Dean Heller
| Dean Heller | ||
 | ||
| U.S. Senate, Nevada | ||
| Incumbent | ||
| In office | ||
| May 9, 2011-Present | ||
| Term ends | ||
| January 3, 2019 | ||
| Years in position | 2 | |
| Party | Republican | |
| Predecessor | John E. Ensign (R) | |
| Compensation | ||
| Base salary | $174,000/year | |
| Elections and appointments | ||
| Last election | November 6, 2012 | |
| Next election | November 2018 | |
| Campaign $ | $14,254,145 | |
| Appointed | May 9, 2011 | |
| Appointed by | Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval | |
| Term limits | N/A | |
| Prior offices | ||
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| 2007-2011 | ||
| Nevada Secretary of State | ||
| 1995-2006 | ||
| Nevada Assembly | ||
| 1990-1994 | ||
| Education | ||
| Bachelor's | University of Southern California | |
| Personal | ||
| Birthday | May 10, 1960 | |
| Place of birth | Castro Valley, California | |
| Profession | Stock broker | |
| Net worth | $3,059,840 | |
| Religion | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) | |
| Websites | ||
| Office website | ||
| Campaign website | ||
Contents |
Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Heller is a "centrist Republican follower".[2]
Biography
Heller is long time resident of Carson City. His family relocated there when he was 9 months of age. He is a graduate of Carson High School, and earned a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, specializing in finance and securities analysis, from the University of Southern California in 1985.[3]
Career
Prior to entering politics, Heller worked as an institutional stockbroker and as a broker/trader on the Pacific Stock Exchange.[4]
Committee assignments
U.S. Senate
2013-2014
Heller serves on the following Senate committees[5]:
- Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
- Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation and Community Development
- Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
- Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security
- Subcommittee on Science and Space
- Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance
- Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet
- Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security
- Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection Members
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
- Subcommittee on Water and Power
- Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining
- Subcommittee on Energy
- Special Committee on Aging
- Committee on Veterans' Affairs
2011-2012
Heller serves on the following committees:[6]
- Special Committee on Aging
- Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
Issues
Campaign themes
2012
On his campaign website, Heller listed nine issues. They are:[7]
- ”Growing the Economy”
- On his website, Heller said, "Government debt has grown exponentially for far too long and this reckless spending is having a direct negative impact on our nation's economy. The key to turning our economy around is to remove impediments that have caused economic stagnation and the inability of businesses to create new jobs. Not continue with business as usual."
- ”Fiscal Responsibility”
- On his website, Heller said, "Dean believes that increasing taxes to pay for bigger government makes little sense. Instead, Congress should cut spending, reduce the size of government and provide tax breaks for America's working middle class."
- ”Housing and Foreclosures”
- On his website, Heller said, "Heller believes that private capital, not the federal government, as the primary source of mortgage financing housing market is essential to long-term stability. As a conservative, Dean supports financial regulatory reforms that stop taxpayer-funded bailouts and addresses the growing liabilities of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac."
- ”Energy Independence”
- On his website, Heller said, "Dean also believes that our nation needs a forward-thinking all of the above energy strategy that meets our short- and long-term energy needs through conservation, encouraging renewable energy and developing our own natural resources."
- ”Healthcare Reform”
- On his website, Heller said, "Congress should work to curb frivolous lawsuits and runaway jury rewards that only serve to fatten the pockets of trial lawyers. Heller believes the current health care law should be replaced with market based reforms that bring down the cost of health care, increases access, and provides the consumer with more choices."
- ”Immigration Reform”
- On his website, Heller proposed a three-step plan: 1) Start by enforcing existing immigration laws. 2) Fine businesses that knowingly hire illegal immigrants. 3) Construct a border wall and provide the border patrol with the resources necessary to end the flow of illegal immigrants into the United States.
- ”Independence”
- On his website, Heller said, "Dean is a staunch conservative that shares our values of hard work, family and the fiercely independent spirit of his fellow Nevadans. That's why he bucked his party, President Bush, and then presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain as the only member of the Nevada delegation to vote against the Wall Street bailout."
