State Sen Joe Heck,
R-Henderson, incumbent ...
on why he is more qualifed than Shirley Breeden to fill the seat in the
state's Fifth Senate District. His Democratic opponent, Shirley Breeden,
chose not to join the conversation. Listen|
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EDITORIAL: Heck, Beers for state
Senate. Democratic
smear campaign an embarrassment
Wed, Oct 22, 2008
Democrats
have targeted state Senate districts 5 and 6 in hopes of picking up the
one seat that would give them a majority in the 21-member upper chamber.
Their tactics haven't been pretty.
By
spending an estimated $1 million apiece flooding these districts with
hate mail, state and county Democratic Party apparatchiks have
demonstrated how important it is to them to gain control of the Senate
in order to advance their spendthrift agenda.
But
whether you like their voting ways or not -- in fact, men such as
Republican state Sens. Bob Beers (District 6) and Joe Heck (District 5),
sober conservatives who have long argued against uncontrolled government
growth, are precisely what Nevada needs now more than ever -- these are
men of upstanding character. View more...
The Nevada Democratic Party wants to re-take control of
the Nevada state Senate for the first time in 18 years. Democrats chose to
target two seats -- those of GOP state Sens. Bob Beers of Las Vegas and Joe
Heck of Henderson. First step: Recruit two Democrats to run against them.
Introducing, in this corner for today's tag team match, former water
district employee Allison Copening in Mr. Beers' Senate District 6, and --
challenging Joe Heck of Henderson -- former 30-year school district
secretary-turned-administrator Shirley Breeden, who unsuccessfully sued the
district in 1997 after she said a colleague made a coarse remark to her and
her supervisor refused to do anything about it.
View more...
Steve
Sebelius
Sunday, Sep. 21, 2008 at 10:08 PM
"We’d also
like to say that we totally agree with the point that was made in that
editorial: Nevada’s Democrats are saying some awfully mean things about
state Sens. Bob Beers and Joe Heck,
some of which are untrue, as pieces in both
the R-J
and, earlier,
the Las Vegas Sun, have demonstrated.
But saying
mean and untrue things is, unfortunately, part of politics, and Beers
and Heck are big boys. So far, they have been able to deftly handle the
fliers, paid for by the Nevada Democratic Party, and not by
Allison Copening or Shirley Breeden, their
respective Democratic opponents.
What seems
clear at this point is that both Copening and Breeden have a strategy,
which is this: Lay very low, let other people go on the attack for you,
say as little as possibly publicly that could come back to bite you and
pray like hell that Barack Obama brings enough
Democrats to the polls to get us elected. And, in our humble opinion,
that’s no way to run for office." View more...
Anti-Heck ads mislead voters By
J. Patrick
Coolican &
Brian Eckhouse, Thu, Sep
11, 2008
"Nevada Democrats
have spent tens of thousands of dollars
on a series of attack mail pieces aimed
at state Sen. Joe Heck, intensifying a
battle to control the upper chamber of
the Legislature currently held by
Republicans."
"That statement, and at least one other
in the mailings, appears to be incorrect. Insurance
companies have been required by the state to cover
screenings for cervical cancer since 1989, according to the
Legislative Counsel Bureau, the research arm of the
Legislature. The ads don’t have citations, but seem to refer
to legislation from 2007, though the bill had nothing to do
with cervical cancer screening."
"In an interview Wednesday, Heck said:
'What bothered me is that my career has been as patient
advocate. I work at the county hospital, and to see them
take a couple votes and distort them, and attack me because
they’re so desperate to take control of the Senate and too
embarrassed to put their own candidate out there, it showed
how low the Democrats are willing to go.'" View more...
Why I support Dr. Joe Heck:
Robert
E. Frank, Colonel, USAF (Ret.), Henderson, NV
“Nevada is home to the
highest number of veterans – per capita – than any other state. Joe
Heck is the member of Nevada's Legislature who has courageously
volunteered to serve our nation in uniform--in the combat zone and at
home. He truly knows the care our service members and families need
today, and he can be trusted to provide the care they deserve later as
our veterans. Joe Heck is the most outstanding, talented, and honorable
public servant I know. He is an accomplished businessman, gifted leader,
and absolutely outstanding legislator. I urge you to vote to return Joe
to the Senate to represent our vital interests.”
