Dems protect once-safe Nevada seat

National Democrats are moving resources in to protect Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.), an incumbent few worried about early in this election cycle.

{mosads}The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is planning to spend $360,000 on TV ads defending Horsford in his Democratic-leaning suburban Las Vegas district, a response to a recent big ad buy from the GOP-aligned Crossroads GPS.

“Taking nothing for granted, the DCCC has reserved $360,000 on Las Vegas broadcast to defend freshman Rep. Steven Horsford from a $935,000 buy from Karl Rove’s Crossroads GPS super-PAC. The DCCC has also partnered with the Horsford campaign to air ads,” according to a DCCC aide. “This district is a swing district in a tough midterm.”

President Obama won the district by a double-digit margin two years ago, but the district’s large portion of Hispanic voters tend to vote at much lower rates in nonpresidential years. Republicans are dominating in Nevada early voting this year, and Democrats are worried they might be facing a tough map this fall.

The DCCC has also pumped an additional $1.1 million into protecting other vulnerable Democrats, including its first investment for Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.), another incumbent in a Democratic-leaning district they long considered safe. The DCCC is spending $100,000 on radio for Capps and adding money to protect Reps. Scott Peters (D-Calif.), John Barrow (D-Ga.), Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), William Enyart (D-Ill.) and Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.).