Shelly Berkley

DENVER – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Searchlight) was in a playful mood this morning, if his interaction with U.S. Rep. Shelly Berkley (D-Las Vegas) was an indication of anything.

One day after delivering a speech here at the Democratic National Convention, Reid is set to be interviewed in seven separate appearances. With him will be Berkley, the five-term congresswoman known for her almost ubiquitous media exposure.

"People wonder how I deal with Chuck Schumer," Reid said, referring to the high octane Democratic Senate campaign chief also known for his friendly media relations. "It's easy, I deal with Shelly."

The room erupted in knowing howls.

DENVER – It’s no secret that U.S. Rep. Shelly Berkley (D-Las Vegas) and casino executive Sheldon Adelson aren’t the best if friends.

As the Las Vegas Sun and others have documented, the feud dates back to the 1990s. When Berkley, who once served under Adelson as vice president of Las Vegas Sands Corp., ran for congress in 1998, Adelson released private documents from Berkley’s tenure at the company suggesting that Berkley had encouraged Adelson to provide favors for elected officials.

Then, earlier this year, Freedom’s Watch, an Adelson-sponsored conservative organization, ran robocalls accusing Berkley of opposing troops in Iraq.

Standing outside a breakfast for Nevada delegates today at the Marriott hotel, the five-term congresswoman declined to comment on her feud with Adelson. But she didn’t hesitate to take a shot at Freedom’s Watch, suggesting the organization disclose its donor list.

DENVER — U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Las Vegas) said today that a new poll showing Jill Derby within striking distance of U.S. Rep. Dean Heller (R-Carson City) was evidence that the race, once thought to be something of a long shot for Democrats, was moving in Derby’s direction.

“We have the perfect candidate in Jill Derby. There isn’t anyone better suited in the state and more qualified to serve in Congress than Jill,” Berkley told PolitickerNV.com as she walked out of the Nevada delegation’s breakfast this morning at the Marriott hotel.

Derby, a former chairwoman of the Nevada Democratic Party, lost narrowly to Heller in their 2006 duel. The district, which encompasses a wide swath of area outside of Clark County, has historically trended Republican. But a poll released last week showed Derby trailing by only a 5-percent margin, down from the 14-point margin the same poll found in June.

The R-J is carrying a great story this morning on U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV) and her lack of endorsement of presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama.

For the lazy:

Our resident badass U.S. Rep who was a Clinton backer wants to take an active role in the campaign and help deliver the state. Although she loved his AIPAC speech, she wants to hear it directly from him on Yucca Mountain before anything happens.

She has a lot of friends here. I'd make the call.

This year ended with more of a bang than a whimper. Joseph Cooper has the races to watch here.

Getting a freebie this year are Democrat Valerie Wiener, and Republicans Dean Rhoads and Mike McGinness. All have safe seats.

In CD-1, Shelley Berkley may just pull this one off. With a spare 60,000 voter registration advantage you would think that she is safe, but the race still managed to attract seven GOP opponents. Seven. Must be the huge Republican surge that we're seeing nationwide that makes these guys think they have a chance with those odds.

Nevadan Harry Reid, the U.S. Senate Majority Leader, is the most powerful man in Congress, according to power rankings provided by Knowlegis, an independent group that evaluates the clout of federal officials.  Republican Senator John Ensign, the Chairman of the National Republicans Senatorial Committee, is ranked at #42 out of 100.  The most powerful member of the House from Nevada is Democrat Shelly Berkley at #77 out of 435. Republican Jon Porter is #244 and Republican Dean Heller is #420, which means there are only fifteen Congressmen less powerful than the Nevada freshman.

Democratic candidate for the U.S. Congress Robert Daskas was in Washington D.C. last week, where he fundraised and rubbed shoulders with the Party elite, the Las Vegas Review Journal reports today.  read more »