Big Win For Ruben Kihuen In Nevada's 4th Congressional District

It was painful finding ourselves allied with crooked Nevada machine boss Harry Reid against our usual progressive allies. But there was no doubt that in Nevada's 4th congressional district-- despite endorsements from Reid and Bill Clinton-- state Senator Ruben was the best candidate to go up against Republican incumbent Cresent Hardy. Blue America endorsed him almost a year ago with great enthusiasm, even though Bernie, DFA, MoveOn, PCCC, etc all backed Lucy Flores. (For the record, we did add Lucy-- a good candidate-- to our Bernie Congress page and 302 Blue America members contributed $1,721.73 to her campaign.)

We never had any doubt that Ruben was the more solid progressive and the more talented political leader. Any doubts I had in my mind-- because of the Reid connection and because of Bernie's backing on Lucy-- were dispelled when Ruben visited me at my home and discussed the issues that have motivated him for his entire career. In him I didn't just see a guy who would vote correctly-- as Lucy would as well-- but a born leader who could develop and pass legislation, the way people like Alan Grayson and Pramila Jayapal can.

I appreciated that Lucy endorsed Bernie, but-- at least in my mind-- that didn't make her the better candidate. Records matter. Her's is good but sketchy and incomplete. Ruben's is stellar, exactly what Congress needs. A progressivish member of Congress called me and told me Blue America was making a mistake in backing Ruben and that Lucy was the way to go. His rationale was flimsy and unconvincing. Tuesday Democratic voters in Nevada's 4th congressional district went overwhelmingly for Ruben. In an 8 person race, he came in first with 39.95% of the vote. His two closest rivals were Lucy with 25.66% and the wealthy socialite establishment shill, Susie Lee-- a quintessential EMILY's List candidate, of course-- with 20.94%.

As of the May 25 FEC filing deadline, Susie Lee had raised (and self-funded) the most, $1,288,805, while, because of Bernie's backing, Lucy came in second with $985,939 and Ruben was third with $941,683. That Ruben was backed by every union in the state, made up for the short fall. In fact, labor spent $250,918 on behalf of Ruben (almost making up for the $323,331 in self-funding from Susie Lee). The DCCC actually stayed neutral in the race, probably because they wanted Susie Lee to win but knew Ruben would and feared Reid if they backed Lee. I'm sure they will endorse Ruben immediately. The Congressional Progressive Caucus should too. Voter turnout was low Tuesday. In the 4th district, around 30,000 Democrats voted and around 24,000 Republicans. It's worth mentioning that there was a much bigger Hispanic turnout than expected-- thanks, primarily, to Señor Trump and his hateful, reactionary messages. Nevada is one state the GOP can kiss buh-bye this year. If you want to see Ruben defeat Cresent Hardy in November, please consider contributing to his campaign by tapping on the Blue America thermometer below:

Does Congress Need More Corporate Lawyers? Or More Working Class Heroes?

Inspiring post by Aida Chavez at The Intercept over the weekend, Out Of Poverty And Onto The Ballot: The New Wave Of Woking-Class Candidates Trying To Take Congress. I loved the comparison she started with between David Trone, who spent $13,414,225 of his own money trying-- unsuccessfully-- to buy a House seat in Maryland. He would have been a pathetic waste of a seat-- and how lucky are Maryland and America that he was beaten bt Jamie Raskin, one of the best members of Congress! This cycle Trone has turned his efforts to another district-- abandoned by another crappy self-funding rich person, John Delaney-- and has already spent $5,281,939 of his own loot-- not counting massive bribes to the DCCC-- in a crowded 8 person primary. Chavez contrasts him with state Senator Roger Manno, who she describes as as someone who has gone "through extended bouts of homelessness, unemployment, and other economic depredations rarely found in the biographies of members of Congress."

She offers to introduce readers to candidates who, like Manno, have had "to overcome big money to get where they’re trying to go. When political parties and outside groups begin to estimate the chances that a congressional candidate has of winning a race, the first thing they look at is fundraising-- particularly money raised within the district. Those cash contributions from wealthy donors in the area serve as a proxy for support from the local elite and translate, in the party’s mind, into a high chance of victory. The process has a culling effect on the field, which has left Congress with a total net worth of at least $2.43 billion, according to the political news outlet Roll Call’s conservative estimates, with nearly 40 percent of all members being millionaires. That doesn’t mean there aren’t Democrats from poor and working-class backgrounds who run for Congress. It means that they’re often beaten back by wealthier, establishment-backed candidates who’ve been able to forge better connections. A new wave of candidates this cycle is hoping to change that." Some of the candidates she talks about are real contenders-- like James Thompson (KS), Ammar Campa-Najjar (CA), Amy Vilela (NV) and others are... long shots, if that. And some are typical conservative Democrap candidates, who, if they wind up in Congress, will make it worse, like multimillionaire, Vegas mobster-backed wave-rider, Susie Lee, supported by all the band guys-- from Harry Reid and EMILY's List to the DCCC and their phony-baloney offshoot, End Citizens United.

But she left off many of the strongest working class candidates with the best chances of winning and the best chances to help remake Congress and a badly mis-shaped Democratic Party. Besides James Thompson, I'm thinking of Mainer Jared Golden, Hawaii working class powerhouse Kaniela Ing, Oklahoma orphan Tom Guild, Alexandria Ocasio, the woman who could bring a much-needed earthquake to the Democratic Party, and, of course iron worker and union activist Randy "@IronStache" Bryce.

Why talk about Wall Street-owned New Dems Susie Lee and Angie Craig as working class heroes and leave out Ocasio, Ing and Bryce? Knock, knock, anyone home? Historically, plenty of people are born into poor families and have joined the oppressors asap-- pulling the ladder up behind them. A young Paul Ryan existed on government subsidies and then devoted his life to destroying those exact subsidies. What will Susie Lee do? Why take the chance on her or others like her who the DCCC has embraced because of their wealth, a Gil Cisneros, for example, who was born poor, won the lottery, joined the GOP, switched to the Democrats to run for office and started spreading his money around until the DCCC endorsed his conservative ass? Tomorrow is his primary and hopefully voters in CA-39 will show him and the DCCC the exit, electing a working class kid from the district, Sam Jammal, the son of two immigrant parents, instead.

