April 29, 2018

At a private luncheon, Senator Heller says low turnout is key to re-election, promised ACA repeal

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/4/5/1754685/-At-a-private-luncheon-Senator-Heller-says-low-turnout-is-key-to-re-election-promised-ACA-repeal
"Senator Dean Heller has been avoiding constituents and his staff tossed out a woman battling Stage 4 cancer when she dared to ask about his stance on the Affordable Care Act, but he sure had a lot to say on the subject at a mysteriously closed-to-the-press luncheon where he was collecting checks and making promises. The Las Vegas Review-Journal was able to get audio of Heller’s speech to the Nevada Republican Men’s Club and his comments were surprising, especially his strategy for winning in November: “We now have less than 60,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans. Let me be more clear. If we can get that number below 50,000, I can’t lose,” Heller said Tuesday in Las Vegas, according to audio obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “I can’t lose. Because the ratio of voter turnout in a non-presidential year — we’re in a non-presidential year — the tendency of Republicans to vote is higher than the other party.” A sitting U.S. senator is hoping people don’t participate in democracy. How can you represent a state where you are trying to discourage the majority from turning out for an election? Based on current trends in special elections, Heller’s strategy is going to be a loser. Bigly.  And what about the Affordable Care Act? Senator Heller hemmed and hawed over the last year, pretending he was giving it serious consideration, but when asked about it by his fellow Republicans, he said they absolutely will repeal it if Republicans hold the majority."