GOP Rep. Heck mulls Nevada Senate bid

Rep. Joe Heck (R-Nev.) is mulling a Senate run under pressure from national Republicans, according to a report in the Las Vegas Sun.

“People want to talk to me about it so we’re meeting with people and talking about it,” Heck told The Sun, calling it a “due diligence” phase.

{mosads}Heck, an Iraq war veteran, had previously expressed no interest in running for Senate, saying he was happy in his roles on House subcommittees that have jurisdiction over the military.

The Nevada Republican would be a strong recruit for the party. He’s a proven fundraiser and consistently outperforms in elections in his swing district.

Senate Republicans see Nevada as a strong pick-up opportunity. Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval (Nev.) is wildly popular in the state and would be the strongest GOP candidate, but he appears likely to remain in his current job.

Current Lt. Gov. Mark Hutchison (R), former Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki (R), Nevada state Senate Majority Leader Michael Roberson (R) and about a half-dozen other potential candidates are said to be considering running for Senate but are waiting to make moves until Sandoval is officially out. 

On the Democratic side, Sen. Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) handpicked successor, former Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto (D), will run in 2016 to replace him in the Senate.