Berkley files for 6th term

LAS VEGAS-Accompanied by staffers, Democratic U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley filed for reelection today, setting herself up for a campaign against one of five Republican challengers.

"This is the most exciting time of the year for me," said Berkley, 57, "and I'm going to campaign as if I have the most serious and challenging race of my life and let the voters decide in November whether they want to rehire me."

Republicans Chris Dyer, Ray Kornfeld, Ed "Mr. Clean" Hamilton, Mike Powers and Kenneth Wegner filed to challenge Berkley earlier in the week, but will face nearly insurmountable challenges in attempting to knock-off the five-term incumbent. The 1st Congressional District is 51 percent Democrat in voter registration to only 30 percent Republican, and Berkley has a career of constituent services and bringing home federal money to the Las Vegas Valley including funding for the Southern Nevada VA Medical Center, projected to open in 2011.

That hasn't stopped the campaigning against her, however.

Wegner hit the airwaves late last month with a TV ad accusing Berkley of voting for the Iraq War and now "refus[ing] to support our troops."

Berkley disputed that claim today.

"I haven't seen the commercial obviously, because I have been working in Washington, but I think if anybody examined my record when it came to supporting the troops, they would find that my record is 100 percent," said Berkley.

"In addition to that, I also have, in my opinion and I think the opinion of most others, a very strong record supporting our veterans as well. I don't think there is anybody in congress that works harder for our veterans than I do and with great pride I say that."

Berkley spent Christmas in Iraq and said she knows what is happening "on the ground and the sacrifices our troops have made."

"For anybody to think that I'm less than supportive of our troops on the ground, I think they are on very weak ground."

Wegner ran against Berkley in 2006 and received 31 percent of the vote to Berkley's nearly 65 percent.