Chavez understood what it means to be a New Dem when she described the conservative running against Ammar Campa-Najjar, "the 29-year-old progressive also easily won the pre-endorsement over his challenger, Josh Butner [an "ex"-Republican], who has the backing of the New Democrat Coalition PAC, which represents the pro-Wall Street camp." But when it came to Angie Craig... no mention of the New Dems-- "the New Democrat Coalition PAC, which represents the pro-Wall Street camp." And by the time Chavez got to Susie Lee, she seemed to be lauding the New Dems as a legitimate part of a coalition that saw Lee's "working-class background coupled with current wealth that inspires national support: The DCCC, EMILY’s List, the New Democrat Coalition PAC, End Citizens United, and other top Democrats..."

Some of her descriptions are valid and worthwhile. You can read them here. When it comes to solidarity, which I don't think I recall Chavez mentioning, watch this instead; watch it twice in fact--and then send it to everyone you know, especially if any of them live in Queens and the Bronx:



Or read this from Randy Bryce's campaign website:

Randy Bryce is a U.S. Army veteran, cancer survivor, and union ironworker. He joined the race for Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District because he knows first hand how working people have struggled, and he wants to ensure that the middle class is represented in D.C. again. Currently, over half of our Representatives in Congress are millionaires.

Randy was raised in southeastern Wisconsin, and went to public schools. Randy’s father was a police officer, and his mother worked in a doctor’s office. Both currently suffer from serious health issues-- his mother from multiple sclerosis, and his father from Alzheimer's. Seeing their health struggles in the face of Paul Ryan’s attempts to repeal Obamacare and attack Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, helped Randy decide to enter the race.

After high school graduation, Randy enlisted in the U.S. Army, and was posted to Honduras, where he earned the Army Achievement Medal. When he came home, he got a job working with homeless veterans, until the government stopped funding the program. After that, like a lot of veterans, Randy struggled to find work and ultimately took two full time jobs just to get by. Many years later, that experience led Randy to help found the Wisconsin Veterans Chamber of Commerce.

In his late 20s, Randy was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Despite working two jobs, he didn’t have health insurance. So, the bills bankrupted him. The doctors also told him it was unlikely he could ever have children. While he was in recovery, Randy found his way to an apprenticeship as an ironworker, which he describes as his ticket to the middle class. His career as an ironworker allowed him to exit bankruptcy and provide health insurance for his son Ben, who now attends public school like his Dad did.

Grateful for all the union had given him, Randy became an active member, and helped organize the resistance to Governor Scott Walker’s Act 10, which worked to destroy teachers and other public sector unions in the state. After that loss, Randy realized he couldn’t sit on the sidelines anymore and he’s been fighting for working families ever since.

Kaniela Ing has been one of the effective tribunes for the working class, not just in Hawaii's legislature but in any legislature in America. His campaign website says he's "an unlikely politician. He doesn't come from money or power. Kaniela is a first-generation college graduate." Watch this video and listen to how he describes himself. It's downright inspiring:



Similarly, Jared Golden returned to Maine from the Marines where he fought on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan, and was elected to the state legislature where he's risen to be Majority Whip. His record shows he's done the opposite of what Paul Ryan has done-- not hauling up the ladder of opportunity but expanding it. A working class kid made good, he's built a record of success fighting for middle- and working-class people. As his campaign website explains, "He has fought passionately for expanded access to healthcare, stronger unions, fairer wages, cleaner energy, better environmental standards, equal rights for women and minorities, and lower prescription medication costs for Maine’s seniors. Jared continues to stand up for his community and his beliefs, and he has been able to deliver real results to the people he was elected to serve." His opponents are a Wall Street Republican, Blue Poliquin, and a well-connected Democrat, Lucas St. Clair, who inherited a fortune from a craven mother who stole it from Burt's Bees.

Tom Guild's life story is heart-wrenching and it's what turned him into a devoted progressive. This video explains it and where he's coming from and what he's offering to Oklahoma voters:



And obviously, this is prone to happen even more in statewide races, which are much more expensive than congressional races. Today Palm Beach billionaire Jeff Greene s officially entered the Democratic primary race for Florida governor, a race filled with multimillionaires and billionaires. There's one exception. Andrew Gillum is the son of a bus driver and construction worker. Do Florida Democrats want to be inspired-- or are they happy being bought by millionaires and billionaires. If ideas and records of accomplishment and public service mean anything, Gillum will win. If Florida Democrats keep nominating centrist, uninspiring candidates for Governor and expect to break the GOP’s 20-year winning streak they're in for another rude awakening on the evening of August 28.

Tomorrow Is Primary Day For Nevada Congressional Races

Tomorrow's hot primary contests are in Nevada, where the Democrats hope to take back the state in November. They have a lot of work to do but it certainly starts in NV-04, most of whose population lives in North Las Vegas. As we mentioned a few weeks ago, there are 3 main candidates, two of whom-- Ruben Kihuen and Lucy Flores-- are good bets and one, Susie Lee, who represents all the worst of the Democratic Party. The winner of the primary will take on a weak Republican incumbent, Cresent Hardy, in a blue district that fell to the Republicans in 2014 because of Steve Israel's incompetence and racism. The Las Vegas Sun ran a preview by Megan Messerly of what to watch for in NV-04 tomorrow. "Democrats," she reminds us, "currently outnumber Republicans in the district by about 33,000," a district which covers the northern portion of Clark County as well as part of Lyon County and all of Esmeralda, Lincoln, Mineral, Nye and White Pine counties. And a lot of the Democrats there were inspired to register to vote by that volcano of racism, Donald Trump.

On the manicured, palm-lined streets of Sun City Summerlin, Kihuen made another attempt Monday afternoon to reach seasoned voters he hadn’t managed to catch in January. He said that when he started canvassing at the beginning of the year, no one knew who he was. He has been in politics for 10 years-- first as a state assemblyman and now as state senator-- but legislators often have little name recognition.

Polling showed the same thing: a February poll by Public Policy Polling showed Flores in the lead with 29 percent support, 9 percent for Lee, 7 percent for Oceguera and 6 percent for Kihuen. Though Flores is a former assemblywoman, a 2014 run for lieutenant governor had given her name recognition across the state.

“At first, people had no idea who I was, so it was just a general introduction,” Kihuen said. “Now they say, ‘Hey, you’re the guy that Sen. (Harry) Reid and Bill Clinton are endorsing.’”

One woman whose door Kihuen knocked on Monday afternoon said something to that effect, telling him she'd heard “nothing but good things.”

Kihuen isn’t shy about sharing his endorsements. Reid endorsed his campaign in September, and Kihuen’s first television ad was narrated almost entirely by the veteran senator. When Clinton’s endorsement came a couple of weeks ago, it became a focal point of a second ad.

He also has the backing of several prominent labor unions, including the Culinary Union, SEIU Local 1107, and the Nevada State AFL-CIO. Campaign-finance records show that the Culinary Union’s parent union has contributed about $230,000 to Kihuen's TV ad production/air time and mailers, and that SEIU has given about $13,000 in staff time and other expenses. The unions are also devoting significant volunteer hours to phone-banking and canvassing efforts on Kihuen’s behalf. All of that helps to balance out the fact that he’s raised the least out of his opponents, about $930,000 in total contributions.

But those are the kinds of details that don’t come up at the door.

Just around the corner from Cheyenne High School in North Las Vegas, Flores was out in the brutal heat on Tuesday afternoon with her niece Vivian.

She knocked on one door and talked to a woman who said she hadn’t decided who to vote for, but it was between Flores and Kihuen. Flores shared her story-- how her mother left when she was little, that she fell in with the wrong crowd and ended up in juvenile detention, but then got her GED, went to college, became a lawyer and then a state legislator. A few minutes later, the woman told Flores she could count on her vote, her husband’s vote and her daughter’s vote.

Flores has framed herself as the most progressive of the candidates, but it didn't come up in any of her conversations that afternoon. She endorsed Bernie Sanders for president and has received the endorsements of several notable progressive groups, including Planned Parenthood and NARAL. Planned Parenthood has spent about $2,000 in staff time and printing expenses for door hangers in Flores’ race so far.

Notably, Flores was snubbed by EMILY’s List, which helps pro-choice Democratic women get elected. The group had endorsed her in her bid for lieutenant governor, but this time chose Lee. She also wasn’t endorsed by Reid, who had seen promise in her two years ago as well. “Demographically, she’s perfect: Young, dynamic, Hispanic,” Reid said at the time.

Flores is thankful for her endorsements, but downplayed their importance at the door. “When you take away the fancy endorsements and advertisements and mailers, I’m the most effective legislator on the ticket and who works the hardest,” she told one resident.

Flores is also thankful for the support she’s received from Sanders, who sent out several fundraising solicitations on her behalf, bringing hundreds of thousands of dollars to her campaign. Early in the race, Flores trailed in the fundraising game-- one of the reasons EMILY’s List cited in not endorsing her-- but quickly caught up to have the second-highest fundraising total in the primary, $985,000.

“It’s been liberating,” Flores said of the Sanders money pitches. “I don’t have to be locked up in a room making fundraising calls, and I have no indebtedness or allegiance to anyone but voters.”

And then there's the Democratic villain in the primary, worthless multimillionaire Susie Lee, the candidate of the casino owners. The worry, of cours, is that the two progressives will split the vote and Lee will wind up winning, in which case, general election voters will get to pick between tweedle dee and tweedle dum. Vicious, entitled and negative, Lee has "attacked Kihuen and Flores as 'career politicians.' Her first television ad featured her walking among cardboard cutouts that say 'empty suit,' 'all about me' and 'running again.' She's poured hundreds of thousands of her own dollars into the campaign and her plan was always to drown Lucy and Ruben out with her expensive, negative ads, although there have been indications that her negativity has backfired on her and that she will come in a distant third tomorrow. As of the May 25 FEC reporting deadline, she had spent $1,019,386 and was preparing to spend at least another quarter million. Lucy had spent $748,150 and Ruben had spent $784,404. The only big outside spending in the race came from labor-- around $250,000 on behalf of Ruben.

If Lucy wins tomorrow, it will be the first time a congressional candidate Bernie explicitly backed came in first. It's a complicated race, though, because a case can easily be made that Ruben is not just more effective but also more progressive than Lucy. Labor is united behind him and if he wins, it will be primarily because of that backing. The key, though, is to prevent Susie Lee from taking a blue seat and swinging the Democratic Party further in the wrong direction.

Two Good Candidates In NV-04-- Let's Hope They Don't Cancel Each Other Out And Help Elect A Rich ConservaDem

Ruben Kihuen, Lucy Flores

It's been almost a year since Blue America took at look at the Democratic candidates lining up to run against Republican incumbent Cresent Hardy in NV-04 (a Blue district the DCCC managed to blunder into losing in 2014) and we endorsed the proven, accomplished progressive in the race, state Senator Ruben Kihuen. Although it's a huge, sprawling district, most of the population lives in North Las Vegas and Dems have a substantial and growing registration advantage, 46-33%. Obama beat McCain there 56-41% and then beat Romney 54-44%. No one could lose a district like that to the Republicans... except Steve Israel and his DCCC brain-trust.

There are 3 viable Democrats competing in a primary that will be decided June 14, Berniecrat Lucy Flores, a former Assemblywoman, wealthy socialite Susie Lee, the candidate of the casino owners and Ruben, who is backed by labor (as well as by Blue America). Unfortunately he's also been backed by the Reid Machine and, as of this week, by Bill Clinton. We're not holding that against him for one simple reason: his record of accomplishment. Promises and fancy speeches aren't meaningless but a record of accomplishment trumps everything else.

Although neither Clinton nor his wife are, the former president told Democratic voters in Nevada that "Ruben is a progressive champion and the kind of leader our party needs now more than ever... an experienced legislator with proven results." Ruben had already endorsed Hillary and Lucy had endorsed the actual progressive running against her. Bernie returned the favor by helping Lucy raise around $400,000 with an enthusiastic endorsement. Blue America is raising money for her (as well as for Ruben), in her case on the Bernie Congress ActBlue page, where she has been one of the most popular candidates, having taken in $1,591.09 from 271 contributors, about the same that Ruben has taken in from 220 contributors on the Blue America main congressional page, $1,845.58.

Ruben ran for the Nevada Assembly in 2006, beating corrupt conservative incumbent Bob McCleary in a tight primary. In 2010 he was elected to the state Senate, where he served as majority whip. The bills he's associated with, as a writer or sponsor, include SJR8 to raise the state's minimum wage to $15. So that's a bill be wrote and pounded through the Senate-- on the record and undeniable, yet some of the Bernie followers, thinking that only candidates who support Bernie can possibly favor the $15 minimum wage, deny this piece of history. He also wrote and was the chief sponsor for SB190, a bill that cracks down on employers paying women less than men for the same work and making it illegal for them to discriminate against anyone for discussing or inquiring about another person's wages. He was one of the key sponsors of SB259 which requires employers to provide paid sick leave to their employees and he wrote and was the chief sponsor for SB227, which creates a grant program for low income students attending Nevada State colleges and community colleges, providing them with up to $5,500 a year to help them pay for school.