- ”Israel”
- On his website, Heller said, "Dean is a strong supporter of the state of Israel and believes that the United States must provide staunch and endearing political support for Israel. Violence against Israel committed by extremist groups is relentless, and demonstrates the need for the United States to provide security assistance to our friend and ally. Israel is the front line in the struggle between free, Western societies and violent extremists like al-Qaeda, the Taliban, the Iranian regime, Hezbollah and Hamas. The same extremists, who seek Israel's destruction, also seek the destruction of the United States." [7]
Presidential preference
2012
Dean Heller endorsed Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election. [8]
Specific votes
Fiscal Cliff
Heller voted for the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. The bill was passed in the Senate by a 89/8 vote on January 1, 2013.[9]
Paul Ryan Budget Proposal
In March 2013 the U.S. Senate soundly rejected a balanced budget plan by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R).[10] Five Republicans joined every Democrat present to kill the measure, which failed on a 40-59 vote.[10]
Heller was one of the 5 Senate Republicans who voted against Ryan's budget proposal.[10]
The budget cuts about $5 trillion over the next decade and aims to balance the budget by the end of the 10-year period.[11]
Some GOP tea partyers opposed the measure because of its reliance on $600 billion-plus in tax revenues on the wealthy enacted in January 2013 in order to balance the budget.[10]
Others in the Senate opposed the Ryan plan because of cuts from safety net programs for the poor and the inclusion of a plan to turn the Medicare program for the elderly into a voucher-like system for future beneficiaries born in 1959 or later.[10]
Drones filibuster
On March 6, 2013, Senator Rand Paul (R) led a 13-hour filibuster of President Obama's CIA Director nominee, John Brennan. Paul started the filibuster in order to highlight his concerns about the administration's drone policies. In particular, Paul said he was concerned about whether a drone could be used to kill an American citizen within the United States border, without any due process involved. Paul and other civil liberties activists have been critical that President Obama did not offer a clear response to the question. A total of 14 senators joined Paul in the filibuster -- 13 Republicans and one Democrat.[12][13][14]
According to the website Breitbart, Heller was one of 30 Republican senators who did not support the filibuster.[15][16]
The day after the filibuster, Attorney General Eric Holder sent a letter to Paul, responding to the filibuster. Holder wrote, "Does the president have the authority to use a weaponized drone to kill an American not engaged in combat on U.S. soil? The answer to that is no."[17]
Elections
2012
Heller won re-election to the U.S. Senate on November 6, 2012 narrowly defeating Democratic challenger Shelley Berkley with a little over 1% of the vote.[18] He defeated Edward Hamilton, Sherry Brooks, Richard Charles, and Carlo Poliak in the June 12, 2012 Republican primary.
The University of Virginia's Center for Politics published an article called Sabato's Crystal Ball on March 22, 2012 detailing the 8 races in the Senate in 2012 that would impact the political fate of which party ended up with control in 2013.[19] The seat rated a toss-up that Sabato's Crystal Ball believed was most likely to depend on the outcome of the Presidential election in November is the Senate seat in Nevada.[19] According to the article, "the size of the Hispanic vote in Nevada come November may be more of a deciding factor in this contest than any SuperPAC." [19]
| U.S. Senate, Nevada, General Election, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Shelley Berkley | 44.7% | 446,080 | |
| Republican |  Dean Heller Incumbent |
45.9% | 457,656 | |
| Independent American Party of Nevada | David Lory VanderBeek | 4.9% | 48,792 | |
| N/A | None of these candidates | 4.5% | 45,277 | |
| Total Votes | 997,805 | |||
| Source: Nevada Secretary of State "U.S. Senate Results" | ||||
2010
On November 2, 2010, Heller was re-elected to the United States House of Representatives for a third term as the representative from Nevada's 2nd congressional district. He defeated Nancy Price (D) and Russell Best (Independent American). [20]
| United States House of Representatives, Nevada General Election, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Dean Heller Incumbent |
63.3% | 169,458 | |
| Democratic | Nancy Price | 32.7% | 87,421 | |
| Independent American | Russell Best | 4% | 10,829 | |
| Total Votes | 267,708 | |||
2011
