(Las Vegas, NV) — President Barack Obama has endorsed fellow Democrat Steven Horsford in Nevada’s4th Congressional District race.

An Obama statement released Wednesday calls the state senate majority leader a “tireless and outspoken advocate for Nevada’s middle class families.”

Horsford is running against Republican Danny Tarkanian, the son of legendary UNLV basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian.

Horsford’s campaign has tried to paint the Republican as an extremist and link him to the tea party, while Tarkanian’s campaign has decried Horsford’s push for new taxes during the 2011 legislative session.

The newly created 4th District stretches across Clark, Esmeralda, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Nye and White Pine counties.