The race for the seat vacated by Senator John Ensign, and currently held by Senator Dean Heller, promises to be among the most hotly contested races in Nevada history. Governor Sandoval appointed Heller to the Senate seat in May of this year, upon Ensign’s resignation. That seat is up for grabs and will be decided by Nevada voters in the November 2012 election.
Heller, a member of the Republican party, was previously a Congressman representing Nevada’s 2nd congressional district from 2007 to 2011. He also served as Secretary of State and as a member of the Nevada Assembly.
Berkley, a democrat, represents Nevada’s 1st district in the U.S. House of Representatives, a seat she has held since 1999 and is in her seventh term as a member of the house. In addition, she served in the Nevada Assembly and is a former regent for the Nevada University System.
While both candidtates are seasoned politicians with a long history of serving Nevada, their political views are vastly different. Nevada Business Magazine asked the candidates to share their views on ten topics that will greatly affect our state and nation. We’ve included their responses in the following pages.
Economic Revitalization
Shelley Berkley
People across Nevada are struggling with high unemployment and that is why my number one, two and three priorities are jobs, jobs and more jobs. I championed legislation to make Nevada a national leader in clean energy jobs, sought to close tax loopholes that encourage companies to ship jobs overseas and backed tax credits to help small businesses begin hiring once again.
Dean Heller
My number one priority is to turn our economy around. Businesses need stability to thrive and create jobs – that starts with keeping taxes low, controlling spending, and reining in burdensome government regulations. Congress must focus on long-term economic policies that provide businesses the certainty they need to create jobs.
Fiscal Responsibility
Shelley Berkley
We must put aside the political games and come up with a responsible plan to cut spending, balance our budget and get our economy back on track. We cannot allow Washington Republicans to get away with using this debate to destroy Medicare and Social Security.
Dean Heller
As our national debt grows, the dollar is weakened. Ultimately, Americans work more so we can buy less. Curbing out of control spending should be a top priority for Congress. I co-authored the balanced budget amendment, which would require the federal government to live within its means.
Foreclosures
Shelley Berkley
Homeowners in Nevada have been hit harder by the foreclosure crisis than anywhere else in the nation. That is why I have fought hard to help struggling Nevadans stay in their homes and to help communities suffering from foreclosures. I have worked directly with many Nevada families to help them seek mortgage relief and avoid foreclosures.
Dean Heller
Creating jobs will help resolve Nevada’s foreclosure crisis. We need to re-establish a housing market that has long-term stability in which private capital is the primary source of mortgage financing. Financial regulatory reform in the future should stop taxpayer-funded bailouts, and make further reforms to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Energy Independence
Shelley Berkley
Nevada’s vast wind, solar and geothermal energy potential has given us the opportunity to lead the nation in clean energy jobs. I championed a new 235-mile energy transmission line linking White Pine and Clark Counties and have fought to protect the Department of Energy’s loan guarantee program, which is helping fund clean energy projects throughout the state.
Dean Heller
Our nation’s dependency on foreign oil leaves America vulnerable to gas spikes resulting from regional turmoil. I support an all of the above energy strategy that meets our short- and long-term energy needs through conservation, encouraging renewable energy and developing our own natural resources. A robust energy strategy would help economic recovery.
Healthcare Reform
Shelley Berkley
The health insurance reform law wasn’t perfect, but it reined in some of the worst abuses by insurance companies. We must improve the law while defending against efforts to strip Nevadans of benefits. I have also fought against attempts by Washington Republicans to destroy Medicare and I support reducing the program’s costs by allowing drug reimportation, which will save seniors billions of dollars on medicine.
Dean Heller
Congress should repeal the President’s healthcare law and replace it with market-based reforms. The new healthcare law expands the federal government, raises taxes on small businesses and cuts benefits to seniors. Greater government expansion and higher taxes is not the reform our nation needs.
Immigration
Shelley Berkley
Hard-working legal immigrants have always played an important role in making our country what it is today. However, we must secure our borders to stop illegal immigration. We must also pass comprehensive immigration reform that gives undocumented workers already in the U.S, who learn English, have jobs, pay taxes and stay out of trouble the opportunity to earn legal status after going to the back of the line.
Dean Heller
Seasonal and guest workers are vital to many Nevada businesses. A workable entry/exit system for guest workers should be considered because it is critical to our nation’s security and our economy. I support measures like E-Verify that give employers the tools necessary to determine the eligibility of prospective employees.
Taxes
Shelley Berkley
In order to help get our economy back on track, I have supported legislation to provide tax relief for Nevada’s middle-income families and to secure tax breaks for small businesses to help them hire while fighting to end unfair loopholes that encourage U.S. companies to ship jobs overseas as well as give-aways to big oil companies with record profits.
Dean Heller
The current tax code is complex, costly, burdensome and creates unnecessary challenges for families and businesses alike. I support fundamental tax reform that promotes job growth, makes our nation more competitive and ensures long-term prosperity. The tax code needs to be fairer and simpler for all Americans.
Unemployment
Shelley Berkley
To help Nevadans who are struggling to find work, I have fought to extend unemployment benefits while making job creation my top priority. I have championed legislation to make Nevada a national leader in clean energy jobs, fighting to close tax loopholes that encourage companies to ship jobs overseas, and supporting tax credits for small businesses.
Dean Heller
People across the state are hurting, losing their homes, unable to pay bills and struggling to provide for their children. Private sector job creation is my top priority, but I do not believe it has received the attention it deserves in Congress. There are ways to pay for an extension of unemployment benefits and help the unemployed, without contributing to the deficit.
Education
Shelley Berkley
I understand that in this tough economy, many workers need additional training in order to find jobs. That is why I have fought to ensure Nevada schools and apprenticeship programs have the resources they need to deliver the best education to our children, college students and workers. I have also worked to lower the interest rates on student loans and have backed efforts to increase Pell Grants.
Dean Heller
Ensuring our children are prepared to compete in the 21st century is not only critical for their future, but also for the future of our country. For this reason I support teachers and students and believe education policies should be determined by local and state officials — not Washington bureaucrats.
Term Limits
Shelley Berkley
I support Article I of the U.S. Constitution, which provides voters with the power to choose new leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives every two years and in the U.S. Senate every six years.
Dean Heller
I would not be opposed to a term limit proposal that was fairly applied to all federal legislators. Congress should have an open and fair discussion concerning this idea.
