With election behind him, Sen. Heller turns to policy issues

WASHINGTON - After a hard-fought race, Sen. Dean Heller was back in the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, able and eager to shed the label of appointed senator that marked his past 18 months in office.

Besides winning his Senate seat outright on Election Day, the Nevadan enjoyed the added status of being the only Republican senator elected from a state that President Barack Obama carried on his way to re-election.

As Republican senators broke up from their weekly luncheon, Heller stayed behind and talked with party leaders Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and John Barrasso of Wyoming over committee assignments for the next session.

Talking with reporters outside the Senate chamber, Heller acknowledged he returns to work with a fresh outlook.

After having to run for election virtually from the day he was appointed senator on May 9, 2011, he said now "I've taken a deeper breath."

"I'm more interested in getting into policy discussions, " he said. "The last time I was so overwhelmed by running for office that I didn't have as much time as I wanted to deal with policy issues. Now I have more time, and I am really looking forward to that."

In the immediate term, Heller is resuming talks with Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., over a Republican version of immigration reform and was taking part in GOP strategy sessions over the looming economic "fiscal cliff."

Beyond that, Heller said, he plans to keep his seat on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in the new Congress and is shopping for other assignments.

The prestigious Finance Committee appears to be out of reach for his junior seniority.

What accounts for the new outlook?

In the Senate, there is a gulf between appointment and earning your stripes through election, Heller said, or at least it seemed that way to him.

"People were very warm and friendly to me before, and they are warm and friendly to me now," Heller said. "I wouldn't anticipate that would change at all, but I think it makes a difference."

In the Senate, he said, "Everybody has been through the battle, and everybody expects you to be through the battle because you've got to earn it.

"Because it is one thing being appointed, it's another thing being elected. Your status does change once you've run. I think there is some of that here and rightfully so."

One thing that appears to be changing to some extent is the relationship between Heller and Nevada's senior senator, Harry Reid, who worked to defeat the Republican and elect his protege, Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley.

The day after Heller beat Berkley by 12,000 votes, Reid moved to reset their relationship, saying he and Heller "have been friends for 25 years. We will be able to work together."

Heller said Wednesday said he and Reid will hold weekly breakfasts in the Capitol for visiting Nevadans, where previously Reid held them alone.

During the campaign, Reid "felt that if I was there, Shelley had to be there, and that was too much politics for that breakfast," Heller said. "I understand that."

Now, Heller said, "I think it's important to show to Nevadans that they can come to the Capitol and meet with both their senators on a Thursday morning for breakfast."