LAS VEGAS—President Donald Trump returned to Las Vegas, Nevada, to head one of his flagship campaign rallies as he endorsed party candidates, energized his voter base, and planned to sign bills in the major resort city.
Trump’s Sept. 20 visit ahead of the midterm elections comes just two weeks after Vice President Mike Pence was there, a signal that the White House is pressing for political control in the critical election swing state. In June Trump addressed the Republican Party Convention in Las Vegas.
Republicans Dean Heller, a senator vying for re-election, and Danny Tarkanian, a congressional candidate, both received endorsements from the president during the “Make America Great Again” style rally at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Trump will also attend a fundraiser to benefit the two candidates and the GOP campaign arms.
Trump first pumped up the crowd with a slew of recent economic highlights, including the historic stock market highs. He then mentioned specific reports, “We’ve also just identified the first remains from our fallen warriors from North Korea… these great heroes can finally rest on American soil.”
The president will soon sign his first batch of spending bills into law at the VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System on Sept. 21, dubbed the “minibus” appropriations bill, which contains funding for Energy and Water, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and the Legislative Branch for 2019.
As he introduced Heller up on the stage he called him a “great friend” and joked about their once-sour history.
“We started out not friends… but believe it or not we started to respect each other. We can count on his vote,” Trump reassured the stadium.
As he lamented over the Democrats’ recent obstruction of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, the crowd broke into chants of support, chanting “Kavanaugh!, Kavanaugh!”
Trump called him “a great gentleman” with “an impeccable reputation,” adding that he has tremendous support. “I think everything is going to be fine.”
The president then invited Heller onto the stage, touting his work on veterans affairs, “Dean really is a champion, I work with him. He led the charge in congress to pass the most significant veteran reform in half a century, including the VA Accountability Act.”
In response, Heller mentioned the 300,000 veterans in Nevada who “want to thank you [Trump] for giving them the benefits and the support that they deserve.”
Heller will face Democratic candidate Jacky Rosen in the Nov. 6 midterm election. The race is seen as particularly tight since Hillary Clinton won the state in 2016 by around 27,000 voters.
Trump said Rosen was “bought and paid for by her donors 100 percent” and is “never going to vote for us.”
“She doesn’t even want to go on a debate with Dean,” Trump said. “Rosen doesn’t represent Nevada’s values… She voted no on Tax cuts, she voted for the disaster known as Obamacare.”
According to his official biography, Heller was the representative for Nevada’s 2nd congressional district and Nevada’s Secretary of State before his service in the senate. He also received an endorsement from the president’s official campaign on Sept. 20.
“It’s critical that we re-elect Dean Heller from the great State of Nevada to the U.S. Senate to build on the booming Trump economy that’s lifting up families throughout Nevada,” Lara Trump, senior advisor to Donald J. Trump for President, Inc, said via email. “Dean’s vote was instrumental in passing President Trump’s historic tax cuts, and he’s strong on immigration, border security, and support for our veterans.”
Heller’s opponent, Rep. Rosen, serves on the House Armed Services committee and is a member of the subcommittees on Tactical Air and Land Forces and Military Personnel. She also sits on the House Science, Space and Technology committee, her biography said.
According to the latest data from the Center for Responsive Politics, Heller has $5.874 million campaign cash on hand while Rosen has $3.828 million.
Meanwhile in the 3rd congressional district race, Tarkanian will be facing off against Democrat Susie Lee.
Tarkanian, a businessman and former attorney, wants to repeal Obamacare, protect gun rights, and block illegal immigration, among other issues, according to his bio. Lee, born in a working class family, has progressive stances on similar issues, and is advocating for education as a top priority.
According to the latest data, Lee had $1,138,991 on hand, while Tarkanian had $656,320 in his war chest.
Charlotte Cuthbertson contributed to this article.
From The Epoch Times