Gerald Simmons, Henderson, NV
"I have been a registered
Democrat for over thirty years, but I am a strong supporter of Senator Joe
Heck. I met Dr. Heck when he first ran for the Nevada State Senate four
years ago. My eldest, adult daughter has cerebral palsy. She lives in a
group home in North Las Vegas and uses the CAT bus for transportation to and
from work. Well, there were many families having issues with RTC that were
placing our adult children in potentially dangerous situations. I contacted
Senator Heck and he immediately set-up meetings with all parties.
Due to Joe’s efforts, we now
have better communications between the patrons and RTC, as well as
improved RTC polices that provide
increased safety awareness for all riders of the
CAT system. I know that without Senator Heck’s efforts, this issue would
not have been resolved in a timely manner. In fact, his actions prevented
expensive legal actions which would have been taken at taxpayer expense.
Joe Heck works very hard for
our community. He does not stop his work as our senator when the
legislative session is over. He continues carrying out his constituent
service duties throughout the other 18 months without receiving taxpayer
compensation for his time. He exemplifies what we need in a citizen
politician. I encourage you to join me in voting to re-elect Senator Joe
Heck."
Mary Lardino-Berg,
Pahrump, Nevada
"It
is no secret that 2008 is an historic and pivotal election year for our
country. We have been presented with many fine candidates from both of the
major parties. All have made promises but few have put those promises into
action, even before the ballots are counted. One of those few is Senator
Joe Heck. When my new health insurance company said that I would not be
able to continue critical medical care at UCLA for a life threatening
illness because there was no contract between the two, I began to knock on
many doors for help. Being a democrat, I naturally knocked on those doors
first. No one answered. When word of my situation reached Senator Heck, he
not only opened that door but he picked up the phone and intervened on my
behalf. In the days and even hours before he deployed to Iraq, Senator Heck
was in contact with me and the insurance company helping to arrange an
agreement between the two entities. Senator Heck didn’t care that I am a
democrat or that I don’t even live in his district. He simply knew that a
powerful insurance company needed to be reminded that a life was at stake.
His critics have accused him of only being on the side of health care
corporations but they could not be more wrong. Senator Heck is a man who
embodies the morals, integrity and compassion that is sorely lacking in so
many political figures today. He didn’t do this for publicity - my story
was never told publically before now. He didn’t do what he did so that an
insurance company would see a bigger profit. Senator Heck did what he did
because I believe he cares not only about those living in his district but
for the welfare of all of the citizens of Nevada. If I could cast a vote
for Senator Joe Heck, I would do so with confidence. I urge everyone living
in his district to do the same."
Tam Larnerd, Principal-Bob Miller Middle School
"As
a Clark County School District educator for the last 14 years in Nevada,
I have been able to work closely with many politicians and policy makers
in our great state. However, I have never had the opportunity to work
with a person like Dr. Joe Heck. Dr. Heck has consistently demonstrated
an extraordinary commitment to our students and their teachers in
Nevada. He talks the talk, then backs up his support for education by
walking the walk. For example, Dr. Heck has substantively supported the
programs, teachers, and coaches at Miller MS, where I have had the
privilege to serve as principal for the last six years. He spent hours
talking with students as the "Principal for the Day" during American
Education Week, met with our entire faculty to listen to their concerns
about the state of education in Nevada, and has even served as the
school's assistant Lacrosse coach. During the legislative session in
2007, I contacted Dr. Heck about my personal concerns regarding pending
legislation that I felt would negatively impact schools in Nevada. Dr.
Heck listened, responded, and acted. All children in Nevada have
benefited from his leadership as a State Senator.
