Heidi Heitkamp is feeling the heat after President Trump came to town and blasted her for opposing North Dakotans on the issues that matter most. When discussing border security during an interview today on her brother’s radio show, Heitkamp completely flip-flopped on one of her long-standing positions saying, “we need to deploy smart strategies, some of that is in fact the wall.”
Yet, Heitkamp has frequently criticized the wall and repeatedly voted against efforts to secure the southern border that include the wall.
- Heitkamp criticized Trump’s plan to build a wall along the southern border, saying, “I just wish we could get beyond it.” (U.S. Senate Committee On Homeland Security and Government Affairs Hearing, 4/5/17)
- In another hearing, Heitkamp says, “We’d go a lot further if we actually just acknowledged that there’s other ways to secure the border than simply building the wall.” (U.S. Senate Committee On Homeland Security and Government Affairs Hearing, 4/5/17) (Minute 3:16-3:25)
- In February 2018, Heitkamp voted for cloture on the McCain-Coons Amendment that would provide permanent residence for DREAMers without funding a border wall (Roll Call Vote #33: Cloture Motion Rejected 52-47, 2/15/18, Heitkamp Voted Yea; CQ Summary, Accessed 2/16/18)
- In 2013, Heitkamp voted against a border fence. (Roll Call Vote #151, 6/18/13, Heitkamp Voted Nay)
“It’s clearly getting close to Election Day, since Heidi Heitkamp is completely backtracking on her lengthy record opposing President Trump’s efforts to build a wall,” said NRSC Spokesman Michael McAdams. “Unfortunately for Heitkamp, North Dakota voters already know they can’t trust her to stand up for them, and it’s far too late for her to whitewash her dangerous record on border security.”