Dean Heller calls him a "great leader"

Sen. Dean Heller on Wednesday described President Trump as "a great leader" who had revived the Nevada economy, a striking departure from Heller's independent approach to Trump in the 2016 campaign and in the early 1990s. month of his presidency.

During a private conference call with White House assistants, other Nevada Republican representatives and local activists, Mr. Heller – the most threatened Senate Republican for re-election in November – offered his full support to the President.

"Our weapons are wide open," Heller said during the call, prompting interest in Trump's rally scheduled for Thursday in Las Vegas. "We are delighted to have the president."

Mr. Heller has been progressively closer to Mr. Trump, finally recognizing last year he voted for the president, but the senator did not go as far in public as he did. Wednesday made it. Mr Heller said in a memorable way in October 2016, a few weeks before the presidential election, that he was "100% against Clinton, 99% against Trump".

On Wednesday, noting that Nevada is now the # 1 job creator per capita, Mr. Heller said, "My message will be Nevada who is back at work, and the return to work is due to this president .

As the only senatorial republic to run in a state that Hillary Clinton passed in the 2016 election, Heller faces a costly and highly competitive race against Democratic representative Jacky Rosen. Recent polls indicate that the race is indeed tied and that nearly half of Nevadans do not approve of the president.

Heller also predicted that Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, President Trump's Supreme Court candidate, would overcome a charge of sexual assault three decades ago and be confirmed.

"We had a little problem here with the inscription of Kavanaugh, we will get through that and we will go to the races," he said.

The New York Times listened to the call, including White House political director Bill Stepien; Nevada's Attorney General Adam Laxalt, the Republican candidate for governorship; and Danny Tarkanian, who is running for an open seat at Nevada House.

It is Mr. Tarkanian's candidacy in the House that partly explains Mr. Heller's new admiration for the President. Mr. Tarkanian, son of the legendary former basketball coach of the University of Nevada and Las Vegas, challenged Mr. Heller at the Republican Senate primary until Trump's intervention. The President persuaded Mr. Tarkanian to leave the Senate primary and to stand in the House.

But turning to the president, Mr. Heller is not only doing a favor to Mr. Trump for cleaning up his main field: the senator also bets that he can not win in a mid-term election without galvanizing the republican base of his state. Nevada's grassroots Republicans are enthusiastic supporters of Trump, and the president's approval has helped several Republican candidates dominate the competitions this year.

On his last trip to Nevada at the June Republican convention, the president joked about Heller's initial distance, saying he was a little unstable at first, but had become solid.

The senator, however, was much less effusive than it was Wednesday. He spoke briefly before Mr. Trump and stated that he had written the tax revision – and was happy "this president signed it."

Mr. Stepien helped provide a balm to the raw feelings that may still exist between Nevada Republican activists and Mr. Heller, thanking the Senator for supporting Mr. Trump's agenda and scorning Ms. Rosen for having " is part of the obstruction.

Mr. Laxalt also helped to unify the party, warning that if he lost his run against Democratic candidate Steve Sisolak, it would be impossible for Mr. Trump to wear Nevada in 2020.

"If you thought the Harry Reid machine was bad, the Sisolak machine would be a sight to behold," said Mr. Laxalt, referring to the former Democratic Leader of the Senate who remains the de facto leader of the Party democratic state.