Partisans declare winners, losers in sole VP debate

Prominent figureheads for both of Nevada’s major parties praised their vice presidential nominee’s performance in Wednesday’s debate, as Sen. Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence battled over the airwaves in a much more policy-focused contest.

Rosen praises colleague’s approach

Sen. Jacky Rosen, the Nevada Democrat, said Harris did “a fantastic job” in bringing her own life experiences and the issues faced by communities of color, small businesses and those suffering during the COVID-19 pandemic to bear on the debate stage.

Rosen said her office fielded some 17,000 calls and emails in the week before last, with most coming from concerned constituents facing eviction or loss of health care during a pandemic due to what Democrats have called the current administration’s failed pandemic response.

“I went on a tour of our rural communities and talked to mayors,” Rosen said, “and the No. 1 issue was ‘please get us the relief we need. We want to do the right thing. We care about our communities. We want to help our first responders and educators and everyone affected by this.”

Rosen noted both participants were “clearly more respectful of each other’s conversation time and answers” when compared to a fiery presidential debate held last week.

She said Harris acted with poise as she laid out the key plans she and running mate Joe Biden would enact if elected.

Pence shows policy strength

Nevada Republican Party Chair Michael McDonald praised Pence’s “smooth delivery, outgoing nature and policy knowledge” during the 90-minute contest.

He pushed back on the notion that Pence, also the chairman of the White House’s coronavirus task force, and the administration have done a poor job responding to the pandemic.

“The COVID issue is very personal to me. I’ve lost three friends to that,” McDonald said. “The response the president has made has been very strong. He’s said we don’t let the virus control us. We control the virus. We’re working on a cure, and Vice President Pence has been the tip of the spear on that.”

Pence showed true leadership and answered questions with class and poise, McDonald said, while also holding Harris accountable to her party’s rhetoric on law and order and the possibility of expanding the number of U.S. Supreme Court justices.

McDonald said Pence, who will campaign in Boulder City Thursday morning, and Trump are focused on restoring Nevada’s economy and helping working people — even union members who don’t support them politically.

Hamill appears for Democrats

Actor Mark Hamill also appeared at a pre-debate event hosted remotely by Biden’s local campaign.

“I believe that this is a historic time in our history and that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are the exact right pair at the exact right time in our history to begin the healing and begin to unify us once again,” Hamill said.

Contact Rory Appleton at rappleton@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0276. Follow @RoryDoesPhonics on Twitter.