Polling in NV-3? Why are veterans thanking Harry Reid? Who is Mark Begich sending through the car wash, the local car wash? Reid on!

Nevada First: We’re Up. Up. Up And Away. Great News. Huge News. But not Surprising News. Dina Titus, the congressional challenger in Nevada’s 3rd Congressional district leads Rep. Jon Porter 50 - 43. For the last three months (remember, Dina got in this race late) she’s been all over the 3rd CD, talking to some of the 25,000+ newly registered Democrats and reconnecting with those folks who supported her in her gubernatorial bid in 2006. And all that campaigning is paying off. She has her finger on the pulse of the 3rd CD. Jon Porter? Not so much.  He can't get anything through Congress. And he's becoming more of a partisan, Bush-McCain Republican every day. Oh, and he hasn’t been campaigning. In fact, it's been so long since he's been seen on the stump, that Las Vegas bookstores are considering replacing their stock of Where’s Waldo books with the new Where’s Jon Porter edition. 

Dina’s going to win this race because she knows what Nevadans want - someone who can think for themselves and isn’t beholden to special interests. Or the Republican Party and their failed policies. In fact, that's exactly why Dina first ran for office 20 years ago.

News That's Fit To Print. Last week, the Weekly Reid mentioned Harry Reid’s Clean Energy Summit, set to start on August 19th at the UNLV campus. Well over the weekend, Harry Reid had an op-ed published in the Las Vegas Sun, where he again called for making Nevada the renewable energy capital of the world. “Nevada is an independent state born of opportunity and of the great resources we held both during the Civil War and today. The treasure we have offered to the country in silver, gold and minerals, we can now offer in heat and power from our vast solar, wind and geothermal potential.” And channeling his inner-Obama, Sen. Reid continued, “Our moment, as Nevadans and as caretakers of our families and our planet for generations to come, is now.”

With partisan bickering and Republican obstruction dominating the energy debate in DC, there aren’t too many people who could pull together a bipartisan energy summit with as many big names as this one. But Sen. Reid’s got clout, and he’s using it to showcase Nevada’s natural resources - and remind Americans that we can be energy independent.

We Have Sen. Reid To Thank. The Weekly Reid couldn’t have said this any better:

“Rural Nevada veterans now have easier access to federal benefits information and assistance through an innovative Remote Benefits Delivery Program using video conferencing technology. In partnership, the Nevada Office of Veterans Services (NOVS) in Elko and the Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Reno will be providing this additional service to an estimated 7,671 veterans who reside in Elko, Humboldt, Lander, Eureka and White Pine counties. [snip] ‘We have Sen. Reid to thank for this enhanced service which will benefit our rural veterans. Through his efforts at the federal level, our State is the second in the nation to obtain this Remote Benefits Delivery Program,’ said Tim Tetz, Executive Director of NOVS.”

The Weekly Reid covered Sen. Reid’s request to the VA back in April. Let’s be honest - we owe it to our returning vets to provide them with the best care possible. They’ve stood up for us, and we need to keep our promise to them.

Must Reid: The Recess Recap. The Congress stands in recess for the next five weeks, and each of the 535 members are back in their home districts, meeting with constituents, and (for all but the 66 Senators not up this cycle) campaigning for reelection. Follow the Weekly Reid down memory lane, as we look at what each party has to be proud of as they head home to talk to voters.

Democrats:
We listened to the American people and passed sweeping and far reaching housing legislation. At first the President didn’t like our bill, but after a record-breaking seven cloture votes the bill that emerged did more for the American Family than anything the Republicans did in their years in the Majority. Before the bill passed about 8,500 Americans received foreclosure notices every day. Since the bill passed, more than 50,000 Americans are safe in their homes because of our Democratic majority.

With the help of Ted Kennedy’s surprise arrival on the Senate floor and his now famous, thundering “Aye!” Democrats passed the so-called “Doctor’s Fix” of the Medicare bill. Millions of America’s seniors breathed a sigh of relief. Teddy - their favorite liberal lion - was back, and their doctors were going to get paid.

Under the steady-handed leadership of the Democratic majority, the Senate passed a bill to combat the Global AIDS epidemic. To their credit, the (normally obstructionist) Republican minority saw the light and supported the legislation. You know, people around the world look to the US for leadership on the most pressing issues of the day. If we’re not leading in the fight against global HIV/AIDS, then how can we expect the world to look up to us?

In a last minute flurry of activity last Thursday, Democrats in the Senate led the charge and passed two bills especially important to middle class families - The Higher Education Opportunity Act and the Consumer Product Safety bill. Now, American parents can sleep a little better, knowing a college education is back within reach for their kids, and the toys in the game room are safe to eat(?).

Republicans:

 
(crickets)


 

 Well, they did block a few things. Like Mental Health Parity. Like LIHEAP. And the Department of Defense authorization bill. And the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act (this, on the heels of Friday’s report that the economy shed 51,000 jobs in June - nearly half a million since January). They stymied our efforts at a tax extenders bill that would have provided tax credits for companies investing in renewable energy. These are just a few of the 92 bills they’ve filibustered in the 110th Congress.

Republicans are on the ropes. Rather than listening to the American people and working with Democrats to solve problems, Bush-McCain Republicans are resorting to partisan attacks and political chicanery. They know they can’t win on ideas, so they’re throwing a wrench in the whole political process.

Reid’s Watching: Perfect Timing. The Weekly Reid LOVES Mayor Mark Begich’s ads. In the (timely) ad “Car Wash,” Mayor Mark takes a subtle jab at the corrupt, scandal prone Alaskan GOP. And Mark had a great week last week - he’s up 21 in a new poll.

Other great ads this week: Al Franken and Kay Hagan (this is part of the ad blitz the DSCC is paying for, highlighting how ineffective Liddy Dole is).  

Bloggers for Reid. Harry Reid’s been on the cutting edge of technology for years now (unlike John McCain). Rumor has it he had one of the first BlackBerries on the Hill.  And he’s also one of the Hill’s biggest supporters of the blogosphere. Two weeks ago, he sat down with a few of the most prominent political bloggers for the second installment of “Meet the Bloggers.” Check it out here.