RENO, Nev. (AP) - Ivanka Trump praised Nevada Republican Sen. Dean Heller on Thursday for the role he played in passing the 2017 GOP tax bill and the doubling of the child tax credit that came with it.
Making a rare appearance this year on the campaign trail, President Donald Trump’s daughter and adviser predicted Heller will win his tight battle for re-election against Democratic Rep. Jacky Rosen.
“I don’t do a lot of campaigning,” Ivanka Trump told about 80 supporters at the GOP field office in Reno during an appearance with Heller.
“But I really wanted to do it for him. This is our first stop and our most important stop,” she said. “I know he’s going to win.”
Heller, considered perhaps the most vulnerable incumbent GOP senator as the only one running for re-election in a state Hillary Clinton won in 2016, cautioned the faithful against becoming complacent in the final days of the campaign.
“Let me assure you this is a close race,” Heller said. But he said he believes the 2,000 GOP volunteers knocking on doors and making calls on his behalf will make the difference.
“I’ve never seen the state of Nevada this well organized, especially in a non-presidential year,” he said.
Donald Trump Jr. scheduled appearances with Heller and others in Nevada on Friday, underscoring the importance of Heller’s race as well as what are considered toss-ups in two key open House districts in the western swing state.
Nevada Democratic spokeswoman Sarah Abel said Thursday Nevadans won’t forget that Heller flip-flopped on health care under pressure from the president.
“Dean Heller continues to get political rewards from the Trump administration and a parade of visits from Trump family members after he broke his promise last year to protect Nevadans’ health care and sold out our state,” she said in an email to The Associated Press.
Ivanka Trump said there were some who wanted to compromise somewhere between the previous $1,000-per-child tax credit and the $2,000 the administration pushed, but Heller insisted on the full amount.
“It was this man who made it happen,” Ivanka Trump said. “He’s doing a tremendous job in the Senate.”
“In politics, I’ve learned there are talkers and there are doers,” she said. “He is definitely a doer.”
Heller said Nevada leads the nation in job creation after posting the worst unemployment rate in the country under the Obama administration.
“All that has changed with this administration and with President Trump,” Heller said. “We’re No. 1 in job growth in the nation now because of that tax bill your father signed.”
“This isn’t a blip on the screen,” he added, predicting economic growth will continue for the next five to 10 years.
Heller said he is especially pleased with his support in northern Nevada, where he’ll need significant numbers in Reno, Sparks, Carson City and the rural counties to overcome the huge voter registration Democrats enjoy in Las Vegas.
“The Democratic candidates are doing all their campaigning in the southern end of the state,” Heller said. “They’ve written you off.”
Rosen was campaigning later Thursday in Reno and Sparks with California Sen. Kamala Harris, one of several Democrats considering challenging President Trump in 2020. They also scheduled an appearance Friday in Las Vegas with talk show host Jimmy Kimmel.
Donald Trump Jr. planned campaign stops Friday in Carson City and Reno with Heller, Republican gubernatorial candidate Adam Laxalt - who is running against Democrat Steve Sisolak - and conservative broadcaster Kimberly Guilfoyle.
Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle also scheduled stops Friday in rural Pahrump with Laxalt, Guilfoyle and former Republican Rep. Cresent Hardy, who’s in a 4th District rematch with former Democratic Rep. Steven Horsford, and in Las Vegas with GOP congressional candidate Danny Tarkanian, who faces Democrat Susie Lee for another seat left open by a departing incumbent Democrat in the 3rd District including suburban Las Vegas.
Rosen left that seat to challenge Heller. Tarkanian abandoned a bid to unseat Heller in the GOP primary to enter that race, under pressure from President Trump and others.
The president’s son, Eric Trump, campaigned for Hardy and other Republicans in Las Vegas on Monday, and Vice President Mike Pence stumped for Nevada Republicans in Las Vegas on Saturday.
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