Editor’s Note: This is the first in a four part series that will introduce the candidates appearing on the 2016 General Election ballot for Moapa Valley voters.
Moapa Valley Progress
The 2016 General Election ballot will include some important choices for Moapa Valley residents; specifically in who will be representing them in the halls of the U.S. Congress in Washington DC.
With U.S. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid retiring at the end of this year from his many years of public service, the field becomes open to fill his seat.
Reid has hand-picked his preferred replacement in former Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez-Masto, the Democratic candidate in the election. But facing off against her is Rep. Joe Heck (R), who has served in the U.S. Congress for the past six years. Heck has even represented the Moapa Valley communities for the first two of those years.
In the race for U.S. Congressional District #4, Virgin Valley resident Cresent Hardy is defending the seat he won back in 2014. Opposing him is another Harry Reid pick in Democrat Ruben Kihuen.
Given the political demographic of the district, Hardy may have a real challenge on his hands to win re-election. Geographically, the district is huge, sprawling out across much of the rural middle of the state. But its major population center is a small corner of the northern Las Vegas valley. Hardy’s challenge will be to maintain his rural base, while expending major efforts in winning as many of the urban votes as possible.
What follows is a brief introduction of each of these four candidates. We will also explore the candidates’ positions on a few select issues which may be of primary importance to local voters. Where possible, we have used direct quotes from the candidates themselves in describing their positions on these issues.
U.S. Senate
Catherine Cortez-Masto (D)
• Born in Las Vegas, daughter of former Clark County Commissioner Manny Cortez.
• Received Bachelors degree at UNR in 1986; graduated from Gonzaga University of Law 1991.
• Served as civil attorney in Las Vegas. Also served for a time as Assistant Clark County Manager.
• Served as Criminal Prosecutor for US Attorney in Washington DC.
• Was Chief of Staff to Nevada Governor Bob Miller.
• Elected as Nevada Attorney General in 2007, served until 2014 when she was term-limited out.
Joe Heck(R)
•Born in New York, raised in Pennsylvania.
• Graduated from Penn State 1984 with degree in Health Education.
• Doctor of Osteopathic medicine, served residency in Emergency Medicine.
• Moved to Nevada in 1992.
• Has served in US Army Reserves since 1991. Brigadier General since 2014.
• Deployed to Iraq in 2008, commanded Emergency Room of combat hospital near Baghdad.
• Served as State Senator for District #5.
• Ran for U.S. Congress District #3 seat in 2010 against Dina Titus and won. Ran again in 2012, with newly drawn District 3 boundaries and won. Re-elected easily in 2014.
Issues:
Public Lands:
Cortez-Masto: Endorsed by the Sierra Club. “The Sierra Club shares my priorities of protecting and preserving Nevada’s public lands for future generations….”
“Federal, state, and local governments must work together to preserve our state’s many public lands Proposals to hand over public lands to the state put in the cross hairs the places Nevadans love and millions come from all over the world to visit”
Heck: “I will fight to transfer more of our public lands back to our state so that Nevadans can decide how to best utilize the land. I believe that the best stewards of our precious lands are the people closest to it, who understand Nevada’s Western way of life, not bureaucrats in Washington.”
Jobs & Economy:
Heck: “I have introduced and supported legislation that reduces burdensome regulations that cost us jobs, extends tax relief to small businesses, and boosts energy production to lower prices.”
“I will continue to support reasonable regulations that protect the consumer, employees, and the environment while working to reduce burdensome federal regulations so that businesses can thrive and create good-paying jobs.”
Cortez-Masto: “I’ll work to lift Nevada’s economy by fighting for higher wages for workers, promoting innovation and small business entrepreneurship, and making Nevada even more enticing for new sectors and companies to move here.”
“It is long past time for Congress to raise the minimum wage so working Americans can feed their families off the pay they earn.”
2nd Amendment:
Cortez Masto: NRA Grade: “C”
In 2015, she led the testimony against campus carry legislation in the state legislature. Has also come out in favor of “universal” background checks and praised Obama for his executive actions on gun control.
Heck: NRA Grade: “A”
“I will fight to preserve our fundamental Constitutional right to keep and bear arms and will work with my colleagues to reduce gun violence by keeping guns out of the hands of those with a propensity to do harm.”
Healthcare:
Heck: “First we must repeal the flawed parts of the healthcare law and replace it with reforms that put the patient, not the insurance companies, at the center of our healthcare system. Next, we must reverse harmful changes the law made to Medicare. Finally, we must address our severe doctor shortage so patients can access the care they need.”
Heck opposes abortion on demand and supports protection for unborn children.
Cortez-Masto: Affordable Care Act is a “…good law. We have more people that have insurance because of it. Is it perfect? No. So where there are problems with it, and how we can fix it, and move it and improve it for everyone, that’s where it starts for me. That’s the starting point.”
“Access to birth control shouldn’t be a luxury for the people who can afford it: It’s basic health care, and we need to make sure that every woman can access the care she needs. That’s why I support the Affordability is Access Act, legislation that would require insurance companies to provide birth control at no additional cost.”
“I’m a strong believer in a woman’s right to choose and will oppose efforts to criminalize abortion.”
Immigration:
Cortez-Masto: “I support comprehensive immigration reform that secures our borders and allows millions of undocumented immigrants to come out of the shadows to earn a path to citizenship. Congress needs to do its job and pass immigration reform to keep families together.”