Progressives need to beat the conservative establishment candidate, Susie Lee, not lie about each other. Lots of solid progressives back Lucy; at Blue America, we do too. But for a Bernie supporter to yammer on about how Ruben isn't a progressive is absurd, untrue and an example of pure ignorance. Ruben was endorsed by the AFL-CIO, AFSCME, the NEA, Nevada's powerful Culinary Union, Raúl Grijalva (the first member of Congress to endorse and campaign for Bernie) and Xavier Becerra (a Clinton supporter), as well as by Blue America. Lucy was endorsed by DFA, NARAL, MoveOn and the PCCC. Several DC progressive groups have been unable to choose between the two. People for the America Way was enthusiastic enough about each of them that they endorsed both! Michael Keegan, PFAW president, told us that "Lucy Flores and Ruben Kihuen are strong progressives who are committed to reducing the influence of money in politics, passing comprehensive immigration reform, and investing in public education. Voters in the 4th district have two strong choices when it comes to congressional candidates who will move our country on critical issues like these. While the current representative in Nevada’s fourth district, Cresent Hardy, has compared legislation to protect LGBT people from workplace discrimination to segregation laws and supported Mitt Romney’s infamous 47% insult, both Flores and Kihuen have made clear that they’ll stand up for all Americans."

We're talking about two excellent candidates and, for some reason, a wretched and rich conservative (Susie Lee) who hasn't been backed by the shitheads at the DCCC. There are strong rumors that the Chamber of Commerce, eager to protect Hardy, is preparing a big money attack against Ruben, fearing that he would be the most effective Democratic candidate. I'm curious to know which one DWT readers prefer. "Vote" for Lucy at the thermometer on the right or for Ruben at the thermometer on the left:

Nevada Electoral Action Is High In Las Vegas This Year-- Churn, Churn, Churn

Right-wing lunatic Cresent Hardy (left) is sporting a hipster look for his 2018 congressional run

The population of Nevada is 2,940,058. The population of Clark County (the Las Vegas Metro) is 2,155,664. That's where the state's people live. (The only other county with a significant number of people is Washoe--Reno and Sparks-- with 446,903 people.) Clark County elects 3 of Nevada's 4 members of Congress and last year there was turnover as voters ousted a GOP incumbent, Cresent Hardy, in NV-04, with Democrat Ruben Kihuen, and replaced Republican JoeHeck, who left his NV-03 House seat to run, unsuccessfully for the Senate, with Jacky Rosen. Kihuen ran as an unabashed progressive but joined the New Dems, ran up a miserable voting record (ProgressivePunch rates him a "D") and was forced to retire after being caught molesting women. Jacky Rosen is worse. She ran as a nothing and ran up one of the worst voting records in Congress-- ProgressivePunch rates her an "F"-- which, of course attracted Chuck Schumer's attention, who offered to back her in the Senate race against Republican Dean Heller.

That means the same two Clark County seats that flipped red to blue in 2016 are up for grabs again this year. Obama won both districts both rimes he ran. In 2016 Hillary and Trump had close elections. Trump won NV-03 47.5% to 46.5% and Hillary won NV-04 with a more comfortable 49.5% to 44.6%. The 3rd flipped from an even PVI to an R+2 and the 4th went from a PVI of D+4 to a D+3. This cycle's DCCC candidates includes extremely wealthy Mob-connected socialite Susie Lee among their shitty candidate in the list of disastrous Red to Blue program. She's beyond horrible and when she ran in 2016 (in the 4th district primary) she spent the most money ($1,492,274, of which $674,805 came out of her own bank account) and came in a distant 3rd behind Kihuen and Berniecrat Lucy Flores. So far there are 7 candidates running as Democrats in NV-03-- Lee (who was endorsed by EMILY's List and has no issues on her website, Jack Love, Hermon Farahi, Richard Hart, Guy Pinjuv, Steve Schiffman (who seems to be running for mayor of Jerusalem, not for the U.S. Congress) and Michael Weiss (who sounds like a Berniecrat)-- and 6 candidates running as Republicans-- Victoria Seaman, Scott Hammond, David McKeon, Eddie Hamilton Stephanie Jones, and Michelle Mortensen. Some of them may have dropped out by now. By the end of the 3rd quarter only 5 had raised any money:

• Susie Lee (D)- $315,178
• Victoria Seaman (R)- $114,008
• Scott Hammond (R)- $51,700
• David McKeon (R)- $39,695
• Jack Love (D)- $10,950

Now let's look at the 4th district, the bluer one, to replace the disgraced Kihuen. Democrats in the race so far include state Senator Patricia Spearman, Berniecrat Amy Vilela and high school principal John Anzalone. There has been constant chatter that both Steven Horsford, the district’s first representative (who was defeated by Cresent Hardy in 2014) and North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee, are also about to jump into the race. On the Republican side, GOP frontrunner Las Vegas City Councilman Stavros Anthony just announced he's getting out of the race, presumably to make way for Hardy, the ex-Congressman Kihuen had defeated in 2016. Anthony had already raised $141,145 by the end of the third quarter and probably as much by the end of the 4th (which hasn't been reported yet).

Republican Triage Hits Nevada

Two weeks ago we took a quick peak at how the NRCC had begun the triage process. I completely forgot serial loser Danny Tarkanian. Tarkanaian started running for office in 2004, when he ran for state Senate. He lost. Two years later he ran for Secretary of State. He lost. Then it was U.S. Senate in 2010, He lost. He ran for Congress in 2012 (and again in 2016). He lost both times. He ran for the state Education System in 2014. He lost. This year he decided to challenge Republican incumbent Dean Heller for the GOP Senate nomination. But, when polling showed him losing-- and when Trump told him not to run against Heller-- he pulled out and decided to run for the open congressional seat in NV-03. The last time he ran in the 3rd, this is what happened:

• Jacky Rosen- 146,869 (47.23%)
• Danny Tarkanian- 142,926 (45.96%)

On that same day Trump beat Hillary in that district by a full point.



His opponent in the R+2 district is New Dem and socialite Susie Lee, a really heinous, dreadful candidate, though perhaps not as heinous and dreadful as Tarkanian. As of June 30 she had raised $2,129,227 to his $1,186,612. They both won their June 12 primaries convincingly, Lee with 25,475 votes (66.9%) and Tarkanian with 15,257 votes (44.1%). 38,073 Democrats voted in the primary-- primarily because Trump had endorsed him-- but just 34,572 Republicans showed up. And that brings us to Jon Ralston's report that the NRCC had decided, despite Trump's backing to Tarkanian-- to toss him overboard. Aware they're going to lose their House majority, the NRCC wants to preserve their resources for candidates who can win. In their view, that doesn't include Tarkanian. They're putting their Nevada resources behind Cresent Hardy in his NV-04 race instead. In that re-run of the 2012 election, former Congressman Steve Horsford has raised $682,449 and former Congressman Cresent Hardy has raised $415,967. Unions have already spent $695,078 supporting Horsford and the NRCC is well aware they're going to have to drop millions of dollars into the district and feel they can't spend it in both the 3rd and the 4th.

