New Democratic PAC ad accuses Heck of being in pocket of ‘Big Oil’

A new ad from a Democratic PAC airing in Nevada is accusing U.S. Rep. Joe Heck, a Republican running for the U.S. Senate, of being in the pocket of “Big Oil.”

The $1.5 million television ad push from the campaign finance reform group End Citizens United will air in Las Vegas and Reno. The group also announced it spent an additional $225,000 on digital advertising space.

Citing data from the nonpartisan nonprofit group Center for Responsive Politics, the ad slams Heck for accepting $285,000 from Big Oil, while claiming he voted to protect the industry’s tax breaks while also voting against bills that would have created solar jobs in Nevada.

According to Opensecrets.com, a nonpartisan nonprofit that tracks campaign contributions, Heck has received $139,966 in donations from the oil and gas industry, ranking 14th among Senate candidate recipients in the 2016 election cycle. The other $145,000 came during his three successful bids for Congress in 2010, 2012 and 2014.

“Congressman Heck has gone to Washington and fought for the corporate special interests who are funding his campaigns,” End Citizens United Executive Director Tiffany Muller said in a news release. “They’ve rigged the system for themselves, and everyone else is left in the lurch.”

Heck campaign spokesman Brian Baluta said in an email that the congressman “votes with the best interests of his constituents and all Nevadans.” Baluta noted a Heck-introduced bill that became law in 2011 that extended Nevada’s access to hydroelectricity produced by Hoover Dam.

Baluta added that Heck has opposed amendments in the House that would cut funding to renewable energy research and development in exchange for fossil fuel research.

“(Heck) recognizes that Nevada is poised to lead the nation in the development of solar and geothermal energy,” Baluta said.

Contact Colton Lochhead at clochhead@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638. Find @ColtonLochhead on Twitter.