Heck: “Our current immigration system is broken and needs to be fixed. Under the current Administration, executive orders have been used to circumvent Congress and enact de facto immigration reform. But those orders do not provide long-term certainty because a future President could rescind or alter them. We must enact immigration reform through the legislative process in Congress.”
“There are numerous proposals that would grant citizenship or legal status to those currently here in an undocumented status and I would be willing to consider those proposals, so long as the other provisions I support are addressed in a meaningful way.”
Energy:
Heck: “I will continue to support an “all of the above” energy strategy that maximizes production to lower energy costs for consumers and create jobs with appropriate respect for our natural environment.”
“While Nevada is poised to lead our nation in renewable development, we shouldn’t penalize those that depend on fossil fuels for energy or eliminate jobs they provide. In Congress I have supported legislation to protect the coal industry from President Obama’s harmful regulations and the EPA’s overzealous rule-making.”
Cortez-Masto: “I will work to ensure we are fully utilizing Nevada’s abundance of wind, solar, and geothermal energy resources and increase investments in renewable energy technology to create green jobs here in Nevada. We must safeguard our natural resources and stop Big Oil from receiving unnecessary tax subsidies.”
U.S. Congress Dist. 4
Cresent Hardy (R)
• Born and raised in Mesquite and comes from a pioneer Virgin Valley family.
• Graduated from Virgin Valley High School.
• Graduate of Dixie State College in St. George, UT.
• Successful local businessman.
• Served on Mesquite City Council and Virgin Valley Water District Board.
• Elected to Nevada State Assembly in 2010, served for two terms.
• Ran for newly created Congressional District 4 in 2014 against incumbent Steven Horsford (D) and won.
Ruben Kihuen (D)
•Born in Mexico and moved to the US with his family when eight years old.
• Father was a laborer in Orange County CA for at ime. Family moved to Las Vegas in 1990s.
• Attended Rancho High School
• Graduated from UNLV with degree in Education.
• Involved in state Democratic Party.
• Served as Regional Representative for Senator Harry Reid.
• Elected to State Assembly in 2006 and served for two terms.
• Elected to State Senate in 2010.
Issues:
Public Lands:
Hardy: Supports the idea of putting the management of much of Nevada’s federally held land into the hands of the state. ““I’m not talking about all of the land. I’m not talking about Wilderness or National Parks or lands being used for national defense. But that leaves a lot of land still that the state should have access to in order to bring tax revenues to the state and get economic help.”
On Gold Butte: “Folks who live nearby and know that area are well aware of what needs to be done. Here we have the people who have a vested interest in, and are willing to watch over, that area. We should really enable that kind of local stewardship to happen.”
Kihuen: “I will be a voice for keeping our public lands in public hands and push for a funding increase in our land and water conservation fund to protect America’s great places.”
“I have been a long-time advocate for protecting our public lands such as Basin and Range and Gold Butte.”
Jobs & Economy:
Kihuen: “I have been a strong advocate for increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour in Nevada and I will continue to fight for an increase at the Federal level in Congress.”
“I will fight to make public colleges, universities and community colleges 100% free for all those who wish to attend.”
“I will Fight any effort to roll back Dodd-Frank and work to pass new, tough regulations on Wall Street.”
Hardy: “Employers will not invest in new businesses or expand existing ones when taxes are high and the federal government is saddling them with expensive unfunded mandates and burdensome regulations.”
“The federal government can and should be instrumental in creating a business climate in which employers are willing to invest in business expansion, new business start-ups are encouraged, and invasive regulations are kept to a minimum.”
2nd Amendment:
Hardy: NRA Grade: “A”
“I think that universal background checks aren’t going to solve the problems with crime, we need to be focused on people that have mental issues.”
Kihuen: NRA Grade: “F”
“I will fight for universal background checks for all gun sales, ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines, end the gun show and terrorist watch-list loopholes, and stand up to the NRA and the gun lobby.”
Healthcare:
Kihuen: “I am proud to have fought for an expansion in Medicaid and the successful implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) here in Nevada.”
“I will fight any attempt to repeal the ACA, demand lower prescription drug prices, give Medicare the ability to negotiate lower prices and expand Medicaid in all states to ensure that no American is uninsured because their Governor decided that ideology is more important than making healthcare available to their constituents.
Hardy: “The Federal Government should not be forcing unfunded mandates such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) upon the states. This sort of top-down legislation from the Federal Government comes with many unintended consequences, and places tremendous burden upon the businesses and employers that drive our economy. Management of healthcare policy at the state level would help to mitigate fraud and abuse, while ensuring that each state develops programs that best suit the needs of their residents. A one-size-fits-all approach does not work on an issue as complex as healthcare coverage. Reform is needed. However, the ACA is far over-reaching, expensive, and detrimental to our fragile economy.”
Immigration:
Hardy: Has criticized Obama’s executive action granting deportation relief to undocumented immigrants.
Believes Congress “has an obligation to create an opportunity for people to come here who are after the American Dream,” and said he would “do everything possible to keep families together.”
Kihuen: “There are a lot of specific policies proposals that can go into Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) and many should be worked out in a bipartisan debate on the House and Senate floors; but let me be clear about the one, non-negotiable element of CIR: a pathway to citizenship. Without a clear pathway to citizenship for those currently in the country and a reformed system for new immigrants to achieve citizenship, it simply cannot be called comprehensive and won’t get my vote. Period.
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