Ralston found the decision to drop Tarkanian and stick with Hardy odd, "considering the difference in district demographics: In CD-04, where Hardy is trying to reclaim his old seat from the man he defeated four years ago, Steven Horsford, Democrats have a 9 percentage-point lead. In CD-03, where Tarkanian is taking on Democrat Susie Lee, Democrats have only a 2 percentage-point edge."

What this decision means practically is that whatever ad reservations and money already has been laid down in the market by the NRCC will not be split between the two districts but funnelled into the CD-04 race-- and all future investment will be to help Hardy.

Of course, if polling warrants, this decision is not irrevocable. But this withdrawal of support is a devastating blow to Tarkanian, who already is in a huge financial hole to Lee and needs outside help to be competitive monetarily and on the airwaves.

I’m told the NRCC has polling that shows both races close and thus could have made sound arguments for investing solely in either one. But this decision is a clear sign that the NRCC believes in Hardy and also has data that indicates:

1. Tarkanian, who has never won a race, is…Tarkanian; and 2. Horsford has identifiable vulnerabilities, some of which were exploited when Hardy beat him in 2014 in one of the biggest upsets in Nevada annals.

This will become evident in mid-September when the airwave ad glut takes hold here and elsewhere. House GOP strategists are optimistic that control could come down to a handful of seats, and Nevada is one of the few places they can play offense instead of defense (two open Democratic seats) so naturally they want to focus all of their energies and resources on one race so as to not dilute their efforts.

Clearly the NRCC wasn't just looking at the odds. 2 in 7 (27.4%) is pretty piss poor odds to gamble on:

But 1 in 7 (15.2%  is far worse:

In the other big Nevada races, a new Suffolk poll shows Democrat Steve Sisolak with a 2 point lead over Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt in the governor's race, and conservative Democrat Jacky Rosen leading incumbent Dean Heller (R) by less than a percentage point in the Senate race. Trump's statewide approval/disapproval rating is 46/50%.

Why Exactly Today's House Democrats Never Fail To Disappoint

Last cycle, Pelosi's dreadfully corrupt-- as in just like a GOP pay-to-play outfit-- SuperPAC, the House Majority PAC, spent $72,107,669, very little of it supporting progressives and almost all of it supporting New Dems and Blue Dogs from the Republican wing of the Democratic Party. These were the 26 candidates who got the most help-- over a million dollars from Pelosi (and not counting the money the DCCC spent in these districts). The letter grade after their name is from ProgressivePunch of their voting records so far:

• Harley Rouda (New Dem-CA)- $3,805,387-- F
• Kim Schrier (New Dem-WA)- $3,208,288-- F
• Gil Cisneros (New Dem-CA)- $3,165,740-- F
• Andy Kim (NJ)- $3,082,713-- F
• Josh Harder (New Dem-CA)- $2,953,370-- F
• Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (New Dem-FL)- $2,623,646-- D
• Antonio Delgado (D-NY)- $2,623,610-- F
• Colin Allred (New Dem-TX)- $2,584,185-- F
• Anthony Brindisi (Blue Dog-NY)- $2,524,001-- F
• Tom Malinowski (New Dem-NJ)- $2,456,302-- F
• Sean Casten (New Dem-IL)- $2,274,909-- D
• Katie Hill (New Dem-CA)- $2,093,513-- F
• Mike Levin (D-CA)- $1,926526-- C
• Elissa Slotkin (New Dem-MI)- $1,813,501-- F
• Susie Lee (New Dem-NV)- $1,645,841-- F
• Betsy Dirksen Londrigan (IL)- $1,571,733-- Lost
• Mikie Sherrill (Blue Dog-NJ)- $1,559,959-- F
• Haley Setevens (New Dem-MI)- $1,461,966-- F
• Lauren Underwood (D-IL)- $1,436,761-- F
• Cindy Axne (New Dem-IA)- $1,385,313-- F
• Dana Balter (NY)- $1,362,961-- Lost
• Abigail Spanberger (Blue Dog-VA)- $1,333,500-- F
• Katie Porter (D-CA)- $1,289,315-- F
• Dean Phillips (New Dem-MN)- $1,273,983-- F
• Steven Horsford (New Dem-NV)- $1,165,611-- F
• Jason Crow (New Dem-CO)- $1,078,673-- F

So far this year Pelosi's SuperPAC had raised-- as of the February 29 FEC reporting deadline-- $45,987,776. They handed out $2,500 to 43 incumbents who claim to be in danger. Almost all of them are terrible members of Congress. One example happens to be Jeff Van Drew, who was a Republican-lite Blue Dog at the time and soon after getting the check got rid of the "lite" and "Blue Dog" and officially joined the Republican Party. One of the things most of them have in common are grotesquely conservative voting records. These are the 42 who are still-- as of this writing-- in the Democratic Party, again with their ProgressivePunch voting score.

• Colin Allred (New Dem-TX)-- F
• Cindy Axne (New Dem-IA)-- F
• Antony Brindisi (Blue Dog-NY)-- F
• Matt Cartwright (D-PA)-- A
• Sean Casten (New Dem-IL)-- D
• Gil Cisneros (New Dem-CA)-- F
• TJ Cox (New Dem-CA)-- F
• Angie Craig (New Dem-MN)-- F
• Jason Crow (New Dem-CO)-- F
• Sharice Davids (New Dem-KS)-- F
• Antonio Delgado (D-NY)-- F
• Abby Finkenauer (D-IA)-- F
• Lizzie Fletcher (New Dem-TX)-- F
• Jared Golden (D-ME)-- F
• Josh Gottheimer (Blue Dog-NJ)-- F
• Josh Harder (New Dem-CA)-- F
• Jahana Hayes (D-CT)-- B
• Katie Hill (New Dem-CA)-- F
• Kendra Horn (Blue Dog-OK)-- F
• Steven Horsford (New Dem-NV)-- F
• Andy Kim (D-NJ)-- F
• Conor Lamb (D-PA)-- F
• Susie Lee (New Dem-NV)-- F
• Mike Levin (D-CA)-- C
• Elaine Luria (New Dem-VA)-- F
• Tom Malinowski (New Dem-NJ)-- F
• Ben McAdams (Blue Dog-UT)-- F
• Lucy McGrath (New Dem-GA)-- F
• Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (New Dem-FL)-- D
• Tom O'Halleran (Blue Dog-AZ)-- F
• Chris Pappas (New Dem-NH)-- C
• Katie Porter (D-CA)-- F
• Max Rose (Blue Dog-NY)-- F
• Harley Rouda (New Dem-CA)-- F
• Kim Schrier (New Dem-WA)-- F
• Mikie Sherrill (Blue Dog-NJ)-- F
• Elissa Slotkin (New Dem-MI)-- F
• Xochitl Torres Small (Blue Dog-NM)-- F
• Abigail Spanberger (Blue Dog-VA)-- F
• Haley Stevens (New Dem-MI)-- F
• Lauren Underwood (D-IL)-- F
• Susan Wild (New Dem-PA)-- F

