美国国家公共电台 NPR--Sen. Cortez Masto, who gave Democrats the Senate, says people want solutions

Sen. Cortez Masto, who gave Democrats² the Senate, says people want solutions

Transcript³

Nevada Democrat¹ Catherine Cortez Masto narrowly won reelection over the weekend, giving her party control of the U.S. Senate for another two years.

She beat Trump-backed Republican Adam Laxalt by roughly 7,000 votes — a much slimmer margin⁴ than in 2016, when she was first elected to the Senate (and notably⁵ became the first Latina woman to do so).

Their closely watched race was considered a toss-up in the battleground state. Nevada voters also elected a Democrat as secretary of state (over a Republican who baselessly maintained the 2020 election was stolen) and a Republican governor (which makes Gov. Steve Sisolak, who in 2018 was elected the first Democrat in more than two decades to represent the state, the only incumbent⁶ governor to lose so far in 2022).

This election shows that every vote counts, says Cortez Masto, who campaigned on women's reproductive rights. She recalls her grandmother, the oldest of 13 children, who would walk to her local polling place even when she could no longer drive because she knew how important it was to exercise that right and make her voice heard.

"Their vote is their voice," she says of today's voters, especially those who don't believe their vote really counts. "In a community that still is only 3 million people ... you have the ability to make a difference and who you are going to elect, that will either stand with you or against you and take away your rights."

Cortez Masto says that's particularly true in Nevada, where races are "always competitive and ... always close."

She describes Nevada as a purple state, since 15 of its 17 counties are rural and vote Republican. People assume it's blue, because "we've done a really good job of electing Democrats here," she says.

"To me and most Nevadans, this is not about blue or red," she adds. "This is about fighting for Nevada families and working families and standing⁷ up with them and making sure that not only do you understand them, but you're willing to take on those challenges that they're dealing⁸ with to make their lives a little easier."

She spoke⁹ to Morning Edition host A Martínez about the challenges that her constituents¹⁰ — and her party — are facing in her home state.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Interview highlights

On whether her narrow win suggests trouble for Democrats in Nevada

One thing I know about Nevada, growing up here, is that there are always competitive races and you can't take any Nevadans for granted. And that's why it is important to get out and talk to voters and listen to them about the issues and make sure they understand that you're there not only to fight for them, but you get it. You get their challenges. For me, as somebody who's third-generation, whose family came out to work in the hospitality industry here in Nevada, I understand it.

On how her record has helped Nevada

The work that I was able to already do, from the bipartisan infrastructure¹¹ package — that addresses some of the issues we're dealing with, from drought to wildfires — to bringing broadband to so many of our unconnected communities in this state, to the CHIPS and Science Act ... and then the Inflation Reduction Act, making sure that we are taking care of individuals so that they can afford their health care, including their medications, capping the cost of insulin, lowering energy costs for families. Those are things that not only did we get done, I was able to talk to Nevadans about and let them know, look, that this is a comprehensive approach to helping¹² families.

On what's next for the Democratic party

Do we still have work to do? Absolutely. Listen, a gallon of gas here in Nevada is still high ... And I see it. I'm frustrated¹³ by it, because I fill up my gas tank and so many of my family and Nevadans do. And our housing costs are still too high. We still have more work to do to help families and lower those costs. And do I have ideas about that? Absolutely. I have legislation around it. And that's what that's what Nevadans are looking for. They're looking for solutions.

1 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

2 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

4 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

5 notably   

adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地

参考例句：

• Many students were absent,notably the monitor.许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。
• A notably short,silver-haired man,he plays basketball with his staff several times a week.他个子明显较为矮小，一头银发，每周都会和他的员工一起打几次篮球。

6 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

7 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

8 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

9 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

10 constituents   

n.选民( constituent的名词复数 )；成分；构成部分；要素

参考例句：

• She has the full support of her constituents. 她得到本区选民的全力支持。
• Hydrogen and oxygen are the constituents of water. 氢和氧是水的主要成分。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

12 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

13 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》