On Wednesday, ahead of night three of the Republican National Committee Convention, Nevada’s former U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative and Secretary of State Dean Heller spoke to party faithful at a Trump Victory Leadership Initiative training seminar in Reno. It was just one of the events this week at the local campaign headquarters, along with watch and phone call parties, which local campaign officials hope will solidify support for Trump’s re-election.
Heller spoke for nearly 30 minutes before taking questions on a range of issues, from re-entering public life (“This time that decision is up to Lynne [his wife],” Heller said), to Trump’s signature tax cuts and mail-in ballots.
But the primary reason for Heller’s public appearance was to campaign for President Trump’s re-election.
“We are rallying the troops!” Heller urged. “We have 67 days until the next election. So we want to make sure that people [coming to] volunteer and working hard for the Trump campaign understand the importance of all this. So, obviously, it’s not lost on them; it’s good to have a familiar face in the room every once in a while to express to them how important this election is and how important for the near future….”
When asked what made him decide to come out and speak and what he thought of the convention so far, Heller had this to say: “First of all, the Trump campaign asked me to do it. I was happy to oblige, but it’s going well!…I think the message is good, solid and, frankly, very positive compared to what we saw last week.”
Heller, who once said he “vehemently” opposed Trump and returned one of his campaign donations, has had a rocky relationship with the president in the past. Trump suggested Heller lost his 2018 reelection bid because of his failure to fall in line with other Republicans during the 2016 election season. The two have developed a closer, more amicable relationship in recent years.
Heller closed out his appearance with a final round of endorsement for the president.
“Trump did a lot for northern Nevada. He has spent a tremendous amount of time trying to lower the unemployment rate, which was at record lows until the virus hit,” he said. “I think he’s done a tremendous job, and I think [he is] the only person that can bring these jobs back, not only to northern Nevada but all of Nevada and for the rest of the country… I look forward to working with him and helping him achieve this goal of getting re-elected. I know a lot of people out there that are hurting. They need help, and help is coming, and the only person that can fix what’s wrong in America today is Donald Trump.”
Nevada highlighted on nights one and two
The 2020 Republican National Convention started its business on Monday and Tuesday in Charlotte, North Carolina, and broadcast from a number of locations, including Washington D.C. with a lengthy list of speakers, including President Trump.
A priority for Monday evening was the formal roll-call vote, which took place in Charlotte and where Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald spoke in person to give Nevada’s 25 convention delegates in full to Donald Trump. In 2019, the Nevada Republican Party made the decision to bind their delegates in a central committee decision and formalized the decision in 2020.
Night two of the convention was themed “America, Land of Opportunity,” and put the spotlight on people whose lives have improved since Trump took office. Shortly into the broadcast Jon Ponder, founder of the Las Vegas-based Hope for Prisoners nonprofit, was given a federal pardon by President Trump in a surprise primetime ceremony. Ponder was convicted three times of bank robbery before his final release from prison in 2009. He went on to create Hope for Prisoners to help former convicts re-enter the workforce and their communities.
Thursday, Aug. 27 is the final night of the convention.
