With Heck in Iraq and no Dem candidate, SD5 race at standstill

LAS VEGAS - Senate District 5 may sit at the top of Nevada Democrats' target list for a possible Senate takeover, but with the incumbent serving a 90-day tour in Iraq with the Army Reserve and no announced Democratic challenger, campaigning has yet to begin.

"There's not a lot we can do; we're restricted because he's on active duty right now," said Lisa Heck, wife of incumbent Republican state Sen. Joe Heck.

A 46-year-old emergency room doctor and Army Reserve Colonel, Heck left the Las Vegas Valley Jan. 26 for deployment to Iraq with the 325 Combat Support Hospital in Anbar Province.  Lisa Heck said Tuesday that laws restricting soliciting of funds for service members on active duty prohibit her from taking most steps to advance her husband's campaign in his absence. 

"There are road signs up, that we're allowed to do," said Heck.  "We can't go door to door.  With yard signs, I don't even have any to give out.  We haven't even ordered them, I don't think.  We'll be ordering new ones that say "re-elect," but haven't yet at this point."

Heck said that she was also not permitted to distribute walk pieces or send out mailers because those actions might be construed as an attempt to fundraise.

"There's always somebody out there who's going to turn things around and say ‘how do we know he's not asking for money,' so we just opted not to do it," said Heck.

Heck said she hopes that her husband will be returning in about a month, but that he has not received a replacement yet, as expected with thirty days remaining in his tour.

"I don't know if he's going to stay another ninety days, I have no idea," said Heck.  "It's nerve-racking and mind-boggling, to say the least.  I'm just hoping that they're late with something."

"I'm hoping [he will return] mid-May, otherwise I guess I'll be filing for him."

Democrats have made significant voter registration gains in Heck's district in the last few months and now hold a 2,102 voter lead there, according to the secretary of state's March numbers.  Democrats now make up just over 41 percent of the district's registered voters with 39.5 percent registered Republicans. 

Heck is not losing too much electorally with no Democratic candidate yet announced to challenge him. Rumors have been circulating in recent weeks that Assemblywoman Susan Gerhardt, whose 29th District sits inside SD5 and who is seeing an unusually strong Republican challenger this year, may decide to challenge Heck.

"I hadn't heard anything whether she agreed to do it or not," said Lisa Heck in response.  "She's a first-term assemblywoman and doesn't really have a lot under her belt as far as things she's done.  She doesn't really have a huge record to speak of, let alone a positive record."

"We're planning a strategy anyways with or without [an opponent]. You can never be so arrogant as to think there isn't anybody who would want to do it.  And what fun would that be?"

Gerhardt did not respond Tuesday to repeated requests for comment.