Update: Heller says time not right for him to challenge Reid

Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., has decided not to challenge Sen. Harry Reid in 2010 and said he will run for re-election in Congressional District 2.

Heller said he told national Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn of Texas his decision earlier Tuesday.

"I'm really happy where I am," said Heller, now in his second term in the house.

He said one reason was his appointment to the Ways and Means Committee eight months ago. He said that has enabled him to have a say in a wide variety of issues important to Nevada and his district, including health care.

He said he believes it's important for him to stay where he is for now.

"Some say it wasn't the best political decision but we'll see," he said.

He said a key factor is that his daughter enters high school this fall.

"If I run now, I'm a member of Congress and spend the next year and a half running for Senate," he said. "I don't want to miss her first two years in high school."

Heller has been touted within party circles as the Republican office holder with the best chance of beating Reid. Republican polling has had him anywhere from five to nine percentage points ahead of Reid.

Reid, however, has already raised a a huge war chest with upwards of $7.2 million cash on hand for his campaign for a fifth six year term in the Senate.

"There are certainly a lot of variables and that was one of them," he said. "It's a very daunting task to raise the kind of money you need to run for Senate. I think I could have raised the money but the ultimate decision was more personal than political."

Also on Reid's side, he admitted, is his clout as Senate Majority Leader and its benefit to Nevada.

"That's clearly going to be an issue with voters," he said.

On the Republican side, the race has already drawn seven candidates - six of whom have filed declarations with the Federal Elections Commission.

Most recently, Las Vegas lawyer and former Secretary of State candidate Danny Tarkanian announced his candidacy. He has yet to file the federal paperwork.

In addition, Nevada Republican Party Chairman Sue Lowden has been looking at the possibility of running for the Senate seat herself. She is a former Nevada State Senator. Her supporters, led by political operative Robert Uithoven, say she too beats Reid in polling.

Lowden has not filed a declaration of candidacy either although she is testing the waters privately.

Another name that has been mentioned as a potential challenger to Reid is state Sen. Mark Amodei of Carson City. Amodei had told supporters before that, in his mind, Heller had first call on the challenge to Reid.

There have also been rumors that Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki is interested in running.

Former Assemblywoman Sharron Angle, who ran an unsuccessful campaign last election season for the State Senate in Reno, has already filed her declaration and raised in excess of $35,000.

The only other candidate on the list of GOP contenders who has raised any money is Bill Parson, a former senior project manager at the Nevada Test Site, who has $13,000 in contributions.

Others on the list are Las Vegas banker John Chachas, Edward "MisterClean" Hamilton, Charles Kozak and Terry Suomen, all of Las Vegas.

"I think it's one of those processes where voters figure it out and, at the end of the day, we end up with a candidate we can support," said Heller. 

He said he expects to support the Republican primary winner when all is said and done.

As for his decision not to run at this date, he said it's not too late for other candidates to get in and develop an effective campaign.

"I think anybody can be beaten at any time," he said.

 Reid is the only Democrat in the race thus far.

Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.