Heller was appointed to the United States Senate by Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval on May 9, 2011 after Senator John Ensign resigned. Heller will run to retain his Senate seat in 2012.[21]
Campaign donors
Comprehensive donor information for Heller is available dating back to 2006. Based on available campaign finance records, Heller raised a total of $14,254,145 during that time period. This information was last updated on April 25, 2013.[22]
| Dean Heller's Campaign Contribution History | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Office | Result | Contributions | |
| 2012 | U.S. Senate (Nevada) |  |
$9,417,811 | |
| 2010 | US House (Nevada, District 2) | |
$1,487,453 | |
| 2008 | US House (Nevada, District 2) | |
$1,713,939 | |
| 2006 | US House (Nevada, District 2) | |
$1,634,942 | |
| Grand Total Raised | $14,254,145 | |||
2012
Heller won election to the U.S. Senate in 2012. During that election cycle, Heller's campaign committee raised a total of $9,417,811 and spent $9,192,588.[23]
| U.S. Senate, Nevada, 2012 - Dean Heller Campaign Contributions | |
|---|---|
| Total Raised | $9,417,811 |
| Total Spent | $9,192,588 |
| Total Raised by Election Runner-up | $10,546,416 |
| Total Spent by Election Runner-up | $11,623,934 |
| Top contributors to Dean Heller's campaign committee | |
| Las Vegas Sands | $48,750 |
| MGM Resorts International | $35,500 |
| Murray Energy | $34,978 |
| Alliance Resource Partners | $34,500 |
| Elliott Management | $33,711 |
| Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee | |
| Retired | $505,857 |
| Leadership PACs | $433,092 |
| Securities & Investment | $300,205 |
| Real Estate | $270,131 |
| Insurance | $253,155 |
2010
Heller was re-elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2010. His campaign committee raised a total of $1,487,453 and spent $771,681.[24]
| U.S. House of Representatives, Nevada, 2010 - Dean Heller Campaign Contributions | |
|---|---|
| Total Raised | $1,487,453 |
| Total Spent | $771,681 |
| Total Raised by General Election Opponent | $7,446 |
| Total Spent by General Election Opponent | $8,929 |
| Top contributors to Dean Heller's campaign committee | |
| MGM Resorts International | $18,700 |
| American Assn of Orthopaedic Surgeons | $15,000 |
| Honeywell International | $15,000 |
| International Game Technology | $14,500 |
| Caesars Entertainment | $13,600 |
| Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee | |
| Casinos/Gambling | $125,484 |
| Health Professionals | $98,400 |
| Real Estate | $92,398 |
| Insurance | $62,087 |
| Retired | $54,150 |
Analysis
Lifetime voting record
According to the website GovTrack, Heller missed 31 of 514 roll call votes from May 2011 to April 2013. This amounts to 6.0%, which is worse than the median of 1.7% among current senators as of April 2013.[25]
Congressional staff salaries
The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Heller paid his congressional staff a total of $625,167 in 2011. He ranks first on the list of the lowest paid Republican Senatorial Staff Salaries and he ranks first overall of the lowest paid Senatorial Staff Salaries in 2011. Overall, Nevada ranks 42nd in average salary for senatorial staff. The average U.S. Senate congressional staff was paid $2,529,141.70 in fiscal year 2011.[26]
National Journal vote ratings
- See also: National Journal vote ratings
2012
Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of congress voted in the previous year. Heller ranked 41st in the conservative rankings among members of the U.S. Senate.[27]
2011
Heller ranked 28th in the conservative rankings among U.S. Senators.[28]
Net worth
2011
Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org - The Center for Responsive Politics, Heller's net worth as of 2011 was estimated between $2,768,846 to $3,350,835. That averages to $3,059,840, which is lower than the average net worth of Republican Senators in 2011 of $6,358,668.18. His average net worth increased by 26.12% from 2010.[29]
2010
Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org - The Center for Responsive Politics, Heller's net worth as of 2010 was estimated between $2,274,118 and $2,426,114. That averages to $2,578,110, which is lower than the average net worth of Republican Senators in 2010 of $7,054,258.[30]
Percentage voting with party
November 2011
The website Open Congress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus. According to the website, Dean Heller voted with the Republican Party 88.9% of the time, which ranked 31st among the 47 Senate Republican members in November 2011.[31]
Recent news
This section displays the most recent stories in a Google news search for the term Dean + Heller + Nevada + Senate
- All stories may not be relevant to this page due to the nature of the search engine.
