Tornado Alley (PROG)

[SoxFan]

Dean Heller Distances Himself From Mitt Romney's '47 Percent' Comments
Posted: 09/19/2012 2:13 pm Updated: 09/19/2012 2:33 pm


The wide release of Mitt Romney's remarks about the "47 percent" of the country who the GOP presidential nominee says he'll "never convince" to "take personal responsibility and care for their lives" has largely led to a philosophical discussion over whether it will hurt or help Romney's chances in November.

But downticket, Romney's fellow Republicans -- specifically those who find themselves in tight races -- are finding his remarks to be toxic. Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.), who is in a tight reelection battle against Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.), had emerged as the favorite of late, owing to Berkley getting caught up in an ethics investigation. But this donor party video has forced Heller to put some distance between himself and Romney, with Heller insisting that he has a “very different view of the world” than his party's standard-bearer. Rosalind S. Helderman of the Washington Post captures Heller's remarks:

“Keep in mind, I have five brothers and sisters. My father was an auto mechanic. My mother was a school cook. I have a very different view of the world,” Heller said. “And as United States Senator, I think I represent everyone, and every vote’s important. Every vote’s important in this race. I don’t write off anybody.”

Heller is now the third GOP Senate candidate to be affected by the practical, political fallout from Romney's remarks.

(more)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/19/dean-heller-mitt-romney-47-percent_n_1897504.html