Rarely do voters have the opportunity to vote for a candidate who has
such a solid track record of supporting teachers and students. Please
take the time to learn more about Dr. Heck and his commitment to
improving education in Nevada. I look forward to November 4th, when I
will have the opportunity to cast my vote for the best candidate in
Senate District 5...Dr. Joe Heck."
Debate with opponent
Shirley Breeden on Education Funding
Monday, Aug. 18, 2008
Steve
Sebelius
Monday, Aug. 18, 2008 at 11:10 PM
"Monday night’s debate at the Flamingo Library (shout
out to sponsor Congregation Ner Tamid!) was, at times, physically painful
for us to watch, and not just because our ample ass had trouble squeezing
into the pint-sized library seat. Democratic state Senate challengers
Shirley Breeden and
Allison Copening
turned in two of the worst performances we’ve ever seen in covering
politics. Sadly, their opponents were pretty much right on the money, if not
the issues."
"As far as we’re concerned, the Democratic Party owes
it to voters to field qualified people for public office. That means people
who know about the office they’re seeking, and other relevant facts about
the state (say, the amount of the budget, the money Nevada spends per
student on education, how a bill becomes a law, etc.). Because you know
what? The Republicans know those things. And when you don’t know them, you
look stupid, and unworthy of office."
"Education? You guessed it: Breeden wants to work with
the superintendent(s) to prioritize what needs to be done. She wants to set
short term goals, and long-term goals. “We can always use more funding,” she
said. It was at this point that we wanted to jab our Waterman rollerball
directly into our brain, and we were only stayed by the drama on the stage,
when Heck went for the jugular, asking Breeden what the state’s per-pupil
expenditure was. She looked back with a blank stare, until Ralston
intervened."
View more...
Too
nice at these debates by Jon Ralston
Wed, Aug 20, 2008 (2:01 a.m.)
"If vacuousness were an Olympic
sport, we’d have had a couple of gold medal performances
from Copening and Breeden during the Congregation Ner
Tamid-sponsored debates."
"Breeden, an educator, not only
seemed to have nothing of substance to offer, but she
was the proverbial deer caught in the headlights,
impressively managing to hold that look for many seconds
at a time. She even mangled the talking points
Democratic leaders had programmed Copening and Breeden
to use: The mean Beers and Heck voted against cervical
cancer and other insurance mandates, with Breeden twice
referring to “prostrate cancer.” It made me want to lie
down."
"...after a further 90 minutes or so of political
evisceration of state Senate contenders Shirley Breeden and Allison
Copening (who're challenging state Sens. Joe Heck and Bob Beers,
respectively) it was obvious that, barring sudden death or unforeseen
felony arrests, both incumbents should cruise to re-election. As the
upstarts struggled with some very basic tenets of public policy, Heck
and Beers stayed on message. Their conservative, pro-business views
might worry more liberal voters, but at least Heck and Beers care enough
about their offices to understand the issues. Democrats might respect
Breeden and Copening for taking on the two Republican juggernauts, but
serious political observers would likely say their performances were
more than embarrassing."
View more...
Steve
Sebelius
"As
a Clark County School District educator for the last 14 years in Nevada,
I have been able to work closely with many politicians and policy makers
in our great state. However, I have never had the opportunity to work
with a person like Dr. Joe Heck. Dr. Heck has consistently demonstrated
an extraordinary commitment to our students and their teachers in
Nevada. He talks the talk, then backs up his support for education by
walking the walk. For example, Dr. Heck has substantively supported the
programs, teachers, and coaches at Miller MS, where I have had the
privilege to serve as principal for the last six years. He spent hours
talking with students as the "Principal for the Day" during American
Education Week, met with our entire faculty to listen to their concerns
about the state of education in Nevada, and has even served as the
school's assistant Lacrosse coach. During the legislative session in
2007, I contacted Dr. Heck about my personal concerns regarding pending
legislation that I felt would negatively impact schools in Nevada. Dr.
Heck listened, responded, and acted. All children in Nevada have
benefited from his leadership as a State Senator.