Dean Heller News Feed
- Nevada Sen. Dean Heller: Stop Obamacare money until IRS cleans up its act - Washington Times (blog)
- Dean Heller disapproves of federal judge nominee because of contributions to ... - Las Vegas Sun
- IRS scandal reopens rift over Obamacare; Nevada lawmakers entangled - Las Vegas Sun
- Las Vegas protest held over Dean Heller's vote on gun bill - KTNV Las Vegas
- Nevada senators react to IRS targeting of conservative groups - Las Vegas Sun
- Nevada land bills one step closer to passage - FoxReno.com
- Anti-Gun Violence Group Targets Heller - CBS Local
- Nevadans To Protest Senator Dean Heller For Voting Against Background ... - MarketWatch (press release)
- Pine Forest bill clears US Senate committee with bipartisan support - Silver Pinyon Journal
- Senators Face 'Serious Backlash' After Failure to Support Background Checks - PoliticusUSA (blog)
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Personal
Heller and his wife, Lynne, have four children, Hilary, Harris, Drew, and Emmy, as well as a son-in-law, Edward Ableser, who is married to Hilary and is serving in the Arizona House of Representatives.
External links
- Social media:
- Biographies:
- Political profiles:
- Financial:
- Interest group ratings:
- Issue positions:
- Legislation:
- Public statements:
- Voting record:
- Works by or about:
- Media appearances:
- Media coverage:
References
- ↑ Politico "2012 Election Map, Nevada"
- ↑ Gov Track "Dean Heller," Accessed March 3, 2012
- ↑ Biographical Directory of the United States Congress "HELLER, Dean - Biographical Information:
- ↑ Project Vote Smart - Senator Dean Heller - Biography "Senator Dean Heller (NV)"
- ↑ Congressional Quarterly "Senate Committee List" Accessed January 22, 2013
- ↑ United States Senate "Committee Assignments of the 112th Congress"
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Dean Heller for Senate "Issues" April 23, 2012
- ↑ Las Vegas Review-Journal, "Sandoval, Heller endorse Romney," April 11, 2012
- ↑ U.S. Senate "Roll Call Vote on the Fiscal Cliff" Accessed January 4, 2013.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 CBS News "Senate Rejects Paul Ryan Budget" Accessed March 22, 2013
- ↑ Washington Post "10 House Republicans Vote Against Ryan Budget" Accessed March 22, 2013
- ↑ CNN "Rand Paul says he's heard from White House after filibuster," March 7, 2013
- ↑ USA Today "Rand Paul filibuster ranks among Senate's longest," March 7, 2013
- ↑ ABC News "Rand Paul Wins Applause From GOP and Liberals," March 7, 2013
- ↑ Breitbart "AWOL: Meet The GOP Senators Who Refused to Stand With Rand," March 7, 2013
- ↑ Politico "Rand Paul filibuster blasted by Sens. John McCain, Lindsey Graham," March 7, 2013
- ↑ Washington Post "Eric Holder responds to Rand Paul with ‘no’," March 7, 2013
- ↑ Politico "2012 Election Map, Nevada"
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Center for Politics "Tilting the Toss Ups – the Eight Races That Will Decide the Senate" Accessed April 9, 2012
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010"
- ↑ Open Secrets "Dean Heller," Accessed October 28, 2011
- ↑ Open Secrets "Donor history for Dean Heller" Accessed April 25, 2013
- ↑ Open Secrets "Dean Heller 2012 Election Cycle," Accessed February 26, 2013
- ↑ Open Secrets "Dean Heller 2010 Election Data," Accessed October 28, 2011
- ↑ GovTrack, "Heller," Accessed April 11, 2013
- ↑ LegiStorm "Dean Heller"
- ↑ National Journal, "2012 Congressional Vote Ratings," March 5, 2013
- ↑ National Journal, "Searchable Vote Ratings Tables: House," February 23, 2012
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org "Dean Heller (R-Nev), 2011," accessed February 13, 2013
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Heller, (R-Nev), 2010"
- ↑ Open Congress "Voting With Party"
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Ensign |
United States Senate - Nevada 2011–Present |
Succeeded by ' |
| Preceded by Jim Gibbons |
United States House of Representatives - District 2 2007–2011 |
Succeeded by Mark Amodei |
| Preceded by Cheryl Lau |
Nevada Secretary of State 1995–2006 |
Succeeded by Ross Miller |
| Preceded by ' |
Nevada Assembly 1990–1994 |
Succeeded by ' |
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