to tell a reporter Heck “has never stated he supports overturning Roe v. Wade, nor has he ever voted to do so.” Incidentally, no matter what Congress does, the Nevada Legislature could not “criminalize” abortion in the state without a vote of the public. Her emphasis on the issue suggests she thinks she has Heck on the defensive on an issue where Nevadans have spoken forcefully. What is not known is how important the abortion rights issue is to the voters and whether it will determine how they vote in the Senate race. One hint may come from the 1990 balloting. In that case, there were two measures on the ballot side-by-side. One was a referendum on whether to retain Nevada’s Roe-style abortion statute. The other was an initiative petition that would outlaw a state income tax. Four thousand more people wanted to be heard on abortion than income tax—316,711 to 312,414. The vote retained Nevada’s abortion law 63 to 37 percent. It also subjected the law to a voter shield, which is why the legislature cannot change it without another vote of the public.
Cortez Masto has her own handicaps in the race, though they tend to be process issues more than issues that touch people directly. As state attorney general she brought criminal charges against Nevada lieutenant governor Brian Krolicki and an aide on Dec. 4, 2008. The case involved mishandling of funds in a state account, with no money missing. The charges were thrown out of court, and Cortez Masto was accused of trying to clear the way for U.S. Sen. Harry Reid’s reelection by removing a possible opponent. In another case, Cortez Masto successfully charged Washoe County School Board members with open meeting violations after they had carefully followed their attorney’s advice, something she had promised—both in a previous case and in the state open meeting handbook—not to do to state officeholders. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, campaigning for Cortez Masto last week, attacked Heck for trivializing the impact of the mortgage crisis on the public. Heck in 2008 called it a “blip on the radar.” Nevada experienced the highest percentage of foreclosures of any state. Ω
Economic issues get less play in the race
Our full interview with candidate Heck can be read on our Newsview blog.
Thanks for coming
Cast members of The Producers, now playing at the Eldorado Resort in Reno, greet departing audience members after a performance of the play, which is based on a Mel Brooks/Gene Wilder movie. PHOTO/DENNIS MYERS
10.13.16
|
RN&R
|
9