Heller, Rosen trade barbs during Las Vegas senatorial debate
The sole senatorial debate between Republican Sen. Dean Heller and Democrat Rep. Jacky Rosen highlighted stark differences between the candidates, who spent much of the tense debate Friday exchanging barbs on health care, immigration and gun control. And after months of tearing into each other on TV, the radio, mailers and social media, there was no shortage of personal attacks during the hourlong debate hosted by KLAS-TV.
Rosen hammered Heller over his shifting positions on repealing the Affordable Care Act and a provision to protect people with pre-existing conditions. Heller ripped into his rival for campaigning in California and raising a significant amount of out-of-state cash.
In one of the most contentious exchanges, the candidates asked each other questions.
Rosen told a story about a Reno boy named Dean who was born with a heart defect. He has a pre-existing condition, Rosen said, and will need medical care his entire life.
“You met them last year and you looked them in the eye and you promised them that you would protect their health care,” Rosen said, staring directly at Heller. “And then you went back to Washington and you broke your promise. You caved.”
Rosen said the family is watching the debate and asked Heller to “look them in the eye and tell them the truth about why you broke your promise.”
Heller responded that “Dean knows I have his back” and said Rosen is lying about his stance on protecting people with pre-existing health conditions.
“You can say it 1,000 times, it’s just not true,” Heller said. “I wrote the replacement bill for the Republican Party. I know exactly what’s in that bill. And what’s in that bill includes pre-existing conditions.”
When it was his turn to grill Rosen, the veteran senator focused on his opponent missing events in Nevada — such as the opening of a new freeway bypass in Boulder City — to raise money in California.
“Ninety percent of her money has come from out of state. She’s raised tens of millions of dollars,” Heller said. “The whole delegation was there, except her, because she was raising money in California. Was it worth it?”
Rosen fired back by saying she was busy traveling the state “doing my job.”
The candidates were asked whether they would support a federal law requiring that every gun sale is subject to a background check. Rosen said yes.
Heller said he won’t support background checks on all gun sales, including sales at gun shows. The senator said he staunchly supports the Second Amendment and “will not do anything that will take guns away from law-abiding citizens.”
A fired-up Heller took a shot at Rosen, saying she’s from Chicago — a city with some of the strictest gun control laws — and will turn Nevada into Chicago if she wins the Senate seat.
The congresswoman said she wants to preserve the Second Amendment while passing “common sense” gun safety measures. “I want to protect public health and safety, and Senator Heller is guilty of taking all his money from the gun lobby,” she said.
Heller voiced his support for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and said he’s going to be a “tremendous” justice. Rosen criticized Heller for comparing the sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh to a little “hiccup.”
Heller clarified that he was speaking about the process — not the accusations.
Both candidates voiced support for beefing up election security in the face of interference from foreign governments, including Russia and China.
Heller touted his accomplishments as the Nevada secretary of state, when he implemented a paper record for voting.
Rosen said the United Staes must ensure proper election security. “Let’s be clear. Russia is not our friend. Russia is not our ally. And when Senator Heller is a rubber stamp for President Trump and his best friend, Vladimir Putin, it’s something we should be worried about,” she said.
On the topic of the GOP tax plan, Rosen said that it gives giant breaks to large corporations and hedge funds, but she wouldn’t vote to repeal it. Instead, the congresswoman said, she wants to make it “fair” for everyone and make middle-class tax cuts permanent.
Heller accused Rosen of opposing the tax cuts and wanting to take Nevada back to the “Obama era” of stagnant job growth.
Both candidates denounced an immigration policy that led to the separation of migrant children from their parents at the border. Rosen, who visited a detention facility, said the “cruel” policy created uncertainty and fear for families.
Heller said he doesn’t like the policy, but it’s the law and “we need to change that law.”
The senator was asked about cozying up to President Donald Trump after opposing his candidacy in 2016. Heller said that he doesn’t agree with everything Trump says and the two “fought like cats and dogs at first” — but he supports Trump’s policies on trade, the military and jobs.
Rosen was asked about controversial remarks she made at a Seattle fundraiser about being “in front” of other politicians in responding after the Oct. 1, 2017, mass shooting. Rosen said there was no “guidebook” on how to deal with the tragedy.
After the debate, Rosen told reporters that she won because she knows what she’s fighting for. Heller didn’t meet with reporters because of travel plans.
Contact Ramona Giwargis at rgiwargis@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4538. Follow @RamonaGiwargis on Twitter.