It may look odd to see Dina Titus listed among candidates in the closest races because usually her victories over Republicans have been comfortable. But redistricting in 2021 moved parts of Dina’s previously safe district into another district. None of the three Democratic members of the House from Nevada will be safe in 2022: “The nonpartisan Princeton Gerrymandering Project estimates that…all three seats could conceivably flip to the GOP in a wave election.”
Dina’s background
Dina served in the Nevada Senate and was its minority leader from 1993 to 2009; she championed quality education, renewable energy development, and the welfare of Nevada’s children, seniors, and persons with disabilities. While serving in Nevada’s Senate, Dina (who has a doctorate) was professor of political science at University of Nevada Las Vegas; she taught American Government there for over 30 years, and today has professor emeritus status.
In 2006 Dina was honored with the dedication of Dina Titus Estates, an innovative affordable housing complex in Las Vegas for disabled Nevadans, named in recognition of her advocacy for disabled people.
Dina was first elected to the U.S. House in 2008.
Dina’s work in Congress
When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade in 2022, Dina said: “Today’s decision is an attack on the right to control our bodies, health, and futures…Abortion rights are human rights and should not be subject to the political whims of the few. In a country with high maternal mortality rates and limited access to paid family medical leave, reproductive rights are imperative for women to make individual choices about what is best for them and their families. Today’s decision is an assault on all women but particularly those living in minority, underserved, and impoverished communities. They will be forced to take drastic and unsafe measures to self-manage abortions or carry unwanted pregnancies to term. Our history is brimful of brave women fighting injustice in the face of adversity. This battle will be no different.”
Dina is now the dean of Nevada’s Congressional delegation, and a member of the House Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, Foreign Affairs, and Homeland Security. In 2018, Dina was elected to become Chair of a key Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee, where she works to help Nevada’s communities better respond to natural disasters, address the devastating impacts of climate change, and fight for infrastructure projects that will benefit the most vulnerable. After helping the Las Vegas community recover from the 2017 mass shooting, the deadliest in modern American history, Dina has been one of the leading voices in Congress for action to reduce gun violence.
Dina’s priorities in Congress include:
Dina is a member of the House Democracy Partnership, a bipartisan, 20-member commission that works directly with parliaments around the world to support the development of effective, independent, and responsive legislative institutions.
Dina’s opponent
Dina’s Republican opponent is Mark Robertson, a retired Colonel in the US Army Reserves who has spent the past two decades advising individuals on their wealth management. He is a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association. Robertson said he could not answer whether he would have voted in favor of certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election. Robertson is an anti-abortion extremist; he applauded Texas’ drastic six-week abortion ban which had no exceptions for rape and incest, and which enabled people to collect bounties for reporting doctors or anyone else who help women get abortions – he called for other states to “follow suit.” Robertson said he would have voted against the bipartisan infrastructure law, which has brought many jobs to Nevada.
In February 2022 Robertson announced that he was “proud” to have the endorsement of Congressman Andy Biggs, the far-right Trump ally who sought a presidential pardon for his role in attempting to overturn the 2020 election. In the aftermath of the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, Biggs's brothers William and Daniel wrote a letter to the editor of The Arizona Republic demanding their brother's removal from office. They wrote that Biggs is "at least partially to blame" for the storming of the Capitol. They also condemned his refusal to wear a mask in the secure location on January 6, saying this "was a passive-aggressive tantrum and the ultimate disrespect for all present". Biggs was one of 12 House Republicans to vote against awarding three Congressional Gold Medals to the United States Capitol Police who protected the Capitol on January 6.
Praise for Dina
Dina’s strong environmental record earned her a 100% score for 2021 from League of Conservation Voters. She has a 100% rating from Planned Parenthood Action Fund.
Emily’s List issued this statement when it endorsed Dina in 2022: “Congresswoman Dina Titus has a storied career of public service, advocacy, and legislative leadership, and EMILY’s List is proud to stand with her as she gears up for a competitive reelection campaign. A leading voice on gun violence prevention, comprehensive immigration reform, infrastructure, and climate change mitigation, Congresswoman Titus has always worked to improve the lives of Nevadans.”
When Giffords (the organization dedicated to saving lives from gun violence, led by former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords) endorsed Dina in 2022, it wrote: “Elections in Nevada are always close, and Representative Titus is facing her hardest reelection campaign yet this fall. With our gun safety House majority on the line in November, voters across the 1st District must come together to send her back to Washington DC for another term. We know real progress is possible with Representative Dina Titus in office, and that commonsense policies like universal background checks will finally become the law of the land. We are proud to endorse Dina Titus for the US House of Representatives.”
The Sierra Club’s 2022 endorsement of Dina said: “Since day one, Congresswoman Titus has been a fierce advocate for Nevadans’ health, air and water, protecting our public lands, and building a clean energy economy that works for all while working tirelessly to stop any effort to make our state a dumping ground for nuclear waste. Titus is a true environmental champion, and we’re proud to endorse her once again.”
Call to action
Dina needs our support to win this important race so that she can continue her leadership in the House on so many important issues. And the more people who turn out to vote for Dina, the more likely Catherine Cortez Masto will win the crucial Senate race in Nevada.
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