The grades in red indicate that the member might as well join DCCC fave Jeff Van Drew in the Republican Party-- since they vote with the GOP so often. You may have noticed that none-- as in not one-- of the progressive freshmen is on the list, even though several have difficult and challenging reelections.

Pelosi's PAC also spent $5401,839 trying to help the right of center candidate, Christy Smith, in the CA-25 primary.

This week, the PAC booked $51 millions in TV ads for the November election, again, primarily going to conservative incumbents from the Republican wing of the party and almost entirely ignoring progressives (with the exception of Matt Cartwright).

• Minneapolis: $6,756,785 (not for Ilhan Omar, who is facing an avalanche of dirty money, but for two conservative New Dems, Angie Craig and multimillionaire Dean Phillips)
• Philadelphia: $6,130,195 (for protecting Andy Kim, Madeleine Dean and possibly Chrissy Houlahan and Mary Gay Scanlon)
• Atlanta: $4,485,505 (primarily to protect Lucy McBath and for whichever Democrat wins the GA-07 primary)
• Detroit: $4,456,640 (not be helping to protect either Rashida Tlaib or Andy Levin, but just conservatives Haley Stevens and Elissa Slotkin)
• Las Vegas: $3,493,525 (Susie Lee and Steven Horsford)
• Miami: $3,290,080 (Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and possibly Donna Shalala)
• Cedar Rapids: $2,241,105 (Abby Finkenauer)
• Houston: $2,205,190 (Lizzie Fletcher)
• Boston: $1,965,310 (Chris Pappas)
• San Antonio, Texas: $1,622,480 (challengers Gina Ortiz Jones and Wendy Davis)
• Des Moines: $1,410,695 (Cindy Axne)
• Portland: $1,313,085 (Jared Golden)
• Wilkes-Barre: $1,401,735 (Matt Cartwright)
• Dallas: $1,128,300 (Colin Allred)
• Norfolk, Va: $1,116,650 (Elaine Luria)
• Phoenix: $1,106,115 (Tom O'Halleran)
• Richmond: $1,095,275 (Abigail Spanberger)
• Pittsburgh: $1,014,970 (Conor Lamb)
• Harrisburg: $975,620 (challenger Eugene DePasquale)
• Lansing: $913,735 (Elissa Slotkin and possibly wretched Blue Dog challenger Gretchen Driskell)
• Omaha: $895,940 (Cindy Axne)
• Quad Cities: $845,760 (open blue seat)
• Bangor: $751,650 (Jared Golden)
• Rochester, MN: $486,915 (challenger Dan Feehan)
• El Paso: $202,546- (Xochitl Torres Small)
• Fargo: $200,580- (Colin Peterson)
• Mankato: $122,515 (challenger Dan Freehan)
• Presque Isle: $89,760- (Jared Golden)
• Ottumwa, Iowa: $40,920- (open blue seat)

You know what's amazing about this list? Pelosi was a founding member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, along with Bernie, and-- I shit you not-- long, long ago was actually a progressive and used progressives to build her power base. She is now literally an anti-progressive and nothing progressive will ever happen in the House until she retires or... whatever.

Turning The House Democrats In A Progressive Direction-- One District At A Time: NV-04

Yesterday the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union (AFSCME) endorsed Ruben Kihuen for Congress in NV-04, a district that stretches from North Las Vegas up the 15 and 93 freeways to the Utah border to the east and past Ely in the north, and up the 95 freeway past Walk Lake, Schurz and Yerington, although something like 85% of the votes cast in the district come from Clark County in the south. NV-04 is nearly a third Latino and 14% black. Obama beat McCain 130,602 (56%) to 95,777 (41%) and beat Romney 4 years later 136,124 (54%) to 109,329 (44%). The only reason there's a Republican incumbent, Cresent Hardy, is because racist pig Steve Israel refused to help African-American Democratic incumbent Steve Horsford in 2014. Hardy won 49-46%.

There's a spirited primary between Democrats, featuring Kihuen, the progressive state senator backed by Blue America, Susie Lee, a multimillionaire socialite backed by shady casino interests, former conservative Assembly Speaker John Oceguera and former Assemblywoman Lucy Flores, like Kihuen, a progressive. Flores and Oceguera haven't been able to raise money and labor has gotten behind Kihuen, AFSCME being his 9th union endorsement.

Lee and Kihuen have been able to raise significant money, Lee from her wealthy friends and Kihuen from the grassroots. According to the Las Vegas Sun, "Lee reported raising $160,000 in net contributions, bringing her total amount of cash in the bank to $647,000. That includes $150,000 in personal loans Lee has made to her campaign... Kihuen raised $152,000 and has $373,000 on hand. Kihuen said in a statement that he was “humbled” by the support, adding, “I am more confidant than ever that we will have the resources to win the primary and defeat Congressman Hardy in November."

Coming in at third, former Assembly Speaker John Oceguera raised $53,000 last quarter, bringing him to $204,000 in cash on hand. His total includes $100,000 in loans he has made to his campaign. Former Assemblywoman Lucy Flores came in last in fundraising numbers, at $51,000 last quarter with $84,000 on hand."

Ironically, Lee claims to understand working families but she is very much a part of the wealthy and elite that controls Congress and that has rigged the system against those working families. She owns 17 homes, worth close to $10 Million spread out not just around Las Vegas but also in Missouri, Connecticut, and Wyoming. This is her main home on Soaring Court in Las Vegas. I suspect she can't really understand the plight and struggle of working class families and that lack of understanding manifested itself pretty clearly in a quote she gave in the Nevada State Bank's High Networth Fall Report last year (while she was a candidate): "I contend that the recession, while it was devastating for many families and still has negative ramifications for many, had a silver lining." That's the kind of cold, dehumanizing quote you can only give if you know you have no fear of losing your job, defaulting on your mortgage, not being able to feed your kids or send them to college. We have more than enough of that in Congress today.

As you could probably guess, she and her husband, Daniel Lee, have contributed thousands of dollars to Republican politicians, particularly to perverted right-wing Senator John Ensign-- over $11,000-- but also to Bob Dole, John McCain, Alfonse D’Amato and New Jersey Rep. Frank LoBiondo.

In contrast, Ruben Kihuen is a working class guy with a record in the state legislature of working to ameliorate the economic inequality for Nevadans. He's the only one in the race who can back his platform promises up with accomplishments. "Since being elected," he told us, "I have fought hard for progressive values. I stood up on the floor of the Senate for marriage equality and presented the bill to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour. I am most proud of my bill to create the Silver State Opportunity Plan to provide grants to low-income students who want to go to college... A lot of candidates talk a progressive talk but my record in the legislature shows I get progressive results... [W]e must protect Social Security and Medicare from the near constant attacks from Republicans in Congress. I will stand up every day to protect the promise we made to our seniors. I will fight against any attempt to privatize Social Security, voucherize Medicare or raise the retirement age. Period."

If you'd like to help make sure Nevada replaces right-wing nut Cresent Hardy with a proven progressive leader, please consider a contribution to Ruben Kihuen's campaign on the Blue America ActBlue page.

Biden, Just Like The DCCC, Really Hates Progressives And Progressive Ideas

Although it was certainly predictable, Katie Porter has been distinguishing herself as one of the best of the 2018 freshmen. She joined the progressive caucus, dominates on his committee and avoided the sleazy Wall Street-allied New Dems and Blue Dogs. So... she's exactly what the DCCC wasn't looking for. And they predicted it too-- which is why all their primary heft lined up behind weak centrist and corporate shill Dave Min, an especially bad candidate the DCCC loved but voters didn't. In the primary, Katie beat Min and the DCCC-- 34,078 to 29,979, despite Min having spent $1.1 million against her, much of it in non-stop DCCC-type smears against progressives.

Once Porter beat their preferred candidate, the DCCC was slow to get behind her-- and when they did...not so much (around $3,000,000, much at the end after it became apparent she was going to win)... and certainly not in the way that they spent to support the reactionary Blue Dogs and New Dems they spent almost all their money on. When they really back a candidate, no one doubts it. These were the top 5 DCCC/House Majority PAC candidates for 2018-- all New Dems and Blue Dogs:

• Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (New Dem-FL)- $7,284,383
• Susie Lee (New Dem-NV)- $5,952,363
• Josh Harder (New Dem-CA)- $5,281,775
• Kim Schrier (New Dem-WA)- $4,833,334
• Anthony Brindisi (Blue Dog-NY)- $4,803,412

Still, Katie won in a much tougher district than most DCCC targets-- 158,906 (52.1%) to 146,383 (47.9%). CA-45 (southern and central Orange County) had a PVI of R+3. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell's district is a D+6, Kim Schrier's and Josh Harder's are even, Susie Lee's is R+3 and just Brindisi's is a tough one (R+6). So why bring this up now? Status Quo Joe was on CNN with Chris Cuomo yesterday regurgitating deceitful DCCC talking points about how progressives, like Katie Porter, can't win in swing districts. The disgusting asshole and congenital liar Biden: "Guess what, look who won the races. Look who won last time out... Mainstream Democrats who are very progressive on social issues and very strong on education and healthcare."

Mainstream Democrats? Progressives are mainstream Democrats. Biden defines the Republican wing of the Democratic party. He isn't a mainstream Democrat. And the New Dems and Blue Dogs he's so excited about having won? In most cases, the DCCC crushed progressives and installed these crap candidates in seats any anti-Trump Democrat would have won last year. Katie's win over first the conservative DCCC candidate and then the GOP incumbent prove that.

Biden has always hated progressives, now more than ever. He opposes Medicare-for-All, the Green New Deal, and pretty much everything progressives back. His kind of middle-of-the-road politics is what led directly to Trump.

Listen to Biden's defensive gobbly-gook and bullshit:

Biden, speaking with CNN's Chris Cuomo in Des Moines, Iowa, suggested that "Medicare for All" is irrational, argued that the majority of Democrats are "center left" not "way left," and said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, while "brilliant" and "bright," did not represent Democrats who can win a general election in a competitive district or state.

The interview made clear that Biden, who is facing criticism from the left of the party amid an increasingly contentious Democratic primary, does not feel the need to sway to the left to capture the party's base and, instead, hopes to set himself apart by embracing his moderation.

Biden backed up that confidence by pointing to the 2018 midterm elections, where a host of swing districts were won by more moderate Democrats.

"That's what this election is about. I'm happy to debate that issue and all those issues with my friends because guess what, look who won the races. Look who won last time out," Biden said. "By the way, I think Ocasio-Cortez is a brilliant, bright woman, but she won a primary. In the general election fights, who won? Mainstream Democrats who are very progressive on social issues and very strong on education and healthcare."

Ocasio-Cortez has risen to liberal stardom after she unseated Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley in New York's 14th Congressional District primary in 2018. After winning the general election easily in a reliably Democratic district, Ocasio-Cortez has swept into Congress and pushed a litany of progressive policies, all while garnering considerable media attention.

Biden's comments on Ocasio-Cortez get at the heart of a debate inside the Democratic Party: While liberal icons, including a number of newly elected members, grab headlines, the party swept into the majority in the House on the backs of more moderate members who won in swing districts.

"I wish I'd been labeled as moderate when I was running in Delaware back in the day," Biden joked.

Describing the party, the former vice president said, "Look, it's center left, that's where I am. Where it's not is way left."

Biden's clearest policy difference with the left-- health care-- was evident during the interview, too.

"I have a plan how to do that that's rational, that will cost a hell of a lot less and that will work," Biden said about health care, slamming Medicare for All, the liberal-backed proposal that would mandate Medicare as the single-payer system for all Americans. Biden, despite talking about health care on the trail, has yet to roll out a formal plan, but a number of his Democratic opponents in 2020, like Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, have fully embraced Medicare for All.

Biden said he would not abolish private insurance but would offer Medicare as "an option for anybody who in fact wants to buy into Medicare for All."

"But if they like their employer-based insurance, which a lot of unions broke their neck to get, a lot of people like theirs, they shouldn't have to give it up," Biden said.

The former vice president added that if Medicare for All were to pass, the country would "have 300 million people landing on a health care plan. How long is that going to take? What's it going to do?"

