years.
“It’s not just the morally right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do for the American economy,” Biden said.
Contact Laura Myers at lmyers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919. Find her on Twitter: @lmyerslvrj.
