NV-Sen: Democrats want to use Heller's support of Supreme Court nominee against him

Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) quickly announced his support for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh after the two met in Washington, D.C., last week, and Democrats are eager to use that against him in the upcoming midterm election, Politico reported.

Heller, who is the only Republican incumbent senator in a state won by Hillary Clinton in 2016, believes the Supreme Court vacancy will boost Republican voter turnout, but Democrats will attempt to paint him as a yes-man to President Donald Trump.

Rep. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) said that Heller's quick support of Kavanaugh showed Heller is "most likely to choose Washington over the needs of Nevada families."

What is the basis for this attack?

Democrats are trying to make it look like Heller went from an independent-minded senator willing to oppose the president for the good of Nevada to a blind loyalist who will go with whatever Trump wants.

Heller famously opposed Trump on Obamacare repeal efforts, after which Trump said Heller will change his mind if he wants to remain in office.

Is there any reason Heller would oppose Kavanaugh?

There was no reason to believe Heller would ever have opposed Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court, as such a move would put him on an island in the Republican Party and not serve him politically in any way.

No Republican senator has come out against Kavanaugh, and only four are considered "undecided:" Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Jeff Flake of Arizona. And of those four, only Paul has expressed any real concerns about Kavanaugh.

In Nevada, Kavanaugh's opposition of efforts by former President Barack Obama to eliminate a nuclear waste site in Yucca Mountain is unpopular, which is something Rosen and her campaign will point to in attacking Heller's support of the nominee. The waste storage site is unpopular among Nevadans on both ends of the political spectrum.

What does Rosen think of Kavanaugh?

Rosen has said she "couldn't see myself voting yes," for Kavanaugh because "Nevada is a pro-choice state." Kavanaugh's potential to aid in the overturning of Roe v. Wade has become a central point of contention surrounding his nomination.