But that was not the extent of Biden's disagreements on policy with the left of the party.

The former vice president also said he doesn't believe "in the way" that other Democratic presidential hopefuls are proposing most liberal policies, including tuition-free college with the cancellation of all student loan debt.

He also took issue with decriminalizing crossing the border without documentation, an idea first floated by former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro as a way to stop separating families at the US-Mexico border.

"No, I don't. No, I don't," Biden said when asked if he agreed with the plan. "I think people should have to get in line, but if people are coming because they're actually seeking asylum, they should have a chance to make their case."

Biden's task is now to convince Americans that his brand of politics has a better chance of defeating President Donald Trump in 2020.

One way that many Democrats believe he could better his chances is by picking a woman as his possible vice president, should he win the nomination.

Biden said he didn't want to be presumptive by saying he will or won't pick a certain person as vice president, but added, "I think it'd be great to have a female vice president and if I don't win, it'd be great to have a female president."

As with most things beyond the '90s, Biden doesn't get it

Blue America Endorses Ruben Kihuen For Congress in NV-04

Nevada's 4th Congressional District is another blue district that fell into Republican hands in 2014 because of sheer DCCC incompetence. Although the gigantic district covers about half the state, almost the whole population lives in North Las Vegas in an area bounded by the 15 and 95 freeways and Highway 215. The Democratic voter registration advantage is 46-33% and growing. The PVI is D+4 and Obama won the district against McCain, 56-41%, in 2008 and against Romney 4 years later, 54-44%. The Democratic state Senate Majority Leader, Steven Horsford, won the seat in 2012 and then lost it to Republican teabagger Cresent Hardy, 63,435 (48.5%) to 59,800 (45.8%).

It is likely that in a general election during a presidential year, a Democrat will win the seat back. Even the GOP-leaning Rothenberg Report changed their rating on the race this morning, moving it from "Tossup" to "Tilts Democratic." Hardy counts violent far right crackpot Cliven Bundy as a close personal friend, and his "biggest accomplishments" so far include calling persons with disabilities "drains on our society" and cosponsoring a bill that would allow employers to fire pregnant women.

So far there are 4 Democrats running for their party's nomination: Ruben Kihuen, the progressive State Senator and state Senate Majority Whip; Susie Lee, a very wealthy person being funded by casino executives; Lucy Flores, the failed 2014 candidate for lieutenant governor; and John Oceguera, who ran unsuccessfully for Congress in the 3rd District in 2012. As of today, Blue America has endorsed Ruben Kihuen, the most progressive, most promising and most accomplished of the candidates. 

Ruben has been a longtime advocate for a living wage and policies that would level the playing field for working families. He walks the walk fighting for economic equality-- even marching with culinary union members on the Strip and construction workers in front of Nevada's capitol building. His first step to winning this seat back for progressives is to get through a 4-way primary where political insiders view his main competition coming from a first-time candidate Susie Lee, a self-funding socialite. 

With no real record to run on, she seems better suited for continuing to attend lavish galas where she and her union-busting husband are experts at winning auctioned first-class trips for African safaris rather than fighting on the front lines for working families. And since she has given thousands of dollars to Republicans, she might be better suited to run in the Republican primary against Hardy. 

We asked Ruben to introduce himself to DWT readers by telling us about who he is and why we should support his candidacy.

A Nevada Progressive For Congress
by Ruben Kihuen

My name is Ruben Kihuen. I am State Senator from Nevada and a candidate for U.S. Congress.

I am not the most likely candidate for Congress.

I am a proud son of housekeeper and a farm worker born into humble circumstances in Guadalajara, Mexico. My chances of obtaining a good education and a good-paying job, let alone ever become a Congressman, were low. The odds were stacked against me.

When I was 8, my parents made the courageous decision to move their young family to America in search of a better life. I saw first-hand how difficult life can be but I also saw what was possible in America.

I saw that if you work hard and played by the rules, the American Dream was within reach.

Unfortunately that dream is under attack. Powerful special interests and big corporations have rigged the system in their favor. They spend billions to buy elections and "lobby" our elected officials while working class families like mine struggle.

After working my way through college, I saw these changes taking place and had to act. I lived in an assembly district represented by a Democrat in name only, whose record didn't match my beliefs or the best interests of his constituents. At the age of 25, with no money or elected experience, I challenged my Assembly Member. I ran a grassroots campaign and knocked on every door in my district three times. Despite being greatly outspent, I won with 60% of the vote. Don't ever let anyone tell you money and power always wins.

I won that election for two reasons. One, I outworked my opponent. Two, I wasn't afraid to run as a progressive champion for working class families.

Since being elected, I have fought hard for progressive values. I stood up on the floor of the Senate for marriage equality and presented the bill to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour. I am most proud of my bill to create the Silver State Opportunity Plan to provide grants to low-income students who want to go to college.

Last election cycle, Nevada, like the rest of the country, saw abysmal turnout and we lost control of both houses of our legislature. For the first time in years, we faced a Republican Governor, Assembly and Senate. My colleagues and I charged hard and proudly fought off attempts this session to end over-time pay, eliminate collective bargaining rights and prevailing wage and to allow people to carry concealed firearms on college campuses.

A lot of candidates talk a progressive talk but my record in the legislature shows I get progressive results.

We will take back the Nevada legislature in 2016. But, unfortunately, these fights will continue in Congress for years to come and we need progressive champions who get results in Washington.

I am running for Congress not just to protect Pell grants but to find new ways to make college more affordable. Community college should be free to all those who wish to attend and students should have access to 0% interest student loans. If the big banks can borrow money from the federal government at 0% interest, then so too should our students.

My opponent Cresent Hardy recently voted against consideration of the Pay Check Fairness Act. My mother works for a large resort on the Las Vegas Strip as a housekeeper. She has been there for nearly 22 years and, on average, hard working women like her make 70 cents on the dollar for a man doing the same work. This just isn't right, it is unacceptable. We need Congress to stop protecting big corporation’s bottom lines over equality.

Finally, we must protect Social Security and Medicare from the near constant attacks from Republicans in Congress. I will stand up every day to protect the promise we made to our seniors. I will fight against any attempt to privatize Social Security, voucherize Medicare or raise the retirement age. Period.

My story is only possible in America. The opportunities given to me particularly for a good education gave me a chance I wouldn't have had anywhere else in the world. I am running for Congress to make sure those same opportunities are available for generations to come-- everyone deserves a fair shot at the American Dream.

Please consider helping Ruben's grassroots campaign here on the main Blue America page.