LAS VEGAS-In a press release titled "Where was Dina??," the Nevada Republican Party hit 3rd District congressional candidate and state Sen. Dina Titus today for missing last Friday's meeting of the Interim Finance Committee.

The committee approved $236 million in cuts including to the Nevada Check-Up program which was one of Titus' signature legislative accomplishments.

"Titus, the Democrat's fifth choice to take on Republican Congressman Jon Porter, is clearly avoiding politically sensitive votes in the run-up to the November election," read the release.  "Even in her absence, Nevada's taxpayers are owed an explanation on where she stands on these cuts." 

"Titus has chosen politics over elected purpose and shirked her fundamental responsibility as a state senator," said Sue Lowden, chairwoman of the Nevada Republican Party.

Despite the rhetoric, the meeting was somewhat anti-climactic, with the governor's budget cuts from January approved with little debate.  Most of the cuts had already been adopted by state agencies and the total package was approved with only state Sen. Bob Coffin and Assemblywoman Ellen Koivisto, both Las Vegas Democrats, voting against.

So, where was Titus?

"Driving my mother back from Georgia," said Titus.

Titus called the release "ridiculous" and said that the committee had "no choice" about approving that first round of cuts.

"Those cuts were made a long time ago and had been already accommodated in the budget," said Titus.  "At this point, I don't know that you had any choice."