Catherine Cortez Masto, running for Harry Reid's Senate seat in Nevada, has penned a powerful statement in response to Donald Trump's racist attacks on Judge Gonzalo Curiel:

My story is Judge Gonzalo Curiel's story. To say that someone born in Indiana and who has lived a respected life of public service is not qualified to impartially and competently do his job because of his "Mexican heritage" is the equivalent of saying that I shouldn't have been able to be a federal prosecutor, or Attorney General, or be able to run for Senate because I cannot impartially represent the people of Nevada. Contrary to what Donald Trump will have you believe, my "Mexican heritage" did not affect my ability to enforce the law impartially. And it won't affect Judge Curiel's in overseeing the case involving the scam organization known as Trump University. As Nevada's former top law enforcement officer, I know a pattern when I see it: Donald Trump makes an outlandish proposal, others in his Party cower in fear, then slowly release vague statements of nominal disagreement that seem more designed to avoid alienating Trump's supporters than in deservedly chastising the Republican nominee. My opponent, Congressman Heck, is among those in his Party who seem more concerned about not offending Trump and his supporters than in doing what is right. It means nothing to denounce Trump's latest insult if at the end of the day you are still supporting him for President. Congressman Heck has endorsed Donald Trump, even adopting Trump's talking points about “making America great again." Well I have news for Donald Trump and Congressman Heck — America is already great, and Mexican Americans have played a role in making us great. Judge Curiel's success in life is a repudiation of every comment Donald Trump has made about Mexican immigrants. We aren't rapists and drug dealers, we're judges, doctors, teachers, Attorneys General and even United States Senators. I'd be proud to be the first Latina ever to serve in the U.S. Senate.

Let this be a model for other Democrats running for office this year—taking Trump head-on and tying him to every Republican who refuses to disavow his racism isn't just smart politics, it's absolutely necessary. Republicans have to be made responsible for not just allowing racism to rear its ugly head, but to actually flourish in their party. It's not enough just to expose it, it needs to be condemned just like Cortez Masto does here.

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