Ensign outdistances Bernstein in fund raising

Tuesday, April 18, 2000 | 9:57 a.m.

Former Republican Rep. John Ensign of Las Vegas ended the first quarter of 2000 with nearly twice as much cash on hand as chief rival Ed Bernstein in their U.S. Senate race.

In Federal Election Commission filings due Friday, Ensign reported $1.74 million cash on hand through March 31, compared to $997,181 for Bernstein, a Las Vegas Democrat.

Ensign also reported net contributions of $461,243 for the quarter, compared to $202,979 for Bernstein. But Bernstein, an attorney, reported $711,807 in total receipts for the quarter, including a $505,000 loan from his personal account.

Cash on hand is significant because it helps measure the candidates' future abilities to run advertisements and get their messages out.

The latest figures mean that Ensign so far has raised about $2.54 million, compared to $1.1 million for Bernstein, in their bid to replace Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., who is retiring at the end of his second term this year. Ensign also has outspent Bernstein by an 8-to-1 margin.

Ensign spent $524,309 during the last quarter for a total of nearly $900,000 for his campaign. Bernstein has spent only $113,925, including $97,232 so far this year.

Ensign, a veterinarian who served two terms in Congress, received slightly more than half of his contributions for the previous quarter from political action committees. Only about one-sixth of Bernstein's contributions came from PACs.

Noteworthy in Ensign's case is that the former congressman, who earlier captured heavy support from the gaming industry, received nearly all of his contributions for the previous quarter from nongaming sources.

His individual contributors included $1,000 from Miami sports magnate H. Wayne Huizenga, $2,000 from boxing promoter Don King, $400 from former UNLV interim Athletic Director Dennis Finfrock, $500 from Frehner Construction executive Garth Frehner, $1,000 from Barrick Goldstrike Vice President Michael Brown, and $2,000 from businessman E. Parry Thomas.

Bernstein received $1,000 from Slim Fast Foods Chairman S. Daniel Abraham, $2,000 from entertainer David Cassidy, $2,000 each from Jockey Club Resort owner Sheldon Cloobeck and Cloobeck Enterprises executive Stephen Cloobeck, $500 from Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., $1,000 from former Las Vegas Mayor Jan Laverty Jones, and $1,000 from Fiesta hotel-casino President George Maloof Jr. Bernstein also received $2,000 from the campaign of Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and $500 from supporters of Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich.