DNC committeewoman 'seriously thinking' about challenging Rep. Joe Heck

Erin Bilbray, the Nevada Democratic National Committeewoman, is "seriously thinking" about running against Rep. Joe Heck (R-Nev.) and will sit down Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) to discuss it.

"I'm seriously thinking about it," she told Nevada politics guru Jon Ralston on Wednesday.

Bilbray told Ralston that Israel had called her to discuss the race and told her that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has been her "strongest ambassador" in promoting her campaign. She also said Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.), who narrowly lost to Heck in 2010 before winning a safer seat this election, is also boosting her campaign.

Bilbray is a longtime Democratic consultant in the state and would not be the first in her family to serve in the House should she run and win: Former Rep. Jim Bilbray (D-Nev.) was a congressman from 1987-1995.

Heck represents a swing district in Las Vegas's suburbs that President Obama narrowly won in 2012. Heck won his reelection by a surprisingly comfortable margin against a problematic Democratic opponent, and he could be tougher to beat in a midterm election when Hispanic voter turnout will likely dip.