Dean Heller gets a boost with Brian Sandoval endorsement

With just over one month until election day, Sen. Dean Heller’s re-election campaign got a last-minute boost from outgoing Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval.

Sandoval, the popular Republican, has sat out much of the campaign frenzy this year, but on Tuesday he starred in a 30-second ad endorsing Heller and pouring on the praise.

“Dean Heller has passed over 100 pieces of legislation to help Nevada,” the governor says. “He crossed party lines to pass the Violence Against Women Act. … He’s been a tireless champion for our veterans. Anyone who tells you something different is wrong. Dean delivers. I know because we fought side-by-side.”

Heller tweeted his appreciation.

“Thank you Governor Sandoval for your support,” Heller wrote. “I’ll never stop delivering for Nevada.”

But Heller’s relationship with Sandoval hasn’t always been so smooth.

The two butted heads over repealing the Affordable Care Act, the law that allowed for the expansion of Medicaid in Nevada. Standing next to Sandoval in June 2017, Heller said he could not support legislation that strips insurance from Nevadans, but later voted for a failed “skinny repeal” of the ACA. Heller explained the change by saying the measure maintained Medicaid.

Political expert Eric Herzik says the new TV ad is “good news” for Heller, who Sandoval appointed to the Senate in 2011.

“Sandoval is popular and he’s reinforcing Heller’s positive message,” said Herzik, head of the political science department at the University of Nevada, Reno. “It’s a very positive ad from a very popular governor. Yes, they disagree on the health care items, but nine times out of 10 these are two Republicans who can talk to each other.”

Sandoval, who is term limited, has said he will not endorse a candidate in the governor’s race. Herzik said Republican gubernatorial nominee Adam Laxalt might be “too conservative for Sandoval.”

The new Heller ad comes on the heels of a new CNN poll that shows Heller 3 to 4 percentage points behind his Democratic opponent, Rep. Jacky Rosen, among registered and likely voters.

“This new ad conveniently omits how Senator Heller repeatedly broke with Governor Sandoval last year and caved to political pressure from President Trump by supporting partisan repeal plans that slash health care coverage for Nevadans,” said Rosen campaign spokesman Stewart Boss.

Contact Ramona Giwargis at rgiwargis@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4538. Follow @RamonaGiwargis on Twitter.