Reid says Heck is 'most fraudulent' candidate he's ever seen

U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Tuesday that in his 50 years in Nevada politics, he’d never seen a “more fraudulent candidate" than U.S. Rep. Joe Heck, the Republican aiming to take his seat.

Reid made the comments during a meeting with the Reno Gazette-Journal editorial board. Heck is running against former Democratic Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto to replace the retiring Reid.

“In my more than 50 years around here, he is the worst, because he is the most fraudulent person I’ve ever seen try to pull the wool over your eyes,” Reid said.

“He says one thing, but he’s done something else,” Reid added. “Look at what I’m telling you. Take, for example, he was at the Paradise Republican Club last night and talked there about how he’s so good with immigrants, that he’s helped the Dreamers. He’s voted against them, voted for defunding them. That’s just one example.”

Reid also criticized Heck for endorsing Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Instead, Reid said there needed to be more Republicans like Gov. Brian Sandoval, who has declined to back Trump.

“I wish we had more Republicans like Brian Sandoval, who you haven’t seen rushing to endorse this Republican nominee Donald Trump,” he said. “But Joe Heck, whoa, man, he loves this guy. He campaigns with him and thinks he’s the best. So, I like Brian Sandoval a lot. We need more Republicans like him.”

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In response, Heck said it was Reid's three decades in the Senate that were fraudulent, accusing him of working for personal gain and doling out political patronage for his friends.

"We all know Harry hasn't been firing on all cylinders over the past couple years and this is just another example of how out of touch he is with Nevadans," Heck said in a statement. "His retirement cannot come soon enough so that Nevada can have someone who truly represents them in this seat.”

Despite the sharp criticism against Heck and other Republicans -- including being unapologetic for making unsubstantiated claims about 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney's tax returns on the Senate floor -- Reid said he was not contributing to any hyperpartisanship

"I don’t accept anybody that criticizes me for being partisan, because I’m not," Reid said. "Only when I have to be, which is a lot lately."

He pointed to his time working with former Republican Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.

“We passed things that were initiated by George Bush. We did it. It was eight years ago,” Reid said. “But this past eight years has been like no other time. I guess you could look at the years before the Civil War, maybe. They were pretty bad. But, no, I’m not responsible for any partisanship. I’ve tried my best to get things done, but it’s hard when you spend all your time trying to overcome filibusters.”

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The race between Heck and Cortez Masto, as well as the presidential race between Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, are very close according to recent polling. However, Reid said he doesn’t think that’s the case.

“Polling is an absolute farce,” Reid said. “You give me a poll anyplace in the past five years that’s been close.”

The polling before the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union was evidence enough of polling’s lack of accuracy, Reid said, adding he felt Nevada could still be close.

“It’s too bad that it is,” he said. “As time goes on, it will get wider. But the Koch Brothers have told the lead writer for the New York Times that their number one goal is to make sure my candidate’s defeated in Nevada, and they’ve spent the money already to prove that.”

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Reid also weighed in on the proposal to bring the Oakland Raiders to Las Vegas. The plan as it stands now would include $750 million in public funding for a new stadium costing between $1.7 billion and $2.4 billion.

“I think it’d be wonderful for Nevada to have a National Football League team,” Reid said.

“We’ve had a relationship with the Raiders for a long time and Mark Davis knows about how Nevada’s loved the Raiders for years,” Reid added. “So I would hope it comes to be.”

Reid also said he wouldn't be attending Burning Man, the annual arts festival held in the Black Rock Desert.

"Well, you know, I need to lose a few pounds before I strip off, so I don't think I'll do that," he said. "Maybe 60 years ago I would have tried it, but my physique is not as I want it to be anymore. I've proven that every morning when I shower and look in the mirror."

Seth A. Richardson covers politics for the Reno Gazette-Journal. Like him on Facebook here or follow him on Twitter at @SethARichardson.