LAS VEGAS - The Stirling Club at Turnberry Place was the scene of a re-election campaign kickoff for Republican Congressman Joe Heck Monday night.
The Democratic Party, however, also reserved a room at the members-only club to hold a press conference attacking Heck prior to his campaign event.
John Oceguera, Heck's main Democratic opponent and outgoing Nevada Assembly Speaker, was joined by Heck's 2010 opponent Dina Titus, whom Heck ousted from Congress. Titus is running again this year, but in a different district – Congressional District One.
The theme of their press conference was "Jobs, Not Attacks on Women."
"He's joining Washington Republicans in trying to implement a radical social agenda that threatens the health of women and doesn't create a single job," Oceguera said.
"Indeed, it is a war on women, and it threatens the health of women," Titus added.
The two Democrats blasted Heck's opposition to fund Planned Parenthood, which provides mammograms and pap smears, in addition to abortion procedures, for low-income women.
"I got news for you, Joe. Your positions are out of touch, reckless and dangerous for Nevada's women," Oceguera said.
The Heck event was invitation only. The Heck campaign hadn't scheduled time to meet with reporters, but the freshman representative came out to respond to the Democrats' attacks.
"The fact is, one, I'm a husband. I have two daughters," he said. "To say that I'm anti-woman is a stretch. And don't forget, these are the same people that said I'm pro-cancer as a physician, and so they'll say whatever they think they need to say to try to tear us down and try to move ahead in their own election."
Governor Brian Sandoval, a Republican, was a special guest at the Heck fundraiser.
"He's a great family man. He's somebody I've known many, many years and always has served this state with honor and distinction," Sandoval said.
Governor Sandoval says he expects the top issue this campaign to be the economy. It was a factor in 2010, when Titus lost Congressional District Three by less than one percentage point to Heck.
