Big spending zip codes encompass the strip

Ken McCall

Saturday, Oct. 19, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

No matter how you look at it, the Strip comes out on top of Nevada politics.

A computer analysis of Federal Elections Commission data shows that the 89109 ZIP code was on more checks from individuals to federal candidates than any other ZIP code in the state.

The ZIP code, which includes the Strip from Sahara to Tropicana avenues, accounted for 368 contributions worth $274,818.

The area was followed by its neighbor across the freeway, the 89102 ZIP code, which made 359 contributions worth $256,694.

The figures are for the federal election cycle beginning Jan. 1, 1995, through Aug. 15, 1996. The contributions analyzed do not include donations to political action committees or so-called "soft money" given to political parties.

But they account for the lion's share of Nevada's donations to federal campaigns: 4,423 contributions worth a total of $3.1 million.

In all, the Las Vegas Valley accounted for the top four politically generous ZIP codes in the state and eight of the top nine.

Third on the list with $233,911 was the 89117 ZIP code, which includes The Lakes and part of Spring Valley. Fourth was 89113, home to the exclusive Spanish Trail neighborhood, with $208,090.

Southwest Reno's 89509 came in fifth with $190,037.

Green Valley's 89014 and the 89107 zip code, which includes the Rancho Circle and Charleston Heights areas, were the other two postal areas to give more than $100,000.

Taken together, the top six Las Vegas Valley ZIP codes contributed overwhelmingly to Republicans over Democrats. Republican candidates received $787,593, or 61.5 percent, while Democrats took in $490,900, or 38.3 percent.

Those figures mirrored the statewide pattern for individual donations to candidates: Republicans outdrew Democrats 62.6 percent to 36.7 percent.

One ZIP that didn't break into six figures was downtown Las Vegas. The 89101 postal area, which runs between Owens Avenue and Charleston Boulevard from Main Street to Pecos Road, accounted for 137 contributions totaling $90,757.

That's about a third of the contributions donated by the Strip's 89109 area.

The numbers didn't surprise state politicos, including Gary Gray, director of the state Clinton-Gore campaign.

"That would be pretty much proportional to their share of gaming revenues," Gray said of the two casino-packed areas.

Besides, he said, the downtown casinos have put "an awful lot of money into the Fremont Street Experience (redevelopment project), and that takes away from their ready cash."

Dan Burdish, director of the state Republican Party, attributed much of the giving from the Strip -- as well as Las Vegas in general -- to fund-raising machine John Ensign.

The Republican incumbent in the 1st Congressional District is the runaway money leader among congressional candidates, having raised more than $900,000 in this calendar year alone.

"Ensign is highly popular within his district," Burdish said, "and with gaming executives."

But not everyone writing political checks from 89109, which includes the posh residential areas in and around the Las Vegas and Sahara country clubs, was from the gaming industry.

The top individual donor from the area, in fact, was Dr. Elias Ghanem. The longtime heavyweight in state politics wrote 18 checks worth $21,000. Ghanem's wife, Jody, wrote seven checks worth $6,500.

The next three top donors from 89109, however, were casino executives.

Second in the ZIP code was Sands owner Sheldon Adelson, who donated $18,000 to federal candidates. He was followed by Circus Circus Vice President Mike Sloan at $15,000 and Harrah's Chairwoman Claudine Williams at $8,000.

All are regular political contributors and all contributed to Ensign. But all also contributed to both parties.

"I'm bipartisan," said Sloan, who regularly hosts fund-raisers. "Part of this is there are instances -- regardless of people's party -- where you think they do a better job. You think it's in the best interests of the state or the industry."

Still, Sloan leaned more toward Republicans, donating $9,500 to candidates such as Ensign, Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole and former presidential candidate Pete Wilson. He gave $5,500 to Democrats, all of whom were out of state.

Part of the partisan tilt, he said, "reflects the reality that the Republicans control Congress."

Party leaders and committee chairman have "a disproportionate amount of influence" compared with other members, he said, so they get more money.

But there's another force at work in political giving, Sloan said: social etiquette.

"When you host a lot of these things like I do," he said of fund-raising events, "part of it is reciprocating to people I've asked to donate.

"Unfortunately," he sighed, "I give away more than I should, probably."

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