The Philippine Online Chronicles

Seven-time world boxing champion, Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao took time out from his rigorous training Friday to join a US re-electionist senator at a Nevada campaign rally.

Pacquiao and Democrat Nevada Senator Harry Reid emerged onstage with fists held high, eliciting loud cheers from the gathering crowd. Hundreds of Reid supporters and boxing fans turned up to the event, some wearing boxing gloves and Pacquiao t-shirts, according to the Las Vegas Sun.

Pacquiao, who won a seat in the Philippine congress last May, spoke for less than a minute, energizing the crowd. He reminded the crowd inside the William E. Orr Middle School to vote for Reid and get their friends to the polls.

“Senator Reid has been a great leader in the Senate. He works hard and and has a good heart. I think it's important that Nevadans re-elect him,” Pacquiao said .

Reid, US senate majority leader, delivered a speech afterwards, pointing out his similarities to the boxing champion.

“Manny Pacquiao and Harry Reid came from different sides of the globe, but we came from the same sides of the street,” Reid said. “It's not enough to fight for yourself. It's not enough to want to be a champion. We want to be champions for others...He (Pacquiao) fights for those who can't fight for themselves.”

He also spoke about Pacquiao's upbringing, stating that the 31-year-old boxer left home when he was 14 to support his family.

After a tough re-election battle, the 71-year old Reid apparently won another six-year term as Nevada senator Tuesday. He and Republican Sharron Angle, together with five others, vied for the seat.

Reid was first elected senator in 1986, and enjoyed re-election wins in 1992, 1998, and 2004. Know to be friendly to Asian communities, he fought to pass an act to assist small businesses through increased access to capital and tax incentives. Asians and other Pacific islanders own some 9,000 small businesses across the state, according to Reid's website.

Senator Reid, now on his fifth term, also co-sponsored and supported efforts to reunite aging Filipino World War II veterans with their children.

'Murky mud'

That Pacman went out to endorse a senate re-electionist elicited mixed reactions from observers.

Marv Dumon, a "Republican Examiner" of examiner.com, criticized Pacquiao's appearance in the rally as a means for the Democrats to attract votes from Filipinos in Las Vegas.

Top Rank's Bob Arum, Dumon said in his column, "is a Democrat and a long-time ally" of Reid, and according to Republican Senator John McCain, supposedly accepts free tickets to boxing events. Top Rank promotes Pacquiao's fights.

By endorsing Reid's campaign, Pacquiao is treading on “murky mud,” Dumon wrote, because he makes a livelihood out of breaking fighters' noses and “occupies a dual role as an elected official of the Philippine legislature."

Dumon further criticized the boxing icon, saying he gave Reid a "thumbs up" without first exploring the latter's stance on taxes, social security issues, illegal immigration, proper role of the federal government, federal deficit and the national debt, campaign finance, and other issues.

Some who watched Pacquiao's endorsement on YouTube shared Dumon's views. One commenter said, "unless he (Pacquiao) becomes a citizen living under the policies of the politician he endorses, his support has little weight. Does he even live in Nevada?"

Other commenters said that Pacquiao may have just wanted to remind people about his coming fight with Mexican boxer Antonio "The Express Train" Margarito on November 13 (November 14 in the Philippines) in Arlington, Texas.

Filipino supporters of Reid, meanwhile, were overjoyed that Pacquiao showed support for their candidate.

Filipinos comprise a considerable chunk of the Asian demographic in Nevada, with some estimates pegging the Filipino-American population at between 40,000 and 50,000.

Held yesterday, the United States midterm elections let up for grabs all 435 seats in the US House of Representatives and 37 of the 100 seats in the Senate, along with state and territorial governorships, legislature positions, and other lower-rung positions.

US midterm elections refer to general elections held two years after the quadrennial (four-year) elections for president.