“Jim Marchant has shown that he would be a reckless rubberstamp for Washington Republicans’ reckless agenda that would make Nevadans’ health care more expensive, allow the re-opening of Yucca Mountain and undermine the commitment our country has made to older Nevadans. Meanwhile, Congressman Steven Horsford has shown he is a solutions-oriented community leader and advocate for working Nevadans. I have seen the enormous good Steven has done for his community and I look forward to continuing our shared work on behalf of everyday Americans.” — DCCC Chairwoman Cheri Bustos
—
To: Interested Parties
From: Andy Orellana, DCCC Regional Press Secretary
Date: June 15, 2020
Subject: The Case Against Jim Marchant
Following the massive and crowded GOP primary in Nevada’s fourth Congressional district, Jim Marchant emerges in a weak position to take on the well-funded, popular incumbent Representative Steven Horsford. To get through that primary, Jim Marchant campaigned as a far-right Washington rubber stamp, from his support for health care repeal to his support for the GOP tax scam.
Meanwhile, Horsford begins the general election with over a 6-to-1 cash-on-hand advantage over Marchant. This is a significant advantage for Rep. Horsford, who beat his Republican opponent in 2018 by more than 8 points.
Throughout his time in Congress, Rep. Horsford has built a track record of getting things done by focusing on what matters most to Nevadans. From bringing Republicans and Democrats together to defeat the plan to bring nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain, to helping pass bipartisan legislation that cracks down on drug companies that jack up drug prices and prevents insurance companies from discriminating against preexisting health conditions, Steven Horsford is laser focused on the core needs of Nevada families. And as the COVID-19 pandemic impacts Nevada’s small businesses, Representative Horsford has been a fierce advocate for his community, fighting for Nevada’s small businesses as they face severe economic challenges.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
HEADLINE: Horsford: Prescription Drug Affordability Not A Partisan Issue. [Las Vegas Sun, 10/29/2019]
HEADLINE: Horsford, Reed Move To Address Prescription Drug Prices. [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 4/3/2019]
HEADLINE: Small Businesses Would Get Boost Under New Bill. [Las Vegas Sun, 5/8/2020]
HEADLINE: Victor Joecks: Advice To Republicans In CD4: Find A Different Race. [Las Vegas Review Journal, 10/22/2019]
“Republicans will be hard-pressed to compete in 2020 given that the 4th CD is now just 47 percent white and voted for Hillary Clinton 50 percent to 45 percent in 2016.” [Cook Political Report, 10/18/2019]
“As for the Republican side, it’s a disappointing field short of public leadership experience and long on Trump-era extremism. We can’t recommend any of these candidates.” [Las Vegas Sun, 5/8/2020]
Health Care Cutting Crusader, Corporate Giveaways, Stiffing Nevada’s Seniors And Not Defending Nevada’s Backyard
BAD FOR NEVADANS ON HEALTH CARE
When you look at the agenda of Jim Marchant, it is clear he is running to fall in line with the toxic Washington Republican agenda that Nevadans have rejected time and time again.
Marchant quickly fell in line with the rest of the Washington Republican health care repeal brigade when he called for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, which would do away with protections for those with preexisting conditions like asthma, cancer, and diabetes, allow insurance companies to discriminate based on gender, and end the guarantee that young people can stay on their parent’s insurance until age 26. Repealing health care reforms like Marchant wants would put health care at risk for 83,000 people in Nevada’s 4th District. In the middle of a pandemic, that is the last thing Nevada families need right now.
Meanwhile, Rep. Steven Horsford’s record is clear – he is working to make health insurance more affordable and fighting to prevent insurance companies from dropping people with preexisting conditions. And when Rep. Horsford isn’t fighting to protect health care safeguards for Nevadans, he is bringing Republicans and Democrats together on a bill that would crack down on drug companies that jack up drug prices and is now working with both parties to see that it is signed into law.
BAD FOR NEVADA’S SENIORS AND WORKING FAMILIES
When Jim Marchant isn’t trying to kick off thousands from their health care, he’s supporting the GOP Tax Scam that will give 83% of its benefits to the wealthiest 1% of Americans, while exploding the deficit by $1.5 trillion. Washington Republicans have said that in order to pay for their tax handouts to corporations and wealthy individuals, the future of Social Security and Medicare — which hundreds of thousands of Nevadans have paid into and depend on every month — is being put at real risk. While Jim Marchant, the one-term state legislator and former tech lobbyist, may be able to afford gambling with the future, the nearly 640,000 seniors who call Nevada home cannot.
Instead of supporting tax giveaways to multinational corporations over the needs of Nevada’s seniors and working families, Representative Horsford is delivering on the needs of his district and working to strengthen Medicare and Social Security for future generations.
SUPPORTS TRUMP GOP MAKING NEVADA’S 4TH DISTRICT A NUCLEAR WASTE DUMP
The most damning example of Jim Marchant being just another Washington Republican lackey is Marchant’s support for the Washington Republican scheme to begin the opening of Yucca Mountain as a dumping site for our nation’s millions of tons of nuclear waste. No issue is more galvanizing to the Nevada voter than their opposition to the nation’s nuclear waste residing less than a stone’s throw away from their home and the $40 billion economic engine of their state – tourism.
What Marchant conveniently forgets is that the nation’s nuclear waste would be transported by rail within a half mile from the heart of Nevada’s top industry. This would be devastating to Nevada’s economy, but Jim Marchant seems to have missed the memo on what’s important to Nevada’s economic future.
Meanwhile, unlike his opponent who sides with the Trump Administration and the Washington GOP, Horsford agrees with the scientists and technical experts who say the plan to transport and store nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain is too risky. That’s why Horsford led the successful effort to beat back efforts by Washington Republicans to fund the misguided plan that endangers the health and safety of our families
PATH TO VICTORY
Nevada’s 4th Congressional District is a diverse, Democratic seat that will remain in Democratic hands in 2020. Jim Marchant’s hard-right policy positions are a poor fit for this district that both President Obama and Secretary Clinton won.
In a district that is 16% African-American and 17% Hispanic by voting age population, Marchant will be unable to appeal to a wide coalition of voters beyond a shrinking Republican base and Marchant’s far-right agenda makes this nearly an impossible hill to climb.
Meanwhile, Rep. Steven Horsford has shown that he is well-positioned to win again come November with a sizable war chest, deep ties to the district and a long record to run on. As more Democrats than Republicans came out for what is traditionally a low-turnout primary in Nevada, it’s clear that Horford and Democrats in Nevada have the momentum heading into the general election in this Clinton- and Obama-won district.
###