Seth A. Richardson

srichardson@rgj.com

12 p.m. Wednesday update:

Republican vice-presidential candidate Mike Pence urged voters to reach out to fellow Republicans and convince them to come under the wing of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Pence made the comments during a rally on Wednesday in Reno to a crowd of around 400 people, marking a stark contrast to his running mate’s public chagrin with the national party. Democrats and Independents were already won over by and large, he said, but there needed to be a renewed focus on errant Republicans.

“Now is the time to reach out to our Republican friends and neighbors and say with one voice it is time to come home,” Pence said. “I would submit to each and every one of you, go tell your neighbors and friends in Republican ranks it’s time to come home. Come home to vote for the Trump-Pence team.”

Trump has publicly feuded with Republican leaders over the past few weeks, especially as some have backed off from supporting him. He's been engaged in a high-profile battle with House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and reportedly stopped fundraising altogether for the party.

“Our very weak and ineffective leader, Paul Ryan, had a bad conference call where his members went wild at his disloyalty,” Trump tweeted on Oct. 11.

Yet, Pence struck a conciliatory tone on Tuesday, even for those who have abandoned Trump in recent weeks like Republican Senate candidate Joe Heck from Nevada.

Heck, a congressman from Las Vegas, initially endorsed Trump, saying the alternative choice of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton was not an option. He walked back that support after recordings leaked of Trump describing sexually assaulting women, calling for the candidate to resign.

Since then, Heck has been coy on whom he will vote for. The day before Pence’s visit to Reno, Heck said he likely wouldn’t share who he’s casting a ballot for and didn’t think voters had a right to know.

Heck says voters don't have right to know who he's voting for

But Pence offered full support for Heck during his visit, saying it was crucial to elect downballot Republicans.

“Come home to elect Joe Heck to the United States Senate and re-elect Republican majorities in Congress,” Pence said. “And come home to be part of a movement in this country that will make sure Hillary Clinton will never be elected president of the United States of America.”

It marks a relative shift in focus to congressional races from both presidential campaigns in Nevada as polling and early turnout indicate the presidential race is leaning Democratic. The Clinton campaign has a renewed focus on Heck’s opponent, former Democratic Attorney General Catherin Cortez Masto, bringing in high-profile surrogates to Nevada to rally voters to her side in a razor thin race.

The Trump campaign is also having to use resources in traditional Republican strongholds like Utah, where Pence was scheduled to hold a rally after his Reno event.

Outside the Pence rally at the Grand Sierra Resort, The Democratic National Committee brought their tour bus to encourage early voting, which goes until Nov. 4. Eric Walker, deputy communications director for the DNC, gleefully said he and others in the party are feeling bullish about the congressional races, but weren’t taking anything for granted.

“Pence is here, but then he’s going to Salt Lake City in Utah,” Walker said. “If the Republicans have to worry about Utah in a presidential election, that shows you how much they’re struggling.”

Original post

Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence returns to Reno Wednesday morning.

Pence will appear at a rally at the Grand Sierra Resort at 11 a.m. Doors open at 9 a.m.

GOP VP nominee Pence returns to Reno today, one week after last visit

Anyone interested in attending can RSVP by clicking here.

Live coverage on Twitter from the RGJ's Seth Richardson: