Berkley to highlight effect of Ryan budget on Latinos

Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.) will release a report on Friday highlighting the impact of the Ryan budget on Latinos in Nevada, the first effort from a Senate campaign to directly examine the result of the plan on specific demographic groups.

Berkley is running a tough race against Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.), with the most recent polls showing him slightly ahead of the congresswoman. Her campaign has made efforts to tie Heller to Ryan's plan since Mitt Romney announced that Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) would be his running mate, and this indicates not only a continuance of that effort, but a sharpening. The report refers to the Heller-Ryan-Romney plan.

“Latinos across Nevada deserve someone who will stand up and fight for them each and every day, not only in election years,” Berkley said in a release. “However, my opponent Dean Heller ‘proudly’ supports the Paul Ryan-Mitt Romney plan that harms Latino families by raising premiums and prescription drug costs, cuts Medicaid and food assistance for low-income families and makes college more expensive by slashing Pell Grants."

According to the most recent U.S. Census, over 27 percent of Nevada's population is Latino, a considerably higher percentage than the nation overall. The state went for President Obama in 2008's presidential contest, with 76 percent of Nevada's Latinos voting for Obama, indicating they could be an important voting bloc if Berkley hopes to win the race.

--This article was published at 8:34 a.m. and updated at 10:45 a.m.

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