Sen. Dean Heller says he 'can't win' unless more Republicans register to vote in Nevada


During a candid moment, Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) admitted he knows that if he wants to win re-election this November, voter turnout needs to be very low.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal obtained audio of a speech he gave to the Nevada Republican Men's Club on Tuesday, where he warned the audience that he "can't win" if there are "100,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans" in Nevada. Right now, Democrats outnumber Republicans in Nevada by about 59,000, the Nevada secretary of state's office reports, and "if we can get that number below 50,000, I can't lose," Heller said. "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."
Despite previously going back and forth on the Affordable Care Act, Heller told the audience he's all in on replacing it, and also said Congress must find "relief for DACA recipients." He predicted that in November, Republicans will "end up with 53, 54 seats," and praised President Trump, saying he thinks "this country is heading in the right direction."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
May 24 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday's political cartoons feature Medicare and Medicaid cuts, James Comey's social media post, and Trump's big beautiful bill.
-
5 cartoons about the Russia-Ukraine peace talks
Cartoons Artists take on a stand-in for Vladimir Putin and phone calls with Donald Trump.
-
Donald Trump's foreign policy flip in the Middle East
Talking Point Surprise lifting of sanctions on Syria shows Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar are now effectively 'dictating US foreign policy'
-
Tied Supreme Court blocks church charter school
speed read The court upheld the Oklahoma Supreme Court's decision to bar overtly religious public charter schools
-
GOP megabill would limit judicial oversight of Trump
speed read The domestic policy bill Republicans pushed through the House would protect the Trump administration from the consequences of violating court orders
-
Judge scolds DOJ over Newark mayor arrest
speed read Ras Baraka was arrested during a May 9 surprise visit to a migrant detention facility
-
Trump lectures South Africa president on 'white genocide'
speed read Trump has cut off aid to South Africa over his demonstrably false genocide claims
-
Trump twists House GOP arms on megabill
speed read The bill will provide a $350 billion boost to military and anti-immigration spending and 'cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and green energy programs'
-
Trump DOJ said to pay $5M to family of Jan. 6 rioter
speed read The US will pay a hefty sum to the family of Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt, who was fatally shot on January 6
-
Trump DOJ charging House Democrat in ICE fracas
speed read Rep. LaMonica McIver is being charged with assault over a clash outside an immigration detention facility in Newark
-
Biden diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer
speed read The diagnosis hits close to home, as the former president 'dedicated much of his later career to cancer research'